rational choice, 71
resilience discourse, 70–71
socioeconomic conditions in Proof of Concept, 150–153
“The New Reality” (Harness) as an allegory of technological progress, 6
correlationism in, 9–12, 18
duality of human nature, 18–20
the Kantian problem in, 8–9, 10
Luce’s photon experiment, 15–18
the menace of unbridled scientific arrogance, 12–15, 19
narrative overview of, 5–6
noumena/phenomena dialectic, 9, 15, 16–17, 18–21
the noumenal universe in, 10–12, 18–21
the reshaping and rewriting of reality, 8–9
scientific paradigm change in, 6–8
Noumenon as embodied in The Thing Itself (Roberts), 21, 23
the experience of, 21
Kant’s things-in-themselves, 15, 16–17
noumena/phenomena dialectic, 9, 15, 16–17, 18–21
the noumenal universe in “The New Reality” (Harness), 10–12, 18–21
Outlaw, Paul, 128
Proof of Concept (Jones) dominance of capitalist realism, 155, 166
as dystopian fiction, 166–167
ecological collapse, 151, 153, 155–156, 166
the Great Escape interstellar travel project, 156–158, 160–163, 164–165
Kir/Altair relationship, 163–164, 166–167
the media landscape, 149–150
narrative structure, 149–150, 161
procreation, 153–154
sexuality, 154
socioeconomic conditions in, 150–153
Reproductive futurism, 88, 91, 95, 97
Riskin, Jessica, 37–38
Robinson, Kim Stanley, 120
Roosth, Sophia, 66–67
Schrödinger, Erwin, 17, 27, 42–43, 159
science fiction infodumps, 92
logic of double action in, 120
science fictional fabulation, 1–3
Serres, Michel, 132
“Shadow Show” (Simak) account of media history, 53
accounts of the nature of life, 39
boundaries of the human, 49
emotional stress of the scientists, 44–45
fabrication of new types of human beings, 39–40, 41–42, 47–48
imperialism within a Cold War logic, 40–41
narrative overview of, 39–40, 49
the Play’s creation of animated life, 56–60
the Play’s dual function, 52–56
transgressive research, 44–47
vitalistic quest for the spark of life, 41–42, 44, 49–51
Shelley, Mary, 43–44, 46
Slavery in Afrofuturism, 126–127
the Middle Passage, 100
slave identity in Splendor and Misery (clipping.), 125–126, 127, 130–131, 138, 141–142, 144, 147
slave spirituals, 132–133
slavery-capitalism nexus, 135, 141–142
slaves as the first moderns, 126–127
Splendor and Misery (clipping.) “A Better Place” track, 145–148
“Air ’Em Out” track, 138–140
the AI’s relationship with Cargo number 2331, 135–138, 139
anti-anti-utopianism in, 147
associated music videos, 139–144
“Baby Don’t Sleep” track, 139, 142–144
contrasted with Lovecraftian cosmology, 145
cyphers and decoding processes, 131–132
Daveed Diggs’ rap, 131, 132, 134–135, 140–141, 143–144, 146–147
dislocation of time and space, 129–131, 141–142
exile theme, 127, 129, 130–131, 132–133, 138
Middle Passage setting, 126–127, 138
narrative overview of, 125–126, 127, 138–139
Paul Outlaw’s vocals, 128, 146
references to slave spirituals, 132–133
slave identity of Cargo number 2331, 125–126, 127, 130–131, 138, 141–142, 144, 147
soundscape, 127–128, 129–131, 133–134
as a space opera, 125–126
“Story 5” track, 133
Take 6 a cappella gospel tracks, 133
“True Believer” track, 138–139, 140–142
Technology biotechnology, 66–67, 68–69, 73–74, 78
and the creation of animated life, 56–60
dangers of new technology, 33
imagining of a new technology in The Thing Itself (Roberts), 26–27, 30–33
pace of technological innovation, 6
Thacker, Eugene, 43, 51
The Thing Itself (Roberts) chapter structure of, 29–30
Charles’ limit experience, 23–24, 28, 36
correlationism, 25, 26–27
embodiment of the noumenon, 21, 23
escape from the phenomenal human world, 33–36
failure of descriptive language in, 21–22
fanaticism and the quest for the Thing-as-Such, 25, 27–28, 29
the Kantian categories in, 24–27, 29–30
monstrous imagery, 23, 29
nature of the thing in itself, 36–38
new technology to escape Kantian categories, 26–27, 30–33
Vitalism contemporary biotechnology, 67–69
the discovery of DNA and, 42–43, 59
old forms of, 42–44, 59
the quest for life in “Shadow Show” (Simak), 41–42, 44, 49–51
technology and the creation of animated life, 56–60
Wells, H. G., 46, 48–49
Whitehead, Alfred North, 3
Zebrowski, George, 6