Schrödinger’s Cat

by Ursula K. Le Guin

First published in Universe 5 (1974) ed. Terry Carr.

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1974

About the author

Ursula K. Le Guin published twenty-two novels, eleven volumes of short stories, four collections of essays, twelve books for children, six volumes of poetry and four of translation, and has received many awards: Hugo, Nebula, National Book Award, PEN-Malamud, etc. Her recent publications include the novel Lavinia, an essay collection, Cheek by Jowl, and The Wild Girls. She lived in Portland, Oregon.

She was known for her treatment of gender (The Left Hand of Darkness, The Matter of Seggri), political systems (The Telling, The Dispossessed) and difference/otherness in any other form. Her interest in non-Western philosophies was reflected in works such as "Solitude" and The Telling but even more interesting are her imagined societies, often mixing traits extracted from her profound knowledge of anthropology acquired from growing up with her father, the famous anthropologist, Alfred Kroeber. The Hainish Cycle reflects the anthropologist's experience of immersing themselves in new strange cultures since most of their main characters and narrators (Le Guin favoured the first-person narration) are envoys from a humanitarian organization, the Ekumen, sent to investigate or ally themselves with the people of a different world and learn their ways.

Reviews

[Dwayne James]

Here's an interesting nugget of information.

So many people now know about Schrödinger's popular quantum mechanics thought experiment about a cat in a box being both dead and alive until the box is opened that it's actually become a bit of a cliché.

Although it was proposed in 1935, the experiment was completely unfamiliar to anyone outside of the scientific community until Ursula K. Leguin wrote this short story named after it that was published in 1974. That's when it finally entered the popular consciousness.

So, that means that, before 1974 (wait for it), the theory was both known and unknown.

Whew. That was a long walk, but entirely worth it.

[Mert · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5 Stars (%66/100)

I've come across Schrödinger's theory when I was taking a postmodernism course. It instantly amazed me and I've tried to read pretty much anything related to Schrödingerever since. I love characters that are inspired by Schrödinger. As an amateur writer, I also wrote a couple poems and short stories about Schrödinger as well.

Le Guin's style is very unique and easy to read. Schrödinger's theory might be difficult to understand and the story is very postmodern so it makes it even more difficult. However, I really enjoyed the story and the ending was perfect. This is definitely an underrated story.

[Forked Radish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than Schrödinger himself! The half-silvered mirror component war sehr gut.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

The thought experiment of Schrödinger's cat can be slippery to grasp. Furthermore, Le Guin's prose and style make this short story even more strange and perhaps complex. Though, I believe the ending ties a bow on the point of "Schrödinger's cat".

[Sedona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our narrator has escaped to a box. A box of her own making. For the box is her mind and her fantasy. A way to protect her from the complications and uncertainty of reality. However, as time goes on things in the box become murky, her fantasy is consulted with ideas from reality that, mixed with her fantasy, create a well of uncertainty and darkness in her mind. At the end the lid of her box is lifted and she leaves the safe haven of her fantasy, of her mind, and returns to the real world where, though full of uncertainty, is at the same time full of clarity. Clarity of life, clarity of thoughts. No matter how much our fantasies may comfort us and offer us a safe space from the uncertainties of life and the world, reality always manages to seep in whether it be from a crack in the box or from our own internal thoughts. And so at the end of the day we are forced to lift the lid and return to a world that at once causes pain and doubt but at the same time leaves room for wonder and exploration better than any of our fantasies could ever be because it is real.

[Niklas Zenius Jespersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spændende og interesant litterært påfund, men har, ligesom de fleste, fuldstændigt misforstået hvad Schrödinger prøvede at vise og vendt det fuldstændigt på hovedet. Hvilket, trods den litterære charme, irritere mig lidt. Schrödinger mente ikke katteeksemplet som en reel problemstilling, tværtimod, men som et absurdum der illustrerede en kritik han havde af dele af teorien om kvantemekanik.

[Courtney]

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