"stories set in the future"

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Fri, 2007-01-19 08:15

I am presently reading "Creative Writing" by Adele Ramet, in which she says, on writing science fiction (or rather "stories set in the future"), that...

"... the designs, materials and lifestyles depicted must be based on current scientific knowledge."

... at which I frowned and exclaimed out loud...

"Must they?"

Well...

Must they?

pe
ps
oid

Sun, 2007-01-21 06:26

cuzwejamin

I mean the whole point of fiction is you can do whatever you like, make a world however you like it, but I think the definition science fiction is that it is based, at least loosely, on science. If you start changing the rules of science as we know them today, then it becomes fantasy (or satire). That doesn't mean you can't write a story in the future where, I don't know, atoms don't exist, it's just that unless you create some sensible path that takes us from our 21st century mistake of believing in atoms to your 30th century world where everyone knows atoms are fake, you aren't even asking the reader to consider your world as a future that could conceivably exist. That's fine, it's just not science-fiction. Also if a story is set in a future that we are supposed to believe is real, and you make your world inconceivable according to scientific facts of today, well I'm probably going to spend most of my energy getting frustrated, trying to figure out why you are putting this paradox on my plate. Whether you like it or not, that will become the purpose of your piece. All that still doesn't change the fact that you can go right ahead and write a story about a fantastic world where everything is made out of bananas and the year in that world just happens to be 2009. Just ain't sci-fi. Also there are all sorts of spiritual things that some people might argue go against science, but I think if we're arguing about them today, then they aren't accepted facts and you aren't going against 'current scientific knowledge', you are just going against current mainstream scientific views.

Sun, 2007-01-21 19:09

pepsoid

I suppose it comes down to attempting to define "science fiction," then. There was that adage, which went something along the lines of... Technology that is suitably advanced becomes indistinguishable from magic. Presuming one doesn't have to explain, in detail, every bit of technology of advanced scientific thought in a science fiction story... couldn't one concievably invent a world of virtually infinite possibilities and, as long as one loosely and tentatively connects it to "current scientific knowledge," call it science fiction? Dragons could be genetically engineered ghekos... the casting of various forms of "magical spells" could be down some sort of psychic/ nanotechnological/ quantum manipulation of particles... As one as one infers, however subtly, that there is a "scientific" basis for various forms of wizardly and fantastical hoo-har, could not one basically re-write "The Lord of the Rings" and call it science fiction? pe ps oid ... What is "The Art of Tea"? ... (www.pepsoid.wordpress.com)

The All New Pepsoid the Second!

Mon, 2007-01-22 14:38

ggggareth

Or re-write "The Tempest" and call it "Forbidden Planet"...

Mon, 2007-01-22 15:16

maddan

Absolute drivel. How does one explain the Millenium Falcon making point five past lightspeed based on current scientific knowledge? Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. -Arthur C Clarke (and he knew a bit about writing stories set in the future)

Mon, 2007-01-22 15:53

pepsoid

Thank you for clarifying the wordage and source of my quote, Maddan! ;-) How does one explain the Millenium Falcon making point five past lightspeed based on current scientific knowledge? To be Devil's Advocate, some may claim the likes of Star Wars are not "science fiction," but rather "space opera"... ? pe ps oid ... What is "The Art of Tea"? ... (www.pepsoid.wordpress.com)

The All New Pepsoid the Second!

Mon, 2007-01-22 17:12

maddan

Neither is it a 'story set in the future' for that matter. Either way, it's still claptrap.

Mon, 2007-01-22 19:36

pepsoid

"Neither is it a 'story set in the future' for that matter." ... True enough. pe ps oid ... What is "The Art of Tea"? ... (www.pepsoid.wordpress.com)

The All New Pepsoid the Second!

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