Science fiction
Science fiction is fiction in which the actions and effects of science and/or technology are significant factors. Science fiction is a broad genre, and works may be included for any of several reasons. Critics and fans have proposed many different definitions and do not always agree on what makes a work science fiction, nor on which works should be so considered. Perhaps the best operational definition (although in theory almost entirely recursive) is "Science Fiction is that which is published in science fiction magazines." (although now one would need to extend the definition to include "books labeled science fiction" as well.)
Factors which often lead to a work being generally considered science fiction include:
- The development of new technology. If a work contains major plot element developments such as those listed below, it is likely to be labeled science fiction.
- Space travel
- Time Travel
- New power sources, such as fusion
- The work's setting. If a work is wholly or largely set in a "science fictional milieu" it is likely to be labeled science fiction. Such settings include:
- Another planet or solar system
- The future
- A spaceship in flight.
A problem with the above definitions is that fictional but realistic works about scientists at work, which include fictional or fictionalized scientific discoveries, are usually not considered to be science fiction. The classic cases are Arrowsmith by Sinclair Lewis, In Vivo by Mildred Savage, and The Citadel By A. J. Cronin. Note that all of these are novels whose main character is a medical researcher, doing research very similar to actual research, which had already been accomplished by the time the books in question were published. So-called "Technothrillers", such as the works of Tom Clancy, involve considerable discussion of technological developments, sometimes quite fictional ones, but the focus is on the thriller aspect, and such works are also not generally considered science fiction.
The specialized genre of Alternate History is sometimes considered to be a form of science fiction -- this consists of stories in which some element of history has occurred differently: What if the South won the US Civil War; What if Rome never fell; What if Mohammad had converted to Christianity; What if Homo Erectus had survived in North America; etc. When a method is provided for people to travel between alternate histories, these are pretty clearly science fiction; when no such method is provided, some critics and fans consider this a separate genre.
Fantasy is sometimes considered an aspect of science fiction, but most people consider them to be separate but allied genres. There are some cases where the distinction is not easy to draw, however.
The broader category of speculative fiction (first suggested by Robert A. Heinlein) includes science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and even literary works in which the only fantastic element is the strangeness of their style, such as the "Margical Realist" tradition including The Milagro Beanfield War, and some of the works of Jorge Luis Borges. Utopian or dystopian fictions are also speculative fiction -- some will also fall into the category of science fiction, more narrowly defined.
Spanking and science fiction
Some mainstream science fiction includes spanking scenes: see Spanking in science fiction for a discussion.
Some authors of spanking stories use science fictional settings or devices; see Spanking science fiction for a discussion of these.
See also
- More information is available at [ Wikipedia:Science_fiction ]
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