Definition of Science Fiction?

[hmelton]

I just did a search at Books a million for Science Fiction and the first 30 entries were "Harry Potter" related.
I don't see how anyone could mistake a witchcraft fantasy like "Harry Potter" for Science Fiction.
I could see it showing up eventually in the search, but putting it ahead of such writers as Isaac Asimov or Jules Verne is either stupidity or more likely greed.
It did make me curious.
What one story or writer best matches your Definition of Science Fiction?
Science Fiction
For me Jules Vernes stories meet the Classic definition of true Science Fiction.

His "20,000 Leagues under the sea" being one of the better examples.
For me Mary Shelleys "Frankenstien" is a good example of more Fantasy focused Science Fiction.
What are your choices?
howard melton
God Bless

[ECSNorway]

It's a simple fact of economics, really.
Booksellers shelve Sci-Fi and Fantasy together because there tends to be a lot of crossover in market for the two genre. As far as they're concerned, they're the same thing -- sci-fi is merely a subgenre of fantasy.--
"Use of unnecessary violence in the apprehension of General Zod has been approved."
--
Sucrose Octanitrate.
Proof positive that with sufficient motivation, you can make anything explode.

[HoagieOfDoom]

Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, Joe Haldeman, and Phillip K. Dick.*********
There's no need to hear, I can shout you.

[Angryoptimist]

I think a major difference between fantasy and SF is that typically shows you an entirely different world, setting, etc. whereas SF, while the setting may be different, focuses on what would happen if we took a base world and introduced/removed Element A. That's my rough definition; SF hinges on a simple "What if?" (That and it typically involves/includes some of difference in physical phenomena/technology.)-----------------
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[jpub]

There is no difference.
Clarke's adage about the similarity of magic and technology is far more apt than you think, especially when it comes to sci-fi vs. fantasy.--
Christopher Angel, aka JPublic
The Works of Christopher Angel

[Berk]

The mechanics of the stories, amusingly enough, are virtually identical. The trappings are all quite simliar, using different names for some of the most common elements.
- Grumpy Uncle Gearhead

[Ebony]

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The trappings are all quite simliar

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I think that some of the more serious science-fiction authors would disagree with you. Hardline sci fi generally keeps its element deeply ingrained in scientific theory, while fantasy and "science fantasy" have elements that are not tied to our current perception of the world. To those writers that care, science fiction should focus on the science. In other words, rather than simply pushing a "go-faster" button to attain FTL ("Warp Factor X, Mr. Chekov"), hard science fiction tries to create a intelligent and plausible portrayal of how that element works, using theories currently being hypothesized and extrapolating from current technology. David Brin and Greg Bear are both good examples of this kind of science fiction, as are Ben Bova and Isaac Asimov.Ebony the Black Dragon
Senior Editor, Living Room Games
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http://ebony14.livejournal.com

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[Berk]

Maybe my perspective is a little different, as I've been researching for my own foray into 'serious writing' for the past couple of years or so.. But I would beg to differ on there REALLY being any real difference between the two beyond a difference in the language. I mean, Ghu, look at the 'benchmark' sci-fi series that defined the genre: Triplanetary & the rest of the Lensman books.
- Grumpy Uncle Gearhead

[robkelk]

HoagieOfDoom said:

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Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, Joe Haldeman,

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Good so far...

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and Phillip K. Dick.

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I think you misspelled "Larry Niven" there...
(The admittedly-small amount of PKD I've read was heavy on the mumbo-jumbo, light on the science. Did I get an unrepresentative sample?)
-Rob Kelk
(Edit to fix attribution)
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

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[robkelk]

Berk said:

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I mean, Ghu, look at the 'benchmark' sci-fi series that defined the genre: Triplanetary & the rest of the Lensman books.

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That's definitely my all-time favourite space opera series... but it ain't SF. (At least, not by the "only one change for the what-if question" rule.)
To be fair, he did start writing the series in the 1930s, before the current definition was accepted.
-Rob Kelk
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[HoagieOfDoom]

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The admittedly-small amount of PKD I've read was heavy on the mumbo-jumbo, light on the science. Did I get an unrepresentative sample?

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He was the man who wrote Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, upon which Blade Runner was directly based off of. That's enough for me.*********
There's no need to hear, I can shout you.

[zojojojo]

science fiction: take theories we're working on, and move ahead to where they're made practical
(alfred bester, larry niven, philip dick, ray bradbury, jules verne)
science fantasy: hand-waving explanation for things that we don't use every day (ray guns, FTL, etc.)
(david weber, star trek, lois bujold, star wars)

fantasy: magic, fantastic beasts, and basically anything else that has not even a sliver of scientific theory behind it (intelligent design, the kansas school board, etc.)
(jk rowling, jrr tolkien, robert jordan)-Z, Post-reader at Medium
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If architects built buildings the way programmers write programs, the first woodpecker to come along would destroy civilization.
-Z, Post-reader at Medium
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If architects built buildings the way programmers write programs, the first woodpecker to come along would destroy civilization.

[hmelton]

Zojojojo's way of sorting Science fiction is close to the way I do it.
HARD
Science Fiction puts science first and models the game of "IF" logically often with mathmatical precision.
"Shockwave Rider", "Land Ironclads" and "20,000 Leagues under the Sea" are all placed here by me.
SOFT
Science Fiction puts entertainment first and models the game of "IF" loosely.
David Webers "Harrington" and "mutineers moon" series fall here for me. Cristopher Stasheffs "Warlock" series also fall here for me.
FANTASY
Science Fiction puts entertainment first and often simply wraps science around it as a cloak or background.
"Starwars", "Startrek" and the Cristopher Stasheffs "Wizard" series are put here by me.
(Personal definition)
All Fiction is Fantasy, but only the fiction that attempts to sort or cloth the Fantasy in the scientific is Science fiction.
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While I was looking up the name of a couple of Cristopher Stasheffs series I came across this website.
www.technovelgy.com/index.htm
howard melton
God bless

[HoagieOfDoom]

I must have had a brain fart or something because I completely forget about Poul Anderson.
*Hangs head in shame**********
There's no need to hear, I can shout you.

[Disruptor]

Despite the insane power level in his books, E.E. Doc Smith
In one of his stories, he came up with an idea on how to keep various spaceships communicating during a battle. During World War II, an admrial heard about this idea in Smith's story. He read it and implemented the idea for the US Navy.
That theory of battle quickly became fact.
One science fiction story slid away from Sci-fi and into horror: Frankenstein
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Tom Mathews aka Disruptor

[Herr Bad Moon]

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One science fiction story slid away from Sci-fi and into horror: Frankenstein

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Frankenstein was always supposed to be horror. Mary Shelly and her pals would sit around and write up spooky stuff for their own amusement.---------------
Leo: (July 23 - Aug 22)
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Jon
"And that must have caused my dad's brain to break in half, replaced by a purely mechanical engine of revenge!"