Science fiction
Genre of speculative fiction about advanced technology and its consequences.
Last updated
Science fiction is a branch of literature that deals with human reactions to changes in science and technology, as Isaac Asimov wrote.[1] The genre is notoriously difficult to define, with Lester del Rey noting that even devoted fans struggle to explain what it is.[2][3] Damon Knight summed up the challenge by stating, "Science fiction is what we point to when we say it".[4][5]
Quick Facts
- Field
- Speculative fiction
- Earliest claimed precedent
- 2nd century CE (Lucian's A True Story)
- Preferred abbreviation
- SF (or sf)
- Known for
- Imagining advanced technology and scientific change; exploring human responses to such changes
Facts from the source article.
Key facts and history
Robert A. Heinlein offered a definition of science fiction as realistic speculation about possible future events based on knowledge of the real world and the scientific method.[6] Another definition describes science fiction as scenarios that are technologically impossible at the time of writing, extrapolating from present-day science.[7][8] Forrest J Ackerman has been credited with first using the term "sci-fi" in about 1954, reminiscent of the then-trendy term "hi-fi".[9][10] Peter Nicholls wrote around 1993 that "SF" is the preferred abbreviation within the community of sf writers and readers.[11]
Robert Heinlein suggested the term "speculative fiction" be used for works that are more "serious" or "thoughtful".[12] John Clute and Peter Nicholls edited a 1993 encyclopedia that includes a thorough examination of the challenges involved in defining science fiction.[13][14] Movie critic Jesse Zunser's January 1954 review of Donovan's Brain contains the earliest printed instance of the word "sci-fi".[9][10]
What the cited sources add
The Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction records the 1954 use of "sci-fi" in a review by J. Zunser in Cue magazine.[10] Harlan Ellison stated in 1998 that what is called "sci-fi" is not science fiction, and that such works bear no relation to quality science fiction.[15] Ellison argued that aliens in sf stories function as metaphors for human behavior, similar to how lynched black men or mongol invaders appeared in other fiction.[15]
References
- Wikipedia, "Science fiction" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Asimov, "How Easy to See the Future!", Natural History, April 1975, p. 92 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Science fiction" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Del Rey, "The World of Science Fiction 1926–1976", Ballantine Books, 1980 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Del Rey, "The World of Science Fiction 1926–1976", Ballantine Books, 1980. facts only, no text reused. archive.org
- Wikipedia, "Science fiction" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Menadue, "An Empirical Revision of the Definition of Science Fiction: It Is All in the Techne . . .", SAGE Open, 1 October 2020; Seed, "Science Fiction: A Very Short Introduction", OUP Oxford, 23 June 2011; Knight, "In Search of Wonder: Essays on Modern Science Fiction", Advent Publishing, 1967, p. xiii (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Knight, "In Search of Wonder: Essays on Modern Science Fiction", Advent Publishing, 1967, p. xiii. facts only, no text reused. archive.org
- Wikipedia, "Science fiction" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Heinlein, Advent Publishers, 1959 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Science fiction" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Canton, "The Literature Book", DK, 2016, p. 343 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Open Library record, ISBN 9781465429889 ("The literature book"). CC0 (metadata); book content not read. openlibrary.org
- Wikipedia, "Science fiction" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Forrest J Ackerman, 92; Coined the Term 'Sci-Fi'", The Washington Post, 7 December 2008; "sci-fi n.", Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction; Whittier, "Neo-Fan's Guidebook", December 2019; Scalzi, "The Rough Guide to Sci-Fi Movies", Rough Guides, 2005; Ellison, "Harlan Ellison's responses to online fan questions at ParCon", 1998; Clute, ""Sci fi" (article by Peter Nicholls)", Orbit/Time Warner Book Group UK, 1993 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- "sci-fi n.", Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction. facts only, no text reused. sfdictionary.com
- Wikipedia, "Science fiction" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Clute, ""SF" (article by Peter Nicholls)", Orbit/Time Warner Book Group UK, 1993 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Science fiction" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Sci-Fi Icon Robert Heinlein Lists 5 Essential Rules for Making a Living as a Writer", Open Culture, 29 September 2016 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Science fiction" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Stableford, "Definitions of SF", Orbit/Little, Brown and Company, 1993, p. 311–314; "SFE: Definitions of SF", sf-encyclopedia.com (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Open Library record, ISBN 1857231244 ("The Encyclopedia of science fiction"). CC0 (metadata); book content not read. openlibrary.org
- Ellison, "Harlan Ellison's responses to online fan questions at ParCon", 1998. facts only, no text reused. harlanellison.com
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Science fiction (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Science fiction (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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