What is Science Fiction?
According to the New Oxford American Dictionary, science is "the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world." Fiction is "literature... that describes imaginary events and people."
If I were to sum that up, that would make science fiction "literature that describes the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural components of an imaginary world and people."
Does that seem reasonable to everyone? I just want to arrive on a definition that seems like a good combination of the two parts. To me, this seems like a reasonable definition for what sci-fi is. A story based in an imaginary world that functions according to some form of science, be it social, biological, physical, whatever. Now, based on that definition, I'm going to give you a couple of examples where the line between sci-fi and other genres is blurred, or in my opinion, broken.
Let's start with a book. Or, series of books. The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan (finished by Brandon Sanderson) is an epic fantasy series that spans something like 13,000 pages of the densest storytelling I've ever read. Sitting down to read the entire thing is a massive undertaking. I can't even imagine the determination that must have been associated with actually writing it. The world contained in these books is, in fiction, second probably only to Tolkien's Middle-Earth. It's immense, with centuries of history for dozens of countries, sophisticated and varied cultures and characters, and a thoroughly developed magic system. This enormous body of work is one of the defining works of fantasy for the last few decades, and I have a small beef with this.
Because it's almost not fantasy.
Seriously, hear me out. The magic system is the crux of the whole issue, and the fact of the matter is, it's basically technology. Not in the sense we think of it, but it responds very predictably to a set series of rules that govern stuff from the way structures are built to the way the environment works. And it would appear quite advanced to us in some ways. It's basically a science in this fictional world.
But I wouldn't call The Wheel of Time sci-fi. Oh, it's got nothing to do with the fact that most of their (current) technology would be considered primitive in our first world, or the fact that it's not set in space. It's because the source of their "science" and the physical laws that govern it is something like a deity and there's something like a spiritual component to the use of said science. So it's still fantasy. It's just very scientific fantasy.
But hey, you know what else has physical laws sourced from something like a deity and a spiritual component to their operation?
Yes, I'm saying that. If The Wheel of Time is fantasy, so is Star Wars. I don't care if it takes place in space, or that they have faster than light travel. So does The Wheel of Time, actually. Their physical world is governed in chief by "the force," which operates according to a stringent set of rules that consist of "Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. You must feel the Force around you; here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere, yes."
Sure, they've got spaceships. How do those hyperdrives work, by the way? Any actual relation to any known physics? Of course not. They're dependent upon the physics of the Star Wars universe. Like any fiction, this universe has its own, unique rules. Rules that are mystical in nature and not predicated on "the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural components" of anything.
So by the definition we agreed was a reasonable combination of the concepts of Fiction and Science above, it's fantasy. Not sci-fi.
Unless you're one of those people who subscribes to the explanation associated with "midichlorians." I suppose that tries to take the mystical element and make it biological. But if you prefer that explanation... Shame on you. Just, shame. I'd rather have Star Wars as fantasy than that.
So what am I saying here? What does this mean? HOW DOES THIS CHANGE STAR WARS?
It doesn't. What, are you crazy? Does it matter if it's fantasy? It's still good stuff either way.
According to the New Oxford American Dictionary, science is "the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world." Fiction is "literature... that describes imaginary events and people."
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| Science... |
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| Fiction...? Thanks, Google... |
If I were to sum that up, that would make science fiction "literature that describes the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural components of an imaginary world and people."
Does that seem reasonable to everyone? I just want to arrive on a definition that seems like a good combination of the two parts. To me, this seems like a reasonable definition for what sci-fi is. A story based in an imaginary world that functions according to some form of science, be it social, biological, physical, whatever. Now, based on that definition, I'm going to give you a couple of examples where the line between sci-fi and other genres is blurred, or in my opinion, broken.
Let's start with a book. Or, series of books. The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan (finished by Brandon Sanderson) is an epic fantasy series that spans something like 13,000 pages of the densest storytelling I've ever read. Sitting down to read the entire thing is a massive undertaking. I can't even imagine the determination that must have been associated with actually writing it. The world contained in these books is, in fiction, second probably only to Tolkien's Middle-Earth. It's immense, with centuries of history for dozens of countries, sophisticated and varied cultures and characters, and a thoroughly developed magic system. This enormous body of work is one of the defining works of fantasy for the last few decades, and I have a small beef with this.
Because it's almost not fantasy.
Seriously, hear me out. The magic system is the crux of the whole issue, and the fact of the matter is, it's basically technology. Not in the sense we think of it, but it responds very predictably to a set series of rules that govern stuff from the way structures are built to the way the environment works. And it would appear quite advanced to us in some ways. It's basically a science in this fictional world.
But I wouldn't call The Wheel of Time sci-fi. Oh, it's got nothing to do with the fact that most of their (current) technology would be considered primitive in our first world, or the fact that it's not set in space. It's because the source of their "science" and the physical laws that govern it is something like a deity and there's something like a spiritual component to the use of said science. So it's still fantasy. It's just very scientific fantasy.
But hey, you know what else has physical laws sourced from something like a deity and a spiritual component to their operation?
 |
| Yup. |
Yes, I'm saying that. If The Wheel of Time is fantasy, so is Star Wars. I don't care if it takes place in space, or that they have faster than light travel. So does The Wheel of Time, actually. Their physical world is governed in chief by "the force," which operates according to a stringent set of rules that consist of "Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. You must feel the Force around you; here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere, yes."
 |
| Physics! |
Sure, they've got spaceships. How do those hyperdrives work, by the way? Any actual relation to any known physics? Of course not. They're dependent upon the physics of the Star Wars universe. Like any fiction, this universe has its own, unique rules. Rules that are mystical in nature and not predicated on "the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural components" of anything.
So by the definition we agreed was a reasonable combination of the concepts of Fiction and Science above, it's fantasy. Not sci-fi.
Unless you're one of those people who subscribes to the explanation associated with "midichlorians." I suppose that tries to take the mystical element and make it biological. But if you prefer that explanation... Shame on you. Just, shame. I'd rather have Star Wars as fantasy than that.
So what am I saying here? What does this mean? HOW DOES THIS CHANGE STAR WARS?
It doesn't. What, are you crazy? Does it matter if it's fantasy? It's still good stuff either way.
I still don't understand why this matters....
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