So it's possible that catastrophism is true within the story, or that it's an in-universe example of Fantastic Science that will (as in reality) eventually be discarded. This theory is no longer the scientific consensus in real life, but in-universe, catastrophism is presented as an idea that's still being disputed, with characters uncertain about whether its claims are true. There's an interesting borderline case in the story's references to catastrophism (the theory that Earth's geology was shaped by sudden, violent events such as major floods).

There are also nods to historical 'scientific' beliefs that have been disproven in the real world but are true in this universe, such as maternal impressions (the belief that if a mother suffered emotional shocks during pregnancy, such as being frightened by an animal, the child would be born disabled), and there are background references to fantastical organisms (unicorns, elemental sprites, and mermaids, amongst others) existing in this world. Fantastic Science: The study of the power of names, or 'nomenclature', is a legitimate science, routinely employed to manufacture Golems, and reproductive biology is based on preformationism (organisms develop from miniature versions of themselves).In the finale, he manages to escape a hired assassin by writing out the same nomenclature to get a larger golem to hold a door shut, saving himself. Call-Back: The story begins with the protagonist recounting his first toy golem that would march in a straight line, and how he could copy and edit the nomenclature inside it for different effects.He is not related to the 1970s kung-fu star, David Chiang. The film Arrival is based on his story 'Story of Your Life.' Among his works are the eight stories published as Stories of Your Life and Others and the novellette The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate. Ted Chiang (born 1967) is an American Speculative Fiction writer.

The story of your life and others