Anderson identifies what he calls four kinds of sf story. The first two are:
"hard sf," assuming only established facts;
sf about "imaginary science," e.g., FTL, time travel, parallel universes, psionics.
However, unless I am misreading the article, Anderson's total of four kinds comes from dividing the "imaginary" category into three. The imaginary sciences can be used routinely, loosely or brilliantly.
"Routine use takes the concept for granted in order to get on with the story." (p. 310)
"Loose..." means "...some treatment of it for its own sake, but no rigor." (ibid.)
This gets sloppy, generating goofs.
For brilliant use, Anderson just presents examples, starting with Twain's and Wells time travel novels and Heinlein's two circular causality short stories. I disagree only with the inclusion of Twain.
I am unsure whether to discuss this article any further but, in any case, am just about to go to see a "loose" superhero film.
Laters.
8 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I might expand the definition of hard SF a bit more "loosely," to include rigorous use of "imaginary science" not too far beyond what is known or thought likely to be known.
Ad astra! Sean
I'm almost finished reading "Project Hail Mary" by Andy Weir.
The imaginary science of the 'Astrophage' is quite rigorously handled. I also very much approve of the way the scientific investigation of the astrophage is shown.
Note that science is not static. Therefore SF set any distance in the future using what's -currently- known/thought will be grossly unrealistic.
Eg., the existence of extrasolar planets was first proven rather recently.
I think of most sf as hard and only Bradbury, Simak and Lewis as soft.
Blish's BLACK EASTER/THE DAY AFTER JUDGEMENT is hard fantasy.
Kaor, Jim and Mr. Stirling!
Jim: I've read the first two of Weir's books. Very much worth reading! And his THE MARTIAN will be esp. appropriate if/when Elon Musk manages to found his colony on Mars.
Mr. Stirling: And WHAT might be discovered/invented/developed as some of the consequences of Musk founding a colony on Mars? The need for coping with unprecedented problems on Barsoom might well lead to unpredictable and totally unexpected discoveries. Maybe even a real world FTL drive?
Ad astra! Sean
Sean: and we'd never know if we didn't try!
The "lessons" of history are few; one of the few consistent ones is that it's a good idea to expand the geographic reach of your society when you can. It makes you less vulnerable to a point failure source.
If the British Isles disappeared tomorrow, English would still be a major world language... and people of English (and British) descent would be numerous.
On further thought about "Project Hail Mary", I will downgrade the rigorousness of the imaginary science somewhat. It looks like the Astrophage can be used to violate the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics. Since I had to think quite a bit to realize that is true I can't fault Andy Wier all that much.
I think modifications of what it does that has it not violate the 2nd Law, would still leave it able to do most of what is needed for the plot.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
I agree! Again, you expressed more clearly and sharply what I was groping to make plain.
Some of the most frustrating things I've seen people say is that mankind should not leave Earth till we clean up our messes and solve our problems. I replied that would mean we never get off this rock--because we will always have problems and messes. But simply getting off Earth should go a long way to making some of those problems at least irrelevant.
Ad astra! Sean
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