Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/American Revolutionary War as inspiration for Science Fiction


 * The following discussion is an archived debate of the proposed deletion of the article below. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review).  No further edits should be made to this page.  

The result was delete. Sr13 03:16, 24 May 2007 (UTC)

American Revolutionary War as inspiration for Science Fiction

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This article currently lacks sources, and appears to be a possible example of original research as a personal essay. JavaTenor 07:49, 19 May 2007 (UTC)
 * Delete. The author appears to feel that all subsequent fictional rebellions are reworkings of the American war of independence. It's just a yoking together of unrelated items. BTLizard 08:57, 19 May 2007 (UTC)
 * Delete Unless sources can be found for the featured authors saying that their books were inspired by this event then it's all just speculation. Nick mallory 09:44, 19 May 2007 (UTC)
 * Keep There are many wars of independence in Science Fiction. The article does not deal with aliens trying to get indepenent from human rule or humans trying to get independent from aliens who conquered Earth, only where the war is waged by colonists who speak the same languge (usually English) as the "mother country" or "mother planet". There are many overt hints in the stories and books themselves (for example, in the Jerry Pournelle story which is mentioned, the asteroid seeking independence in named "Jefferson".Adam Keller 11:42, 19 May 2007 (UTC)
 * Delete. Both the novel synthesis and general lack of sourcing are valid arguments and sufficient for deletion, but this would probably warrant deletion anyway.  Any topic can be the "inspiration" for science fiction.  Anything encyclopediac can be covered at science fiction, alternate history, list of science fiction themes, or speculative fiction &mdash; some of wish would benefit from development.  This article and hypothetical others like it, however, are not the way.  Serpent&#39;s Choice 12:00, 19 May 2007 (UTC)
 * Delete Interesting but probably OR. JJL 18:21, 19 May 2007 (UTC)
 * Delete OR, and flawed OR at that - as the US is not the only country to have a war of independence. Lankiveil 01:42, 20 May 2007 (UTC).
 * Keep The books themselves contain many references to the American War of Independence. For example, in The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress book Two is called "Rabble in Arms", which is what Burgoyne dubbed the American rebels and is the name of a famous historical novel by Kenneth Roberts a term taken from the. The sentinent computer Mike who has a central role in the Lunar uprising in that book is called by the narrator "Our Swamp Fox", refering to a gurrilla fighter from the American War of Independence. Andreas Kaganov 10:17, 20 May 2007 (UTC)
 * But we as Wikipedia editors cannot make those connects. We are a tertiary source; we must rely on other, reliable, secondary sources.  To do otherwise, rightly or wrongly, is original research. Besides, solely on the strength of primary references like these, I could claim (for sake of argument) that Pournelle's asteroid Jefferson is instead an homage to Jefferson Davis and her story about "outdated, hopeless nationalism" a metaphor for the American Civil War. Serpent&#39;s Choice 10:28, 20 May 2007 (UTC)
 * I think you are applying the "original research" criteria far too stricktly. By your standards, more than half the articles in Wikipedia should be deleted and the rest reduced to bare bones. (By the way, Pournelle is a man).Andreas Kaganov 11:43, 21 May 2007 (UTC)
 * Delete Zap it for the OR. Too much rewriting for an easy merger. Adrian   M. H.  14:32, 20 May 2007 (UTC)
 * Delete OR, pure and simple. Elrith 04:25, 23 May 2007 (UTC)
 * Delete this is certainly original research -- Whpq 16:54, 23 May 2007 (UTC)
 * The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.