The Philip K. Dick Award
2 appearances
-
Edition 1 (1982) award
-
Edition 7 (1988) award
Rudy Rucker
ルーディ・ラッカー
Rūdī Rakkā
Aliases:
Rudolf von Bitter Rucker / Rudolf V. B. Rucker / Rudy
Pen Names:
Rudolf V. B. Rucker（Byline used for some nonfiction/mathematics works）
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1946-03-22 （Louisville, Kentucky, United States）
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Louisville, Kentucky, United States → Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, United States (studied) → New Jersey (Rutgers University) → Heidelberg, Germany (visiting scholar) → San Jose, California, United States (San Jose State University)
Career
- Occupations
- novelist, science fiction author, mathematician, computer scientist, university professor, essayist
- Active Years
- 1976-
- Affiliations
- State University of New York at Geneseo (assistant professor), Randolph College (faculty), San Jose State University (mathematics & computer science faculty)
- Influenced By
- Kurt Gödel, Stephen Wolfram
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swarthmore College | — | Mathematics | BA | 在学〜1967年卒業 | United States |
| Rutgers University | — | Mathematics | MA | 在学〜1969年修士号取得 | United States |
| Rutgers University | — | Mathematics | PhD | 1969–1973 | United States |
| Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg | — | Mathematics | — | 1978–1980（奨学金による滞在・教育） | Germany |
Swarthmore College
Mathematics
Degree:
BA
Period:
在学〜1967年卒業
Year of Graduation:
1967
Country:
United States
Received a bachelor's degree in mathematics
Rutgers University
Mathematics
Degree:
MA
Period:
在学〜1969年修士号取得
Year of Graduation:
1969
Country:
United States
Master's degree in mathematics
Rutgers University
Mathematics
Degree:
PhD
Period:
1969–1973
Year of Graduation:
1973
Country:
United States
Doctorate in Mathematics
Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
Mathematics
Period:
1978–1980（奨学金による滞在・教育）
Country:
Germany
Held a Humboldt Foundation fellowship; taught/ researched mathematics
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Philip K. Dick Award | (work not specified) | — | Philip K. Dick Award committee | winner |
Philip K. Dick Award
Work:
(work not specified)
Organization:
Philip K. Dick Award committee
Result:
winner
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Software
1982 Cyberpunk / Science fictionFirst book of the Ware tetralogy; a cyberpunk novel dealing with nanotechnology, AI and body modification.
artificial lifetechnology vs humanityconsciousness
Translations
- Software (Japanese translation by Hisashi Kuromaru)
White Light
1980 Mathematical science fiction / Hard SFA novel centered on the continuum hypothesis and set-theoretic themes; mathematics is central to the plot.
set theoryinfinityphilosophy of mathematics
Translations
- White Light (Japanese translation by Hisashi Kuromaru)
Wetware
1988 Science fictionA volume in the Ware tetralogy exploring biological modification and synthetic life.
biotechnologyindividual vs machine
Translations
- Wetware (Japanese translation by Hisashi Kuromaru)
The Hacker and the Ants
1994 Science fictionA cyber story intertwining networks and artificial-life ideas.
networksartificial lifehacking
Translations
- The Hacker and the Ants (Japanese translation by Nozomi Omori)
Spaceland / Spacetime Donuts
1981 Science fiction / Mathematical fictionA work that weaves concepts of the fourth dimension and topology into its narrative (has Japanese translations).
fourth dimensiontopologygeometry
Translations
- Spacetime Donuts (Japanese translation by Nozomi Omori)
Bibliography
- Software
- Wetware
- Freeware
- Realware
- White Light
- Spacetime Donuts
- The Hacker and the Ants
- Collected 13 Short Stories of Rudy Rucker
- Geometry, Relativity, and the Fourth Dimension
- Infinity and the Mind
Translations of Works
- Software (translated into Japanese by Hisashi Kuromaru)
- Wetware (translated into Japanese by Hisashi Kuromaru)
- Freeware (translated into Japanese by Nozomi Omori)
- White Light (translated into Japanese by Hisashi Kuromaru)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- humorous SFcyberpunkhard SFmathematical SFpop-infused, explanatory scientific prose
- Recurring Motifs
- mathematicsartificial lifeconsciousnessfourth dimension / topology
Legacy
Rucker is known for SF works grounded in mathematics and computational theory and has a devoted readership in Japan. His work's affinity with artificial life and cellular automata has had interdisciplinary influence.
Trivia
- Reportedly a fifth-generation descendant of philosopher Hegel.
- Visited Japan in 1993 to participate in an "A-Life" themed exhibition and gave lectures.
- Author of the Ware tetralogy as well as numerous mathematics and artificial life books.