Karl Gantner
Karl Gantner writes speculative fiction — science fiction, fantasy, and historical fiction — and essays on the ideas underneath it: consciousness, mathematics, evolution and history.
New work appears here first and goes out to subscribers by email. There are no social feeds to follow; the writing lives on this site and in its RSS feed.
Fiction
- Killing a Tiger
A (very) short story about a man deliberating about what extraterrestrial intelligent life would really be about. First published in Analog Science Fiction Magazine.
- The Species Mill
History is a weapon, and Taukudo—an historian traveling between solar systems aboard an interstellar trade ship—is about to discover its power.
Essays
- The Singularity is Already Here
at least in part.
- Should we fear aliens?
Nature selects for full-bellys.
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Why friends are always right – no matter their views Author: Tim Harford Publication: Financial Times (FT Magazine / “Undercover Economist” column) First published: 23 February 2024 — …
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Literature survey: does community size drive polarization? Essay: Larger Communities Breed Polarization — “A peaceful world is a disconnected one.” Compiled: 2 September 2026 Companion …
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Literature survey: are we forced to conclude that consciousness is fundamental? Essay: What’s Left But to Admit That Consciousness is Fundamental? — “Our complete failure to understand …