Science fiction
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As with science fiction, fantasy is also frowned upon by fundies, though for different reasons. Some works, such as the popular Harry Potter series have been accused of promoting [[Satanism]] and [[witchcraft]], and corrupting the youth. | As with science fiction, fantasy is also frowned upon by fundies, though for different reasons. Some works, such as the popular Harry Potter series have been accused of promoting [[Satanism]] and [[witchcraft]], and corrupting the youth. | ||
| − | As with soft science fiction, fantasy is not very popular with some hard science fiction fans (and a few members of the skeptic community), and some even mistakenly believe that it promotes actual belief in the supernatural and other non-scientific ideas. However, even respected science fiction writers like Asimov and Niven have written a few fantasies, | + | As with soft science fiction, fantasy is not very popular with some hard science fiction fans (and a few members of the skeptic community), and some even mistakenly believe that it promotes actual belief in the supernatural and other non-scientific ideas. However, even respected science fiction writers, like Asimov, Heinlein, and Niven, have written a few fantasies, while another writer of both science fiction and fantasy, L. Sprague De Camp, is an honored member of the [[Committee for Skeptical Inquiry]]. |
==Movies and television== | ==Movies and television== | ||
Revision as of 09:40, 24 December 2011
“”90% of science fiction is crap – but only because 90% of everything is crap.
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| —Theodore Sturgeon |
Science fiction, also referred to as speculative fiction by those who want to shake off the stigma of the cheesiness of most sci-fi, refers to various genres of literature and film featuring some fictitious element based on real or hypothetical science and technology. Generally, sci-fi is set in the future, but some are set in the modern day (or even the past) but still prominently feature science and technology as a theme.
Contents |
Overview
Science fiction may take place in a futuristic setting, alternate universe (including a novel planet, culture, society, etc.) or involve a plot-driving idea somehow related to science, or an extrapolation thereof. It took off in pulp magazines in the early 20th century, after a few 19th century precursors (H.G. Wells and Jules Verne, for example).
In the popular perspective, "Sci Fi" is blended with, and even assumed to be part of, the "fantasy" genre, within the umbrella of speculative fiction. Science fiction is typically divided into two schools: hard science fiction and soft science fiction, however what defines either is very vague. It is generally accepted that there is a "sliding scale" of hardness rather than something just being simply "hard" or "soft", although sometimes hard or soft science fiction means whatever people want them to mean, and you'll rarely see much consensus except in obvious cases such as Star Wars. Science fiction is also often distinguished by setting, such as alternate reality, cyberpunk, military science fiction, etc. Also, never refer to serious science fiction literature as "sci-fi" or nerdrage will ensue, and you'll probably invoke the wrath of Harlan Ellison.
"Hard" science fiction has been described in many ways, with science fiction fans often disagreeing on what makes a work hard or not. In one such definition, "hard science fiction" has nothing to do with being "hard to read". It explores ideas generated from actual real ("hard", or serious) science, theoretical or not, and how people might deal with such situations. The "big three" of science fiction - Heinlein, Asimov, and Clarke - tried to write stories that did not do more than project or extrapolate real science, usually into a hypothetical future. Utopian and dystopian societies that are reflections of our own are frequent subjects of social science fiction.[1] This is the definition that people use when praising scientifically interesting works and says nothing about presence or lack of "literary" quality or the existence of themes other than science. Another definition of hard science fiction has also been used as a somewhat derogatory term [2] [3] to define science fiction that focuses more on accurate scientific details and its importance to the plot, while ignoring more literary devices such as character development. Indeed, several hard science fiction fans consider focus on characters and their relationships and personal experiences to be of little use to the story. In this definition, scientific accuracy alone is not enough for a work be lumped into the hard science fiction genre, and focus on technical scientific details over everything else is a must. This definition refers to works where instead of science being a means to an end, the science is the end. Less commonly, the term may be used to define any work that has a hard focus on scientific detail, even if the science is not completely within the realms of possibility. An even less common definition is "science fiction based on hard sciences (physics, chemistry, etc)". In this definition, soft science fiction is a work based on "soft sciences" such as the social sciences.
"Soft science fiction" is even less defined, and is the subject of much debate and controversy within the community. When taken to simply mean "science fiction that's not hard", it is the most common form of science fiction seen in all forms of media. Common forms of soft science fiction include space opera, military science fiction, sword and planet, planetary romance, and superhero fiction. Soft science fiction include works that either have little or no focus on the science aspect of the story, instead focusing on plot, character, or pure entertainment with plenty of action, or works that do have focus on the science, but the "science" is mostly fictional. Devices such as faster-than-light travel, instant teleportation, time travel and psychics are often used. Adventure/exploration tropes and themes such as "good versus evil" are relatively common. There may also be considerable overlap with fantasy (in such cases it is generally regarded as "science fantasy"). Star Wars (arguably science fantasy), Star Trek, Superman, and Back to the Future are examples of works that fall into the softer end of science fiction. Rarely soft science fiction may also sometimes be used pejoratively to purely mean works that are all style and no substance, with focus on nothing but spectacle and entertainment. By Harlan Ellison and his fans, this is simply referred to as "sci-fi" [4].
Much of science fiction has a social message. George Orwell's 1984 was primarily intended as a satire, but was dressed up as science fiction. Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 played with information control techniques as had been tried with varying degrees of success in totalitarian regimes. And then there's Philip K. Dick, who experimented with every kind of society in his fiction. Ursula K. LeGuin also wrote science fiction novels with social themes, including feminist themes. Modern near-future science fiction (William Gibson, e.g.) often depicts corporations ruling the world, whether overtly or covertly, whereas far-future science fiction is often virtually anarchistic, using the assumption of ultra-cheap power and total information availability (Iain M. Banks, e.g.) as justification. The precious spice in Dune, which is found only on Arrakis and mined amid terrorist attacks from the vaguely Islamic Fremen, stands in for petroleum here on Earth.
There is quite a lot of grey area between the "hard" and "soft" genres, with science fiction aficionados disagreeing on how serious a particular work should be taken. For example, the various Star Trek series are formulaic, but do regularly explore themes of philosophy and morality, as well as some ideas from real science. Star Wars, for all its bad romance and awkward actors, nodded at themes such as genocide, racism, and how people will give up everything for the illusion of safety even if it means their own liberty. The Matrix was primarily a blockbuster action film, but did explore thought-provoking themes of simulated reality. Its sequels, however, were atrocious. Some of the more "literary" science fiction writers generally dabble into the softer areas of science fiction, focusing on the issues presented by the new technology, and how the characters are affected by it, rather than just using them simply as plot devices. Some of the more popular authors of the kind include Philip K. Dick, Gene Wolfe, Jack Vance, and Ursula K. Guin. More satirical/humorous works (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) also fall into soft science fiction.
The best science fiction, whether soft or hard, will often have important themes, science related or otherwise, and contrary to popular belief, can be just as literary as mainstream fiction.
Fundies don't like SF: "Science fiction is intimately associated with Darwinian evolution. Sagan and Asimov, for example, were prominent evolutionary scientists. Sci-fi arose in the late 19th and early 20th century as a product of an evolutionary worldview that denies the Almighty Creator. In fact, evolution IS the pre-eminent science fiction. Beware!" [5]
Genres
"Hard science fiction" as a genre rather than style, refers to science fiction that focuses on plausible science and technical detail, and how it may affect society. It generally takes place in the present or near future, and avoids devices such as time travel. Though, as previously mentioned, it is very vague and there is often disagreement between fans as to what makes a particular work "hard". Some authors commonly said to have written hard science fiction include Larry Niven, Greg Egan, and Frederik Pohl. A recent movement is "mundane science fiction" started by Jeff Ryman [6], where only science that exists at the time of writing may be used. In this way, extraterrestrials (or at least communication with them) and interstellar travel is ignored, and the stories either take place on Earth or near it. Several science fiction authors and fans, including Ian MacDonald, have spoken against it, saying that it is needlessly constricting [7]. Of all the science fiction genres, "space opera" is the most well known (and also most exploited). It was originally used as a derogatory term in the same way "soap opera" was. Though not properly defined, now it is generally used to describe works that take place in a "standard science fiction setting" in a futuristic setting with aliens, spaceships, and ray guns, and no longer refers to quality. It commonly features themes such as heroism, war, and good versus evil. It is generally epic in scope and may involve high stakes. In almost all of the definitions of hard science fiction, the space opera is seen as its opposite, but it is not unheard of for writers to use real hard science in their space operas. It may still be seen as poor science fiction by a certain people, but others acknowledge that good space operas can and do exist (with such respected authors as Iain Banks and Brian Aldiss dabbling in the sub-genre. "Military science fiction" is a sub-genre of science fiction largely dealing with military themes. It is often told from the view of an army officer, and there is a great focus on strategy and battles. It may sometimes overlap with space opera. "Cyberpunk" refers to fiction that uses high technology environments. It usually depicts a dark dystopian near-future society and often uses elements of "noir". William Gibson and Neal Stephenson helped define the genre. If there's a focus on biotechnology it is referred to as "Biopunk". Steampunk basically refers to science fiction that uses steam-age technology. It usually takes place in Victorian settings. It may include elements of fantasy, though John Clute and John Grant, the authors of the Encylopedia of Fantasy and the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, have suggested "gaslight romance" for works with a supernatural element. "Science fantasy" refers to works that combine elements commonly found in science fiction with the fantastic or completely implausible scenarios. "Apocalyptic fiction" refers to works that portray the fall of civilization due to a catastrophe such as a nuclear war. Post-apocalypic fiction differs in that it focuses on society after the collapse, often featuring a survivor or group of survivors. Working technology is sparse, and characters often have to scavenge. "Dying Earth" differs from traditional apocalyptic fiction by focusing on entropic exhaustion and depletion of resources instead of destruction. It may fall into "science fantasy". "Planetary romances", once common in the pulps and comic books, focus on adventures on several different planets and encounters with different civilizations. "Sword and planet" is similar, but usually has less focus on technology, and may contain societies on less advanced planets than Earth, usually medieval in feel. It could be accurately described as "sword and sandal" in space. The popular Barsoom series by Edgar Wright Burroughs falls squarely in this camp.
"Dystopian fiction" and "alternate history" may or may not be considered science fiction depending on whom you ask. "Superhero fiction" is usually considered a fantasy subgenre, but may sometimes be described as science fiction, depending on how plausible the scenarios seem. They all definitely fall into the blanket term of "speculative fiction" along with fantasy (and its subgenres), "horror", and "weird fiction"
Fantasy
The fantasy genre is often lumped together with science fiction. Though on the surface they have little in common, some fantasy can read much like a (softer) work of science fiction. The main distinguishing feature is the use of magic or other supernatural elements such as dragons. Like with science fiction, there are many different types of fantasy, and can take place in virtually any setting. There is, often, very little or no science, though several fantasy authors go to the trouble of creating "rules" for how their magic works, and several other authors feature themes such as "magic vs technology". Despite the wide variety of fantasy available, when people think "fantasy" they mostly think of either "high fantasy" (pretty much the fantasy equivalent of space opera) with medieval based settings, or "sword & sorcery". J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis helped popularize the former, while Robert E. Howard and Fritz Leiber typified the latter. The difference between the two is generally in the scope. High fantasy is generally "epic" in scope and commonly features good versus evil is its central theme. The level of magic is usually high, and several "races" (such as elves, dwarves, orcs, etc.) exist. Good and evil are generally clearly defined, although some works may be more cynical and politics may also be an important focus. Large battles are also common. Sword and sorcery is often more personal in scope. The stakes are usually lower and mostly only affect the character, the people the character knows, or a character's home town or village. Dungeons and Dragons and a considerable amount of computer RPGs take place in either of those settings, sometimes even mixing the two. Much like with space operas, high fantasy has been exploited to no end, with many generic works and blatant Tolkien rip-offs being produced. There has been a recent boom in "urban fantasy" taking place in a modern setting. Though some interesting works have been produced that explore how a contemporary world would function with magic and the supernatural, a fair amount of it is actually "paranormal romance" taking advantage of the Twilight craze. Along with science fantasy, there may also be an overlap with horror fiction. Some works such as Dracula and the Cthulhu mythos have sometimes been described as horror and other times as "dark fantasy". "Magic realism" is another genre of fantasy, but taking place in a realistic setting with a focus on a very minor supernatural element. The term magic realism is controversial, with some fantasy fans and authors seeing it as simply "fantasy", and is often used by authors who don't want their works to be lumped with science fiction and fantasy. Such works may be written by mainstream authors and found on the general fiction shelves.
As far as the book publishing industry is concerned the two genres are one and the same: "Sci-Fi/Fantasy", and they will generally be found together on a separate shelf in your local bookstore.
As with science fiction, fantasy is also frowned upon by fundies, though for different reasons. Some works, such as the popular Harry Potter series have been accused of promoting Satanism and witchcraft, and corrupting the youth.
As with soft science fiction, fantasy is not very popular with some hard science fiction fans (and a few members of the skeptic community), and some even mistakenly believe that it promotes actual belief in the supernatural and other non-scientific ideas. However, even respected science fiction writers, like Asimov, Heinlein, and Niven, have written a few fantasies, while another writer of both science fiction and fantasy, L. Sprague De Camp, is an honored member of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry.
Movies and television
Many science fiction movies and television programs fall within the sci-fi sub-genre called "space opera": these often draw on archetypal literary themes such as an epic fight between good and evil. A defining characteristic of the genre is exotic and large-scale settings and a focus on story over setting. Futuristic sets and costumes typical of those that graced the pulp Sci-Fi magazines of the 1940s and 50s, along with the liberal use of "ray" guns and other futuristic weapons are de rigueur.
Although several good science fiction films and television programs have been made, whether great for serious speculations or themes or whether great for sheer entertainment value, the list of sucky, crappy ones would reach into the thousands. Several of the worst examples of "classic sci-fi" produced can be found in the public domain, and have been famously "riffed" on by the people of Mystery Science Theater 3000. Even the "Sci Fi" - now, "SyFy" - cable channel sucks (mostly because of the supernatural-promoting Ghost Hunters).[8] The best parts of the channel are the reruns of The Twilight Zone, reruns of The X-Files, and the original shows Eureka and Mind Control. Whether their made-for-TV B-movies are awesomely bad or just bad is up for debate.
Footnotes
- ↑ See the Mohs scale of hardness, interpreted to apply to science fiction at tvtropes. Sorry for wasting your next three hours, dear reader.
- ↑ See what Alastair Reynolds (who usually writes on the harder end of space opera) has to say about the general perception of hard science fiction [1].
- ↑ "Hard Science Fiction and Hard Heads" [2].
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDNrnpefGio
- ↑ Fundies
- ↑ [3]
- ↑ [4]
- ↑ Unlike Arthur C. Clarke's "ghosty" videos, which promise woo but debunk, this stupid show promises debunking, but only offers crappy woo.