Sci-fi Definitions

In the first class, we were asked to give our definition of science fiction.

To be considered fiction, a work must be rooted in imagination. The imaginative portion of the story could be small, by writing characters that the author has not known to exist in the world. By the same token the imaginative portion could be quite large by altering the setting to an alternate time zone or a post-apocalyptic war scene. These differences are what set fiction apart from the factual based world of non-fiction. Not to imply that fiction does not contain factual information, because that is part of the basis of science fiction. 

Whereas standard fiction need only have an imaginative background of creating a story where there was none before, science fiction needs to create an implausible story on a plausible basis. Oftentimes, authors use real scientific principles to describe seemingly unreal phenomenon that occur in the story. Gene Roddenberry was exceptionally adept at using current scientific research and advanced terminology to support and ground the Star Trek series, giving plausible reasoning to different occurrences.  

As we discussed in class, science fiction may be an exaggeration or interpolation of political, economic, cultural, or scientific principles to suit the author’s needs and create a work of fiction that is otherworldly, while still deeply belonging to the world we currently know.