Identify story/movie/TV show based on "Most scientific!" vague quote?
October 27, 2014 2:30 PM Subscribe
My daughter has a vague memory of a story in which some aliens basically worship science, so whenever they are evaluating something positively they say things like "Most scientific!" or "Very scientific!"
It rings no bells for me, other than sounding vaguely Star Trek-ish. However, she has no particular visual memory of it, leading her to theorize that maybe it's a story. Does this jog anyone's memory?
And it's NOT her misremembering Adventure Time and "mathematical!", I'm assuming?
posted by deludingmyself at 2:47 PM on October 27, 2014
posted by deludingmyself at 2:47 PM on October 27, 2014
The South Park episode "Go God Go XII" (the one that's a parody of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century) contains quotes like: "Science damn you!", "Science be praised!", "Praise Science!", "Hail Science!", "Science H. Logic!", etc.
posted by The Tensor at 2:48 PM on October 27, 2014
posted by The Tensor at 2:48 PM on October 27, 2014
We're not talking about Leonard Nimoy's "song" - Highly Illogical - are we?
posted by Potomac Avenue at 2:51 PM on October 27, 2014
posted by Potomac Avenue at 2:51 PM on October 27, 2014
Do you have any idea what time period this might be from?
posted by dilaudid at 2:57 PM on October 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by dilaudid at 2:57 PM on October 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I think it is likely to be The Stars My Destination:
How long did you drift?" Joseph asked.
"Vorga," Foyle mumbled.
"You are the first to arrive alive in fifty years. You are a puissant man. Very. Arrival of the fittest is the doctrine of Holy Darwin. Most scientific."
"Quant Suff!" the crowd bellowed.
Joseph seized Foyle's elbow in the manner of a physician taking a pulse. His devil mouth counted solemnly up to ninety-eight.
"Your pulse. Ninety-eight-point-six," Joseph said, producing a thermometer and shaking it reverently. "Most scientific."
"Quant Suff!" came the chorus.
Joseph proffered an Erlenmeyer flask. It was labeled: Lung, Cat, c.s., hematoxylin & eosin. "Vitamin?" Joseph inquired.
When Foyle did not respond, Joseph removed a large pill from the flask, placed it in the bowl of a pipe, and lit it. He puffed once and then gestured. Three girls appeared before Foyle. Their faces were hideously tattooed. Across each brow was a name: JOAN and MOIRA and POLLY. The "O" of each name had a tiny cross at the base.
"Choose," Joseph said. "The Scientific People practice Natural Selection. Be scientific in your choice. Be genetic."
This may also have been used elsewhere, though - when I read the quote in my head I get it in the warbly, stilted tones of the telepathic illusion aliens from Star Trek TOS, and The Stars My Destination is old enough to have influenced most TV SF.
posted by Jon Mitchell at 3:24 PM on October 27, 2014 [2 favorites]
How long did you drift?" Joseph asked.
"Vorga," Foyle mumbled.
"You are the first to arrive alive in fifty years. You are a puissant man. Very. Arrival of the fittest is the doctrine of Holy Darwin. Most scientific."
"Quant Suff!" the crowd bellowed.
Joseph seized Foyle's elbow in the manner of a physician taking a pulse. His devil mouth counted solemnly up to ninety-eight.
"Your pulse. Ninety-eight-point-six," Joseph said, producing a thermometer and shaking it reverently. "Most scientific."
"Quant Suff!" came the chorus.
Joseph proffered an Erlenmeyer flask. It was labeled: Lung, Cat, c.s., hematoxylin & eosin. "Vitamin?" Joseph inquired.
When Foyle did not respond, Joseph removed a large pill from the flask, placed it in the bowl of a pipe, and lit it. He puffed once and then gestured. Three girls appeared before Foyle. Their faces were hideously tattooed. Across each brow was a name: JOAN and MOIRA and POLLY. The "O" of each name had a tiny cross at the base.
"Choose," Joseph said. "The Scientific People practice Natural Selection. Be scientific in your choice. Be genetic."
This may also have been used elsewhere, though - when I read the quote in my head I get it in the warbly, stilted tones of the telepathic illusion aliens from Star Trek TOS, and The Stars My Destination is old enough to have influenced most TV SF.
posted by Jon Mitchell at 3:24 PM on October 27, 2014 [2 favorites]
There are occasionally science-obsessed aliens who say similar things in the "Sparks Nevada: Marshall on Mars" segment of The Thrilling Adventure Hour.
It's a podcast, so that could explain the lack of visuals.
posted by topoisomerase at 4:40 PM on October 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
It's a podcast, so that could explain the lack of visuals.
posted by topoisomerase at 4:40 PM on October 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
Found a wiki article on those science-obsessed aliens in the "Marshal on Mars" segment - they're the Science Beings. They include Professor Genius, Adjunct Professor Genius, and Doctor Scientist.
Professor Genius and Adjunct Professor Genius appear in the second Thrilling Adventure Hour episode, "Inside Out In Outer Space."
posted by topoisomerase at 9:15 PM on October 27, 2014
Professor Genius and Adjunct Professor Genius appear in the second Thrilling Adventure Hour episode, "Inside Out In Outer Space."
posted by topoisomerase at 9:15 PM on October 27, 2014
Sounds a bit like something from The Phantom Tollbooth (no aliens though) or possibly the A Wrinkle In Time series.
posted by ladybird at 1:55 AM on October 28, 2014
posted by ladybird at 1:55 AM on October 28, 2014
Response by poster: Looks like Stars My Destination is it, so yay! Thanks to all for contributing!
posted by jasper411 at 9:54 AM on October 28, 2014
posted by jasper411 at 9:54 AM on October 28, 2014
This thread is closed to new comments.
Gully Foyle (the book's protagonist) is married by them to one of their women, without his permission, and she shows him marks on her arm where she's been innoculated with "something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue".
That segment of the book doesn't last very long; Foyle blasts his way out of there as soon as he is able.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 2:36 PM on October 27, 2014 [4 favorites]