Wednesday, January 11, 2017

What Is Your Definition Of Science Fiction?

Robert A. Heinlein, author and critic:

Science fiction is "realistic speculation about possible future events, based solidly on adequate knowledge of the real world, past and present, and on a thorough understanding of the nature and significance of the scientific method" (quoted by Knight in Bishop, Nebula Awards 25, 3).

Theodore Sturgeon, author:

"'A good science-fiction story is a story about human beings, with a human problem, and a human solution, which would not have happened at all without its science content'" (as quoted in Atheling, More Issues, 12).

George Hay:

"Science fiction is what you find on the shelves in the library marked science fiction."
(Aforementioned quotes were borrowed from Dr. Agatha Taormina's web page): http://www.nvcc.edu/home/ataormina/beyond/


Which of these quotations aligns with your definition of Science Fiction? Please respond thoughtfully using references to class discussion, prior knowledge, science fiction literature, science fiction films, etc... Type using complete sentences. This blog response is due by 2:30p.m. on Wednesday, January 18th, 2017.

31 comments:

  1. My definition of science fiction is when there's an idea about what could happen if we had 'this' or if 'this' happened. Something that has not been proven true so people create a situation for people to read or see. It's a way to let people into their mind and thoughts about futuristic ideas.

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  2. My definition of science fiction is a form of literature and entertainment that challenges the mind to think outside of the box; about futuristic ideas and life forms that give the human mind a sense of wonder, adventure, and a bit of a grim atmosphere. One of the biggest science fiction films comes to mind right away when I think about the definition of science fiction is ET. It has elements of science, creepiness, and even friendship. I feel that these are all characteristics of most science fiction books and films. The quotation that aligns the most with my definition would be the one of Robert A. Heinlein. I really agree with what he says about science fiction being speculation about possible future events. One thing that I think is really cool about that is that creepy things are often written into science fiction, making people wonder if it could actually happen in the future. It can be a scary thought, such as alien abductions, but science fiction fanatics sometimes draw a sense of fun and interest from those thoughts.

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  3. My definition of science fiction is authors trying to convey new ideas to the world. Whether the ideas are inspiring or terrifying, the objective is to get the reader to think about the "what ifs" in the world. If the reader is questioning themselves and the reality around them, then the author has done a good job of getting the person to really think about how things work in the universe.

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  4. I think the quotation that most lines up with my definition of science fiction would be George Hay's quote. As a kid one of my favorite genres to read was science fiction. To me, science fiction is an advanced way of looking at the world, and an advanced way of looking at the future. Science fiction is used to express ideas so that others can understand them.

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  5. I think my definition of Science Fiction would go along with Theodore Sturgeon's view of it because I read or used to read it all the time because it can give you new perspectives on things in the world and can also be used as a escape from reality so it's more than just a book on a shelf

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  6. I think science fiction is stories about what our future would be like if something happened or didn't happen. It's thinking outside the box of what we consider real. It's an almost more realistic fantasy. It's one of the bases for technological advances.

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  7. I think the first quote mirrors my view of science fiction the best. While the characters certainly are important, I think the world-building the author does is the most important part of science fiction. By creative something new but also realistic and playing off the fears that we all hold, an author can create an amazing piece of literature. For example in the novel 1984, the main character and his realizations are incredibly important to the story, but without the setting with which to fight, the story would be incredibly different.

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  8. I think that science fiction is mostly about the future and what it might bring and what technology the future might have, and what humans might learn.

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  9. My definition of science fiction is humans ideas of a realistic future. We predict what we think our world will be like in the years to come. I think that the fist quote connects to my definition best because it states how it is the possible future events. I also think that science fiction is based of of facts. Whether the facts be what is happening now or what has already happened. I think that our predictions are based off of something. I think that many people use science fiction as a way to keep our technology and other aspects of our life progressive. As a way to give us ideas of what to invent next.

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  11. My definition of science fiction is taking the unknown and developing it into scenarios and fantasies involving technology and other scientific advancements whether those be ones we have reached or haven't at the current time. Science fiction involves imagination, the future,and predictions we have for the development of the future. Science fiction is also taking something old- what is already known- and transforming it into something brand new to challenge our minds and think beyond our own personal worlds.

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  12. My definition of Science fiction is a society that has developed more or better technology. With these ideas Science fiction with the better technology has a better story progression, mainly because technology can be infinite in its many ways. Adds many great aspects to science fiction and has produced many great ideas!

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  13. My definition of science fiction is making dreams into reality. Science fiction involves your imagination and how you perceive the world. Science fiction gives you a glimpse into the future and all of the wonderful inventions that will someday hopefully be created. It challenges our minds to think beyond what we know. Science fiction has a positive impacted on the world and I am excited to see what new Science fiction invention becomes reality.

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  14. Science fiction to me is something that you think of in your mind and you bring it into a book or movie or you share it with someone that you think should hear it. It doesn't have to be in the future or could be something that you want to see come alive that doesn’t exist yet. Science fiction is good for people to read because it gives them a perspective on what the world might be like someday. It is a really cool topic/genre and I am really excited to explore it further.

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  15. My definition of science fiction is different than those two mentioned above. My definition is that science fiction is a innovative future. What our future technology might look like and it lets people think outside of the box.

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  16. My definition of Science Fiction is unnatural or other worldly, or in this case the one that best would match me is Sturgeon's definition because Sci-Fi is that exactly.

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  17. Science Fiction is about humans creating what could be based on what we have. The future is being created by these authors who think way outside of the box on what humans are and what we think. It is all a big "What If".

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  18. The quote that best describes my definition of science fiction is the one by Robert A. Heinlein because to me it's the most logical answer to a topic that creates a lot of questions. Science fiction is the desire to make dreams come true about topics that are just too crazy to comprehend. The idea of science fiction has led society to some brilliant inventions that can hopefully become a reality in the near future.

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  19. Humanity: We are plagued by constant struggle. Through the power of our minds, we have solved problems, but also created new ones. However, the unchanging factor is always the people, Us. In this sense, I would side with the second definition. I think all fiction is a reflection on the human condition, and science fiction fills a niche where certain facets of that condition can be explored. Genres weren't created on purpose, the writing was a response to feelings of people at the time. Fantasy, for example, evolved from fear of the supernatural (god or gods, demons, unexplainable events) and the unique struggle we have against things we don't understand. Science fiction, however, focuses more on things within our grasp. Dystopian literature, fear of what we can create, how people will change with time, these are all responses to fears we have about our rapidly expanding technology, just as fantasy was the response to fears normal people would have had about the supernatural.

    So, in short, I think science fiction is niche and necessary because of the unique perspective it provides on the human condition.

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  20. Personally, I find science fiction that is far from reality difficult to understand, so I tend to read science fiction that can be easily connected to the present. Because of this, I would say that the second quote is the one that I would use to define what science fiction is to me.

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  21. I believe that Science fiction is the understanding and imagination of the future and making it your own view and thoughts, through a book, movie. Also it connects to a child like mindset. You can be anything and do anything and it is all up to the persons thoughts and ideas.

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  22. Science Fiction is something that you want to happen or something that has happened that we haven't seen yet. It's all about a "What If". Most people want to see aliens and wonder if they're alive which is why you should read Science Fiction because it brings those what if's to life. That is what science fiction is in my opinion.

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  23. My definition of science fiction is any story that has different events or technology in the world that makes it different from our current reality in any way

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  24. I find that science fiction is often a story told about the future of the human species. But, it needs to include some element that his hard to believe that it will ever happen (like Aliens or technology that is very hard to believe). The first quote is the one that I would agree with most. It makes the most sense to me and seems the most accurate.

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  25. Science Fiction can be taken with multiple definitions because one, it's such a complex subject to understand, and two, is it really Fiction or not? I think two ways about science fiction.
    Science fiction is used as entertaining stories about future technology and superpowers that we will never have. and or another definition is
    Science fiction is accurate predictions about what the future will hold according to physics of science based on current knowledge of the world. I lean more toward my second definition because so far there has been a trend of past generations accurately guessing on what technology we hold today. So this brings up the question, Is Science Fiction really Fiction?

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  26. Science fiction is the ability to express your ideas and your deepest wishes for what the future may hold or be. To also make people think and actually have fun reading and imagine and it brings out imagination inside of people.

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  27. Science Fiction is something completely unique that looks into the future. It's letting your ideas come to life. It's a peak into future possibilities.

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  28. I personally think that science fiction is a supernatural twist on our reality today. I think that it is a way to let your imagination go wild with the possibilities of what could happen in our future.

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  29. Science Fiction is an idea on the future connected to the real life people, places, and things.

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  30. Science fiction is the way people express their curiosity about the future, and generally the unknown. To every person their idea about the future is different, therefore science fiction can pretty much be anything realistic or not. because someone somewhere believe that that is the direction are world is heading. To conclude science fiction is all determined by the the power of the mind of an individual.

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  31. Ben Danuser Late
    Science Fiction is the way authors express their own imagination by using things out of the ordinary like "Planet of The Apes" where humans treated apes like animals but now apes treat humans like animals.

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