MATHEMATICAL FICTION:

a list compiled by Alex Kasman (College of Charleston)

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The Next Dimension (1947)
Vladimir Karapetoff
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"A Mathematical Play in Five Dialogs". Once again, we are treated to the Flatland notion of two-dimensional creatures pondering a "hypothetical" three dimensional existence. Many of the usual concerns are here ("How can we protect ourselves if a three dimensional creature could simply reach into our homes and take things without even disturbing the four walls?") but there is a good deal more mathematical sophistication than in most.

This work of Mathematical Fiction was published in the quarterly Yeshiva University journal Scripta Mathematica in the 1947 Volume XIII. Thanks to Sandro Caparrini (Torino, Italy) for pointing it out to me.

Contributed by Sarah-Marie Belcastro

"The story is incomplete! Only three of the five dialogs are printed, after which is written (To be continued. I searched subsequent issues of Scripta Mathematica, but found no followup; Google didn't find any reference to the ending; finally, I discovered that the Karapetoff died in 1948 (this was published in 1947) so perhaps he never completed the manuscript. He wrote another story, Are You Plus or Minus? published in the Saturday Evening Post, v200 #22 p.146, Nov 26, 1927, but I haven't had a chance to get it from microform at the library yet."

(Note: This is just one work of mathematical fiction from the list. To see the entire list or to see more works of mathematical fiction, return to the Homepage.)

Works Similar to The Next Dimension
According to my `secret formula', the following works of mathematical fiction are similar to this one:
  1. An Episode of Flatland by Charles H. Hinton
  2. The Kissing Number by Ian Stewart
  3. Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin Abbott Abbott
  4. The Extraordinary Hotel or the Thousand and First Journey of Ion the Quiet by Naum Ya. Vilenkin
  5. Report from the Ambassador to Cida-2 by Clifton Cunningham
  6. Conversations on Mathematics with a Visitor from Outer Space by David Ruelle
  7. Not a Chance by Peter Haff
  8. Science Fiction Puzzle Tales by Martin Gardner
  9. The Universal Library [Die Universalbibliothek] by Kurd Lasswitz
  10. Sphereland: A Fantasy About Curved Spaces and an Expanding Universe by Dionys Burger
Ratings for The Next Dimension:
RatingsHave you seen/read this work of mathematical fiction? Then click here to enter your own votes on its mathematical content and literary quality or send me comments to post on this Webpage.
Mathematical Content:
5/5 (1 votes)
.
Literary Quality:
3/5 (1 votes)
..

Categories:
GenreScience Fiction, Didactic,
MotifHigher/Lower Dimensions,
TopicGeometry/Topology/Trigonometry,
MediumShort Stories,

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Where are the new works of mathematical fiction?: As you can see from this chronological listing, this database includes many works of mathematical fiction for each year from 1990 to 2025. Strangely, only two are listed for 2026, so far. Either less mathematical fiction is being published than in previous years or I'm just having more trouble finding it. If you know of any works of fiction that should be added to this list, especially recently published ones, please let me know. (Keep in mind that I do not include self-published works or children's fiction that just covers elementary mathematical concepts.) Thanks!

(Maintained by Alex Kasman, College of Charleston)