Science Fiction What if?

Science Fiction Authors Definitions Theodore Sturgeon, author: “A good science-fiction story is a story about human beings, with a human problem, and a human solution, which would not have happened at all without its scientific content."

Robert A. Heinlein, acclaimed author:   Science fiction is, ”…realistic speculation about possible future events, based solidly on adequate knowledge of the real world, past and present, and on a thorough understanding of the nature and significance of the scientific method."

Sam Moskowitz, biographer: "Science fiction is a brand of fantasy identifiable by the fact that it eases the 'willing suspension of disbelief' on the part of its readers by utilizing an atmosphere of scientific credibility for its imaginative speculations in physical science, space, time, social science, and philosophy."

Rod Serling, The Twilight Zone “Fantasy is the impossible made probable. Science Fiction is the improbable made possible.”

Science Fiction Starts The first contemporary novel to be considered a part of the ‘Science Fiction’ genre was Frankenstein written by Mary Shelley. The author used a scientific rationale to persuade the reader that her story took place in the realm of the possible but touched upon the improbable.

Frankenstein Continued Frankenstein was the first English novel in English to deal with the possibility that the scientific community might create an entity that could destroy humankind itself. Mary Shelley did not wish the story to be considered ‘supernatural’. Scholars believe this is why she made the main character scientific in nature…

Science Fiction vs. Fantasy In Science Fiction, there needs to be some possibility that the events could possibly happen. In Fantasy, the author can use far-fetched assumptions. ie; unicorns, three-legged creatures etc. It is a common science fiction convention that authors should not contradict known scientific fact (e.g., humans flying without on their own without the use of devices), but may do what they wish with commonly-accepted scientific theory (e.g., humans flying to distant planets in a space shuttle).

Sci Fi Fantasy Incorporates scientific ideas, theories or technologies Current trends in science and society are extrapolated into future scenarios May involve extraterrestrial beings or settings Incorporates magical and/or mythological ideas Set in imaginary times and places May involve supernatural beings and fantastic settings Imaginary worlds Speculative “What If” Literature of Ideas

Major Themes in Science Fiction What does it mean to be human? What is our place in the universe? What are the limits of science and/or technology? What is the potential of science for good? For evil? What might the future look like? What if history had happened differently?

Science Fiction Sub-Groups Space, Space Travel, Planets (ie: Star Wars, Star Trek) Time travel (ie: Back to the Future) Changes to man brought about by science (ie: The Incredible Hulk) Supernormal powers/talents (ie: Superman, Spiderman, Batman)

Science Fiction Sub-Groups Battle with alien life forms (ie: Signs) Alternate Universe (ie: Star Wars)

Science Fiction Conventions Setting Future, Past, or alternative time lines historical past that contradicts known facts of history Outer Space other worlds Utopia or Dystopia Stories that involve discovery or application of new scientific principles Time travel Psionics (eg. telepathy, telekinesis, etc), Nanotechnology Faster-than-light travel

Time Travel Stories have antecedents (prior events) in the 18th and 19th centuries. Often complicated by logical problems such as the grandfather paradox (a man travels back in time and kills his biological grandfather before the latter meets the traveller's grandmother. As a result, one of the traveller's parents (and by extension, the traveller himself) is never conceived. This means that he can’t have travelled back in time after all, so the grandfather is still alive, and the traveller is conceived, allowing him to travel back in time and kill his grandfather). An example is The Time Machine (1960 version or 2002 version).

Alternate History Stories are based on the premise that historical events might have turned out differently. They may use time travel to change the past, or may simply set a story in a universe with a different history from our own. Good examples are the Back to the Future films.

Apocalyptic Concerned with the end of civilization through nuclear war, plague, or some other general disaster or with a world or civilization after such a disaster. Apocalyptic generally concerns the disaster itself and the direct aftermath, while post-apocalyptic can deal with anything from the near aftermath to hundreds or thousands of years in the future. Good examples of this are the Terminator films.

Superhuman Stories deal with the emergence of humans who have abilities beyond the norm. This can stem either from natural causes (accidental modification of the body) or be the result of intentional augmentation (purposeful modification of the body). Stories usually focus on the alienation that these beings feel as well as society's reaction to them. They’ve have played a role in the real life discussion of human enhancement. A good example is X-men.

Space Emphasizes romantic, often melodramatic adventure, set mainly or entirely in space, generally involving conflict between opponents possessing powerful (and sometimes quite fanciful) technologies and abilities. The most significant trait is that settings, characters, battles, powers, and themes tend to be very large-scale. The stories typically follow the Homeric (heroic/grand/imposing) tradition, in which a small band of adventurers are cast against larger-than-life backdrops of powerful warring factions. Good examples are the Star Wars films.

Jules Verne – The Prophet In the late 1800’s, Verne, a French author, wrote of fantastic inventions, many of which eventually came to pass. 1870 – wrote 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, a novel about Captain Nemo and his submarine, the Nautilus. Modern, seagoing submarines had been proposed, but were not developed and built for 30 more years! Because Verne wrote based on extensions of know science that were reasonable at the time, many of the the inventions that he described – including scuba gear, television, and space travel – eventually came to be.

H. G. Wells – The Social Critic In the late 1800’s, Wells, and English author, was primarily concerned with society, not the “nuts and bolts” of science fiction. The only “prediction” Wells made that came true was that aircraft would have important military uses in the future. Most of the inventions that Wells wrote about, such as time machines, will never exist given our current understanding of physics. Wells’ novels are considered classics because they are great fiction. In his 1895 novel, The Time Machine, the Time Traveler visits the future and then returns to report on the cultural split into two races, a social commentary that mirrored the friction between the upper and lower classes in Britain at the time.