I propose the following distinctions:
Science Fiction: Fiction with science and/or technology elements that, at the time of their writing, either match what we know about science, or aren’t ruled out by what we know about science. Ex: “Lucifer’s Hammer”; “The Two Faces Of Tomorrow”; “Neuromancer.”
Speculative Fiction: Fiction with science and/or technology elements that don’t match what we know about science, or are ruled out by what we know about science. Ex: “Star Trek”; “Firefly/Serenity”; “Star Wars.”
Fantasy: Fiction entirely unrelated to our reality, no matter how far you’re willing to stretch science. Ex: “Lord of the Rings”; “A Voyage to Arcturus;” “A Wizard of Earthsea.”
SyFy: Pitifully incompetent examples of any of the above three. Example: What Hollywood turned Harry Harrison’s excellent SF novel, “Make Room, Make Room”, into: “Soylent Green”; “Dr Who” in any of its manifestations; “Lost in Space.” When you say SyFy, you’re required to sneer.
#1 by Ben Godby on September 17, 2009 - 12:30 pm
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Earlier today I was thinking about how dumb the label “speculative fiction” is. It seems to be quite the rage but it’s really very silly. It sounds like what you do after you gossip. You gab about the what-ifs. You generate speculative fictions.
I like the word “fantasy” for most of the stuff that people call speculative fiction. It’s usually pretty fantastical, after all, and if not, it’s just speculation. If you’re speculating, it’s possible, so it’s basically sci-fi; if you’re not speculating, it’s fantasy, so it’s fantasy.
Emirite? Emirite?
-bn
#2 by fyngyrz on September 17, 2009 - 12:53 pm
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I’d say you’re a lot righter than they are, anyway.