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Importance of science fiction
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An important question that has been asked about the genre of science fiction is that of sciences role within it. Specifically what effect does it have? Does science fiction have to accurately portray science in order to be able to be considered science fiction in the first place. Or does it even really matter? Countless arguments and debates have been sparked by the topic, insearch of not only what constitutes science fiction, but good science fiction, a good story. Does science fiction need to abuse science in order to tell a good story? Does it make a difference? Well, in order to tell a good story science fiction does not need to take liberties with science and abuse it. However the best science fiction is that which uses science …show more content…
I am not saying that it does or does not. Just that you can have a good story regardless of how accurately science is portrayed. After all, Science Fiction is “a form of fiction that deals principally with the impact of actual or imagined science upon society of individuals” (Sterling). The “point” of science fiction is not to have a story that scientifically accurate. It is to have a story that explores the effects that futuristic or imaginative science has on people. Again that does not mean that accuracy of science’s portrayal, with in a work, has no effect on the quality of said work. It just means you can have a good sci-fi story regardless of how accurate its portrayal of science …show more content…
If there are inaccuracies pertaining to a subject that I have a lot of interest in, then the misuse of science is going to be less apparent and have less effect on the quality of a piece of Science Fiction. The liberties taken, in regards to warp drive, are not going to have that much of an effect on me. That is because I want the ability to travel to other stars and worlds, in a timely fashion, to be possible so badly that I am going to, mostly, ignore the liberties that were
Religion and politics should never have control of science, instead they should use science to help explain their own goals. Science should be used as a way challenging old beliefs and help clear out fact from fiction. At the same time though, science should challenge itself so it can stay true to its main point of challenging old dogmas as Carl Sagan said in his article. This includes the introduction of the heliocentric model and the debate about pluto being a planet, that ended up changing view points on many
Suvin, Darko. Metamorphoses of Science Fiction: On the Poetics and History of a Literary Genre . New Haven : Yale University Press, 1979.
Star Trek’s great accomplishment was giving us a stage on which to answer our “what if” questions about the future of humanity and explore philosophical ideas in a modern framework. What happens after we reach utopia? What happens when we meet alien life? What does humanity do when it doesn’t have to do anything? According to Star Trek, it boldly goes for the sake of knowing what’s out there.
The term Science Fiction carries multiple meanings to people, which has led to various definitions over the years. According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition, which states "fiction dealing principally with the impact of actual or imagined science on society or individuals" (p.652). This provides a clear detail of what science fiction is, there are still many people that have their own beliefs of what science fiction is and feel society fails to properly label genres. A good example of this: "Science fiction is a label applied to a publishing category and its application is subject to the whims of editors and publishers" (Clute, 1995). From centuries old to the present, science fiction fans to educators have tried many ways
In literature there are over 20 different genres of reading, and each of them contains many similarities and differences. Science fiction, arguably one of the most popular genre’s, is also one of the hardest to understand, however there are certain elements/characteristics that can easily determine if a book is or is not science fiction. The characteristics that make up science fiction are, advancements in technology and the application of advanced technology. In books such as The Veldt and Fahrenheit 451 both technological advancements and there application play a crucial role on determining that these books fall into the science fiction genre.
[Verne is acknowledged as one of the world's first and most imaginative modern science fiction writers. His works reflect nineteenth-century concerns with contemporary scientific innovation and its potential for human benefit or destruction. In the following excerpt from an interview with Gordon Jones, he commends the imaginative creativity with which Wells constructs his scientific fantasies and stresses the difference between Wells's style and his own.]
Darko Suvin defines science fiction as "a literary genre whose necessary and sufficient conditions are the presence and interaction of estrangement and cognition, and whose main formal device" (Suvin 7-8) is a fictional "novum . . . a totalizing phenomenon or relationship" (Suvin 64), "locus and/or dramatis personae . . . radically or at least significantly" alternative to the author's empirical environment "simultaneously perceived as not impossible within the cognitive (cosmological and anthropological) norms of the author's epoch" (Suvin viii). Unlike fantasy, science fiction is set in a realistic world, but one strange, alien. Only there are limits to how alien another world, another culture, can be, and it is the interface between those two realms that can give science fiction its power, by making us look back at ourselves from its skewed perspective.
Clute, John. Science fiction : the illustrated encyclopedia. London; New York: Dorling Kindersley; Boston: Distributed by Houghton Mifflin, 1995.
Science fiction is a genre, which depicts what life would be like in a world with major scientific and technological developments. When it comes to science fiction, the exploration of future technology is a major element. Many stories and films focus on space, robots, aliens, a mad scientist, and/or artificial intelligence. “The universal themes found in science fiction—themes of freedom and responsibility, power, love, individuality and community, good versus evil, technology run amok, and more—present ample opportunity to explore complex issues and compelling controversies at length and in depth in ways that not only engage the intellect, but involve the emotions and expand the imagination.” The story “Flowers for Algernon,” by Daniel Keyes, is an example of science fiction that examines the impact of artificial intelligence. “The End of the Whole Mess,” by Steven King, is an example of science fiction that focuses on the fall of a mad scientist. The film “Gravity” is an example of a science fiction movie that explores the use of major technological advancement within space. In this paper I will assess the major themes portrayed in “Flowers for Algernon,“ “The End of the Whole Mess,” and the film, “Gravity.” Additionally, I will examine how these models of science fiction teach a major lesson about the imperfections of future scientific and technological advancements on society.
Kornbluth, C. M. "The Failure of the Science Fiction Novel As Social Criticism." The Science Fiction Novel: Imagination and Social Criticism. (1969): 64-101.
Dr. Michael Shermer is a Professor, Founder of skeptic magazine, and a distinguished and brilliant American science writer to say the least. In His book The Moral Arc: How Science Makes Us Better People he sets out to embark on the daunting task of convincing and informing the reader on sciences’ ability to drives the expansion of humanity and the growth of the moral sphere. Although such a broad and general topic could be hard to explain, Shermer does so in a way that is concise, easy to understand, and refreshing for the reader. This novel is riddled with scientific facts, data, and pictures to back up shermers claims about the history of science, humanity and how the two interact with one another.
Throughout time, genres have had their era of popularity. One genre that has stayed strong is science fiction. Jules Verne has entertained multiple generations with his fantasizing vision of the future and technology. Jules Verne should be studied because modern influence and creation of science fiction.
The genre of what is called science fiction has been around since The Epic of Gilgamesh (earliest Sumerian text versions BCE ca. 2150-2000). The last 4000 years has evolved science fiction and combined it with all categories of genres comprising action, comedy, horror, drama, and adventure in many different ways. From chest bursting aliens, to robot assassins sent back in time science fiction has successfully captured the imagination of nearly everyone that has been introduced to it. The movies Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Independence Day are both examples of films created with the idea of advanced life existing outside the boarders of our own world. The foundation for each film in view of how extraterrestrial life will affect human affairs, however are very different.
It makes the learning process easier, less time consuming, and often more interesting. Although people in academia fear that integrating science fiction in course curriculum might degrade students’ learning habit, it is also true that science fiction fascinates students and encourages them to research more about the topic. This eventually broadens the students’ horizon of knowledge, which is the sole purpose of learning. While it is true that usage of science fiction may not always be the best choice for teachers as it requires time to find relevant materials, but, if made the right selection, students would very likely understand complex scientific theories in short time with little explanation. Therefore, science fiction narratives should be included in the course curriculum as it is beneficial to both teachers and students in the learning-teaching
If we have learned anything at all about the uses of science in the second half of this century, it is that it has had an unmistakable influence on contemporary trends and outcomes. Science has helped to make the world smaller, spatially, and larger, numerically. It has multiplied our choices and scaled up our risks. Based on science we have put humans into space and opened a new arena for warfare. Science has illuminated human beginnings and shaken age-old postulates about human worth and destiny. Science has unlocked material abundance and laid new burdens on irreplaceable resources. It has expanded human potential and dramatized human limits. It has advanced clarity and magnified uncertainty. It has penetrated the deepest reaches of knowledge and held a world hostage on the edge of crisis.