I was pretty skeptical about this course when I learned that the primary topic was science fiction not fantasy. Traditionally, fantasy has been more intriguing to myself than sci-fi. I grew up reading and loving the Harry Potter series, but still found series like Star Wars appealing.
According to Google, the definition of science fiction is "fiction based on imagined future scientific or technological advances and major social or environmental changes, frequently portraying space or time travel and life on other planets."
This defintion is obviously quite broad and can be further dissected. Science fiction involves some sort of advanced technology. As discussed in class Wednesday, a technology is device or object that everyone can operate and use. My favorite book series, Harry Potter, therefore would not fall under the category of science fiction, considering not all people in Harry Potter can use magic. The technology used in any science fiction story should also not be explained by science, at least not entirely. Shows such as Star Wars contain a few technological advances that are explained by science now, but the broad concept of space travel is still extremely perplexing. Other technological advances such as droids and light sabers are not found in other genres of reading either. A common theme in science fiction is major social or environmental changes; however, I do not believe this is a criteria of a science fiction story. On the contrary, major advances in technology would cause social and environmental changes by themselves. The main criteria for science fiction would be major technological advances that are unexplained by science.
I also agree a common theme in science fiction is time or space travel, but I do not agree that is a criteria. I guess this may sound a bit contradicting since unexplainable technologies obviously do not exist, but the technologies could be brought to our planet in the modern age. Movies like Independence Day would fall under science fiction considering unexplained technologies are brought to Earth, even though it is set in present day.
In lamest terms, science fiction is fiction involving scientifically unexplainable technologies, commonly involving space or time travel.
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