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 17th, 2018.
I think that the first comment is the most accurate definition of science fiction. I think this because I have watched many Science Fiction movies. In most of them they are predicting what will happen in the future and they all seem to be pretty knowledgeable. For example, the martian, the main character has to figure out how to live on mars and sustain life on mars (grow plants) which seems like a future and technological advancement.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, Robert H. Heinlein's quote is the most accurate definition of Science Fiction. I have not read a lot of Science Fiction novels or watched a lot of movies, but the texts that I have seen fit most with this quote. The majority of the Science Fiction movies that I have seen display technology and tools that we don't have yet. Many of the problems are solved using technology that could potentially be present in the future. The part of the quote that states "Realistic speculation about possible future events..." connects most to my idea of Science Fiction since I think that the purpose of Science Fiction is to introduce people to ideas and technology that could be seen in the future.
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ReplyDeletePersonally, I think that Robert A. Heinlein’s definition of science fiction is the best representation of science fiction. However, George Hay’s definition is probably more in line with my definition of science fiction. I don’t really know much about the actual definition of science fiction or what it is, I just know what I have put together from reading books marked science fiction. If I remember correctly, on the sheet we had to fill out on Wednesday I put something along the lines of “Science fiction is a genre of story that is made up and normally takes place in the future.” Although I haven’t seen many science fiction movies, only some that correlate with the books I have read, they seem to all be based upon speculations about what the future could possibly be like.
ReplyDeleteI think that the author Robert A. Heinlein's definition of science fiction is the most accurate definition to me. I have not read a lot of science fiction novels, but after reading "Steam Man and Airships: Technology of the future this definition fits the best. The article talks about how authors came up with inventions that later became real due to modern science. I think that the inventions in novels that we are reading today will happen in the future due to advancements in technology.
ReplyDeleteI think that the best definition for science fiction is the 1st definition. Every science fiction story has the inspiration from past and present knowledge and events to influence how the story will go and what technology/knowledge is available for them.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion the most accurate definition of science fiction listed is the first option. It goes into the most detail of what science fiction is really about. The third option is accurate, but not specific enough to be considered a definition.
ReplyDeleteMy definition of science fiction most aligns with the first quote by Knight. Most science fiction stories I've read attempt to explain the future events and phenomenons that they're proposing. They also don't propose things that are too unrealistic or unbelievable. For example, in our class reading of Steam Man and Airships, all the stories referenced proposed scientific ideas that the people at the time could actually believe like steam-powered machines. -Rachel Green
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ReplyDeleteScience fiction is study of those phenomenons we think defy our reality. They're a culmination of ideas from the past, present, and theories of the future. These ideas are usually based off of imagination and creativity but aren't really supported with evidence and truthful facts
ReplyDeleteMy definition of science fiction is anything that has a scientific problem that has to be resolved using one of the main 4 elements of science fiction. For example In Alien the main characters have to figure out a solution to there Xenophobic problem.
ReplyDeleteMy definition is close to Robert A. Heinlein's because I think that science fiction is mostly made from imaginary futuristic qualities that are used to make a story.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, my definition of science fiction best fits with Robert A. Heinlein's definition. For example, I really agree with what he said about science fiction being a "realistic speculation about possible future events.' When looking at science fiction films and literature, I see plenty of stories that focus on an advanced problematic future. I've seen a lot of books that are kind of 'post apocalyptic' also. I feel like most science fiction stories are just ideas of what the world could look like in the future.
ReplyDeleteIn my eyes the definition of science fiction is fiction that questions the barrier between reality and imagination. I think of science fiction as those stories that seem out there but still plausible, they still have a feasible plot and they make you question if they could really happen. I believe science fiction can vary significantly in that definition but they all contain some element of a thing or situation that we maybe haven't seen yet in our everyday lives but we can still wrap our brain around the idea and get lost in the possibility.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, Heinlein's quote fits with my perception of what Science Fiction is the best.
ReplyDeleteTo me, Science Fiction is a category of creative works that take a guess as to what the future looks like. These works can also take place in a futuristic setting.
One could call Science Fiction a series of novel length hypotheses, the author(s) aren't sure if any of the events in their tale(s) will or will not actually happen, yet they're able to craft a story from their predictions.
I find the quote of Robert A. Heinlein aligns with my own definition of science fiction the most. I have read many science fiction novels, and most seem to follow this definition. Lots are just predictions of the future based of off what is happening in the world at the time it was written. Science fiction is a genre that sees the real world and what it has to come based off of the actions of people everywhere.
ReplyDeleteIf I had to choose one of these quotes, I would say that Robert A. Heinlein's quote matches up the most with my definition of science fiction. After reading many SciFi books, it is evident that many of them include assumptions and predictions of the world's current events.
ReplyDeleteRobert's quote would probably be the quote that I would mostly agree with. In the quote, it says that Science Fiction is a speculation of future events and that's mostly what I think about when I hear about Science Fiction. From all of the science fiction books that I read in the past, the setting was always in the future. Or it was in the past but had a futuristic society. So from reading those books, I always thought Science Fiction of what we think the future would be like for future generations to come.
ReplyDeleteI found Hienlein´s quote to be the most fitting to my definition of Science Fiction because I believe that Science Fiction is whatever you want it to be. If you have a creative and innovative idea about future life or life now that if Science Fiction. Science Fiction can only be made with creativity.
ReplyDeleteI really connected with George Hay because he says "Science fiction is what you find on the shelves in the library marked science fiction." which is a quite literal and 'smart' reply which I feel is how I reply to very simple questions in my life. If you ask me how a piece of text made me feel I will probably tell you my eyes were a little sore and page three gave me a paper cut so, not great. Probably not the answer that you wanted or the one that gets me the A but a little part of my brain says "why don't you be a smart Alec", usually its silenced but when comments like George Hay's pop up I get a little excited that someone thinks like me!
ReplyDeleteBased on my understanding, Robert A. Heinlein's quote relates the most to my Definition of science fiction. I feel like If you're a creative person, It will be how you want it to be and coming up with ideas is a major key in science fiction.
ReplyDeleteThe quotation I aligned with my definition of science fiction was by Robert A. Heinlein. He stated that science fiction was about possible future events throughout the real world, past, present, and future. He also said about having a understanding of the nature and significance of the scientific method.
ReplyDeleteRobert A. Heinlein was a American science writer. He lived from 1907 to 1988.
He was often called “dean of science fiction writers”. Robert was also one of the first American science fiction writers to explode in magazines such as The Saturday Evening Post in the late 1940s.
In my own words science fiction is normally a story that involves in the future and has some lasers and flying across the galaxy. Some may think different, but I think science fiction is possible future events. Just like how Robert A. Heinlein stated.
Heinlein's definition of science fiction best fits with my own definition. Science Fiction to me is no different then any other fictional stories, except that it seems to be more realistic because of the scientific aspect. It can take ideas that are completely make believe and unrealistic and with the use of scientific background knowledge it makes the stories seem much more realistic.
ReplyDeleteI think science fiction is mainly future and if it would be in the past it would be in a different universe or a different galaxy. Science fiction would also be with technology or some kind of mass monster or big threat. That's what I think science fiction is.
ReplyDeleteI relate most to the first quote, because I believe that science fiction is all about the future, and it should be more fantasy, like Frankenstein or the steam man inventions.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Robert Heinlein's quote because when I think of science fiction I think of the past, present, and future times with things that would not happen not usually happen in present times. This also includes factors like nature and other scientific methods.
ReplyDeleteI think that the first quote is what I'd agree with, futuristic ideas mostly involving humans, however, I do like sci fi movies and books better if there is a foreign character like in stranger things or in alien vs. predator
ReplyDeleteI believe that science fiction is a genre that is made to invent ideas and tech that hasn't been conceived yet, it is a genre that allows the reader to witness amazing adventures where you see weird technology and weirder creatures that only inspire a sense of adventure
ReplyDeleteI agree with all of the quotes. Science Fiction, to me, is fantasy with background knowledge. It uses scientific aspects and themes, while still creating a world that seems impossible, hence its name.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the first comment as we are all taking predictions about the future in Science Fiction, but they are educated predictions. We can see how fast technology is moving forward and that takes us as far as our imagination will go. Science Fiction is based on patterns from the past and the present.
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