SCIENCE FICTION

AS A REFLECTION ON HUMANITY

Lecture 1
Introduction
Objectives

By the end of this lecture you will know:

1. what science fiction (SF) is
(and what is not SF)
2. if SF is art
3. if SF is literature
4. if SF is useful

2
1. What is Science Fiction?
Talk in groups.
Decide on:
• 2 examples that
you think are
definitely SF
• 2 examples that
are definitely not
SF
• 2 examples that
you are not sure
about.

3
 Speculative Fiction
Science fiction is one of a group of fiction genres
called speculative fiction,
that guess what it
would be like if Horror
reality was different;
because of magic, Dark or Gothic Gothic &
fantasy, Apocalyptic
technology or Grimdark
Dying
monsters. Earth
fantasy

Fantasy Science Science-

fantasy fiction

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 Activity: Genre Matching
Match together the stories and the
genres:

Stories Genres
1. Alien a) Dark fantasy
2. Dracula b) Fantasy
3. Star Wars c) Gothic science fiction
4. Harry Potter d) Horror
5. A Princess of Mars e) Science fiction
6. The Witcher f) Science fantasy
 Wikipedia definition
Science fiction is a genre
of fiction dealing with
imaginary but more or
less plausible (or at least
non-supernatural)
content...

Ghostbusters6
…such as future settings…

7
…futuristic science and technology…

Millennium Falcon
8
…space travel…

USS Enterprise
9
…aliens…

Aliens
10
…and paranormal abilities.

Minority Report 11
Exploring the consequences
Consequences of of scientific innovations is one
innovations
purpose of science fiction, making it a "literature of ideas".

I, Robot 12
Science fiction is largely based on writing rationally
about alternative possible worlds or futures.

Asteroid mining
13
Sci-fi vs. Fantasy
It is similar to, but differs from fantasy in that, within
the context of the story, its imaginary elements are
largely possible within scientifically established or
scientifically postulated laws of nature (though some
elements in a story might still be pure imaginative
speculation).

14
The settings for science fiction are often contrary to known reality, but
Suspension of disbelief
most science fiction relies on a considerable degree of suspension of
disbelief, which is facilitated in the reader's mind by potential scientific
explanations or solutions to various fictional elements.

15
Science fiction elements include:

The 5th Element

16
A timesetting
Time setting in
the future, in
alternative
timelines, or in a
historical past
that contradicts
known facts of
history or the
archaeological
record.
A spatial setting or scenes in outer space (e.g.,
Setting: Place
spaceflight), on other worlds, or on subterranean
earth.
 Characters

Characters that include

aliens, mutants, androids,
or humanoid robots.

General Grievous
 Technology that is futuristic (e.g., ray guns,
Technology
teleportation machines, humanoid computers).

Teleportation
Scientific principles that are new or that contradict known laws of nature,
Scientific principles
for example time travel, wormholes, or faster-than-light travel.

Jumpgate in Babylon 5
 New and different political or social systems
Political or social systems

(e.g. dystopia, post-scarcity, or a post-apocalyptic

situation where organized society has collapsed)

Post-apocalyptic
Paranormal abilities
Paranormal abilities such as mind control, telepathy,
telekinesis, and teleportation.

Telekinesis using the Force

Definitions of science fiction
Isaac Asimov. 1975. "Science fiction can be defined as that
branch of literature which deals with the reaction of human
beings to changes in science and technology."
 Definition of Hard SF
Isaac Asimov. 1990. "'[H]ard science fiction' [is] stories that
feature authentic scientific knowledge and depend upon it for
plot development and plot resolution."

Nightfall
Definition: Scientific discovery
J. O. Bailey. 1947. "A piece of scientific fiction is a narrative of
an imaginary invention or discovery in the natural sciences
and consequent adventures and experiences ... It must be a
scientific discovery -- something that the author at least
rationalizes as possible to science."
Barry N. Malzberg. Science fiction is "that branch of fiction that deals with
Definition: Altered technology
the possible effects of an altered technology or social system on mankind in
an imagined future, an altered present, or an alternative past."
Literature of change
Tom Shippey. "Science fiction is hard to define
because it is the literature of change and it
changes while you are trying to define it."

Space 1999 28
Frank Herbert
Prevent the future "The function of science fiction is not
always to predict the future but sometimes to prevent it."

1984
29
Norman Spinrad. 1974. "Science fiction is
anything published as science fiction."

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Activity
Write a definition of science fiction.
It should be as short as possible, but
it should distinguish between
science fiction and other genres of
writing. Pass it to another group,
who should write in any exceptions
that they can think of, and pass it
back for modification.
Continue until no more
exceptions are found.

X-47B 31
2. Is What is ‘art’, and
does SF fit this
science description?
fiction The philosopher
an art? Denis Dutton
identified six
universal
signatures in
human
aesthetics:
Source

32
1. Expertise or virtuosity
Humans cultivate, recognize, and admire technical
artistic skills.

Sir
Patrick
Stewart
33
2. Nonutilitarian pleasure
People enjoy
art for art's
sake, and
don't
demand that
it keep them
warm or put
food on the
table.
34
[Link]

Artistic objects and

performances satisfy rules of
composition that place them
in a recognizable style. 35
[Link]

People make
a point of
judging,
appreciating,
and interpreting
works of art.
36
5. Imitation of real life
With a few important
exceptions like abstract
painting, works of art
simulate experiences of
the world.

37
6. Special focus
Art is set aside
from ordinary
life and made a
dramatic focus
of experience.

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Activity
Work in pairs.
Think of a SF story and
judge it against these
criteria:
1. Expertise or virtuosity
2. Nonutilitarian pleasure
3. Style
4. Criticism
5. Imitation of real life
6. Dramatic focus
Use a 5-point scale, Very good to very bad
Add up the score
Describe the story and scores to a pair next to you.
3. Is SF literature?
Literary fiction focuses more upon
psychological depth, style and character.

SF can have these too:

• Psychological depth: Nineteen Eighty-four
• Style: Neuromancer, The Matrix (Cyberpunk)
• Character: Frankenstein

Details
Nobel Prize in Literature 2017
Won by Kazuo Ishiguro,
author of the science
fiction novel ‘Never Let
Me Go’ and the fantasy
novel ‘The Buried Giant’.

41
 Activity
In pairs
discuss the
best book or
short story
you have ever
read, and the
best film you
have ever
seen.
Are any of
them SF?
If not, what
makes them
better?
Could that be
done in SF?
4. Is science fiction useful?
Yes! But what is the evidence?

Darth Vader: “I find your lack of faith disturbing.”

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"The best way to predict the future is
to invent it." Alan Kay

Sir Tim Berners-Lee,

creator of the World
Wide Web, cites Arthur
C. Clarke's short story
Dial F. for Frankenstein,
in which a network of
computers linked
together learn to think
autonomously, as a
childhood influence.
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The War of the Worlds
Robert H. Goddard, inventor of the liquid-fueled
rocket, decided to dedicate his
life to the subject after reading
the story as a teenager – his
research eventually culminated
with the Apollo
program, and
man's landing
on the moon.

45
 The World Set Free and the nuclear bomb
Another H.G. Wells novel is also responsible
the invention of the H-Bomb.
In the story, Wells predicts atomic energy, and
the development of a new kind of bomb based
on a nuclear reaction, resulting in a "continuing
explosive" that would detonate repeatedly for
days.
Physicist Leo Szilard read the story in 1932,
and the neutron was discovered later that year.
In 1933, inspired by the story, Szilard
developed the idea of a neutron chain reaction,
patented the
idea in 1934,
and eight years
later was the
Manhattan
Project.
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Futurology
Predictions of the
future.
In Chapter 16 of
Profiles of the Future
(1962) Clarke predicts
satellite TVs,
globalization, mobile
phones, the internet,
telecommuting,
telesurgery, and e-
books.
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 Science fiction as a job
From "Intel recruits sci-fi
writers to dream up future
tech" BBC 19/8/2011
[Link]
Chip maker Intel has
commissioned leading science
fiction authors to pen short
stories that imagine future uses
for the firm's technology.
The collection, called "The
Tomorrow Project", aims to
capture the public's
imagination regarding the
company's current research.
Intel believes this can help
anticipate consumer
aspirations, and drive future
adoption of its products.
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Sources of ideas for stories
Kaku, M. (2008). Physics of the impossible:
a scientific exploration into the world of
phasers, force fields, teleportation, and
time travel. New York: Doubleday. QC75
.K25 2008

Kaku, M. (2011). Physics of the future.

New York : Doubleday. Q175.5 .K257
2011 (Esp. Chapter 9 "A Day in the Life
in 2100“)

Technovelgy LLC.
(2010). [Link] - where science
meets fiction. Retrieved June 29, 2012
from [Link]
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Activity
In small groups, discuss what you hope to learn from
this course.

50
Re-visit Objectives

This is the end of this lecture, so do you

know:
1. what science fiction (SF) is
(and what is not SF)
2. if SF is art
3. if SF is literature
4. if SF is useful?
51
References
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52
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53
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