that alternative histories occur in parallel universes;
that what is myth or fiction in one world is real in another.
These hypotheses are not identical. An alternative history may contain a Hitler who won World War II and another world may contain a real Sherlock Homes but these are not the same idea. Hitler winning the War diverges from the familiar (to us) Hitler who lost the War whereas, in our world, Sherlock Holmes does not exist in the first place. No mere divergence within or from our history would bring him into existence.
Of course, a single multiverse comprising many parallel universes might encompass both alternative histories and real fictions but these would remain different kinds of other universes.
In Poul Anderson's works:
alternative histories exist, e.g., in one, quantum mechanics and relativity were combined as "goetics";
"real" and fictional people, including Sherlock Holmes, meet between universes in the Old Phoenix.
Thus, Anderson seems to cover every possibility.
parallel universes in Conquistador and the fourth Draka novel;
divergent histories, The Peshawar Lancers, the Draka and the Change;
In the Change series, The Sea Peoples introduces for the first time the idea that:
"...what is dreams or tales in one is sober truth in the next." (See here.)
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
The "Hitler Victorious" theme has fascinated many SF writers, quite rightly. Albeit I wish some would take an interest in speculating what might have happened, good or bad, if the assassination at Sarajevo had been prevented in 1914. Stirling's contribution to MULTIVERSE, "A Slip In Time", is one of the very few I've seen touching on that idea (perhaps the only one?).
Sean
Sean:
I ran across one particularly intriguing "Hitler Victorious" story in which his victory came because he'd been persuaded to join the German navy rather than the army, and the German petty officer who'd done that persuading was NOT anti-Semitic, and coaxed Hitler away from it, too. But then that mentor died at Jutland ... and Hitler thus developed a hatred not for Jews, but for the British. When coupled with an understanding of naval forces and operations the real Hitler never had, this led to him building a more effective navy than in our world. And without the anti-Semitism, Jewish scientists had no great reason not to give their best for the Führer.
Kaor, DAVID!
Very interesting comments! And I actually came across this story somewhere! A Hitler who was not an anti Semite or a believer in twaddle such as an Aryan super race would have indeed changed in very drastic ways. And the idea of Hitler joining the German Navy and gaining a sounder understanding on how best to beat the UK is fascinating.
One thing I recall from this story is how war wounds injuring his inner ear and sense of balance made it impossible for this Hitler to make a career in the Navy, forcing him to accept a medical discharge (with honors, however). He then became interested in a political career, with fateful consequences.
Sean
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