CANYON, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) – West Texas A&M University announced its next series of ledgers at 7:00 p.m. on June 14 via Zoom, according to WT officials.
Dr. Patricia Tyrer, WT’s Jenny Lind Porter English teacher, is expected to lead the discussion on “The Cold Equations” by Tom Godwin. Dr. Daniel Bloom, Great Books organizer and associate professor of philosophy, said everyone is invited even if they haven’t read the book.
Tyrer explained that the story is about a ship carrying medicine to an outpost on a nearby planet, using the exact amount of fuel needed. The younger sister of one of the planet’s inhabitants sneaks onto the ship, putting everything in jeopardy as the ship only had enough fuel to reach the planet.
“Basically it’s the same philosophical thinking about ‘kill one to save many’ or ‘save one with you to ultimately sacrifice the greatest number,'” Tyrer said. “History is created with good physics and bad engineering – there is no room for error. In most discussions of this piece, it was difficult to get participants to accept the story settings. I expect we’ll have a good discussion about making tough decisions in times of crisis.
Officials noted that a return to in-person meetings is planned for September.
To register for the June discussion, email Tyrer at ptyrer@wtamu.edu.
