What is Science Fiction?
Science fiction is a genre dealing with imaginative content such as futuristic settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, time travel, faster than light travel, parallel universes and extraterrestrial life.
Science fiction is a genre dealing with imaginative content such as futuristic settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, time travel, faster than light travel, parallel universes and extraterrestrial life.
Task One:
b. How is science fiction different to fantasy? c. How is science fiction both influenced by and influencing in its context? d. How has science fiction developed over time? e. Suggest reasons why science fiction emerged as a genre. |
Science Fiction As Crystal Ball
One appealing element of science fiction is the inclusion of futuristic themes and settings, and its attribution with predicting inventions or social issues such as the Internet matrix as we know it now (Neuromancer); urban decay (Blade Runner); or the gender debate (The Left Hand of Darkness) years before their occurrence. Consider the video below:
One appealing element of science fiction is the inclusion of futuristic themes and settings, and its attribution with predicting inventions or social issues such as the Internet matrix as we know it now (Neuromancer); urban decay (Blade Runner); or the gender debate (The Left Hand of Darkness) years before their occurrence. Consider the video below:
|
Task Two:
|
Science Fiction Through The Ages
As with most genre forms, evolution is necessary to maintain relevance to a given audience, and as such a knowledge of Science Fiction in all of its manifestations is essential to understanding it as a whole. Task Three:
NOTE: this handout will be used by your peers as notes on your chosen era, so ensure the work is the best quality possible! |
The Laws of Robotics
The Laws of Robotics were developed by Isaac Asimov, introduced in entirety in his short story "Runaround", part of I Robot. These have had a profound impact on the subsequent inclusion of robots and cyborgs within science fiction, and it is important for you to have a working knowledge of these. |
Intelligence vs. Technological Advancement
It is important to differentiate technological advancement from intellectual advancement, and this is an area explored by computer scientist Alan Turing in his 1950 paper "Computing Machinery and Intelligence". View the clip below for an overview of this test, as it features in Neuromancer, and as an adapted test in Blade Runner. |