Naked Science Forum
General Discussion & Feedback => Just Chat! => Topic started by: Pou on 14/02/2013 13:44:32
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Hey,
Sorry i'm a bit new too this I have an english essay too do on science and fiction,
do you see a connection? A topic that can link both of theses awsome subjects?
I think except for movies I actually don't see a big connection here :o
Thanks ::)
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Pou,
Sorry I didn't notice your topic earlier. I've moved it to "Just Chat" where you may get more people viewing it.
The obvious answer is that Science Fiction is reflected in both printed media as well as visual media. Often authors choose scientific ideas that seem plausible, although it has not been invented yet. And, the nice thing about fiction is that one can just make up stuff that seems plausible in the world of the work of fiction.
If you read "A Brave New Word", by Aldous Huxley, he predicted the use of birth control, although not quite the same methods in use today. And, he also discussed the effects of alcohol and pregnancy, something that certainly is better documented today. Certainly we haven't quite gotten to the baby in a bottle stage, but who knows what the future will bring.
The book 1984 discussed wall sized TV's. We're getting awfully close to that. And, cameras built into the TVs. Well, at least many PCs have built in cameras and microphones, and spy cameras can be hidden in almost anything.
The book, Fahrenheit 451 had a mechanical dog. Again, there is a lot of current research in robotics, as well as engineered sniffing devices. Not quite there, but it certainly is within the realm of possibility.
The Star Trek communicator had an exceptional range, especially on alien planets. However, the devices from the 60's look quite crude compared to the modern cell phones. And, Lieutenant UHura's earpiece looks very much like modern bluetooth earpieces.
Of course, not all science that is found in fiction, actually falls under science fiction. You might consider some of the medical dramas as being "science". Likewise, some of the Crime Scene Investigation shows attempt to mix science in with their storylines.
What about the Disney Film, the Absent Minded Professor? Anyway, one could incorporate scientific principles and science humor in fiction, even if it isn't a futuristic novel.
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When you say science AND fiction, is that supposed to exclude science fiction? I ask this because if science fiction was the topic it ought to have been stated clearly up front.
I can't see any obvious connection between science and fiction that wouldn't come under the science fiction category, although there are doubtless novels about people doing scientific work of one kind or another, so I can't see a lot of scope for writing an essay on this topic because fiction and science don't appear to have a great deal in common... other than that they are always trying to discover something new - maybe that's the point of contact.
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So, why can't you have fiction about a scientist?
Perhaps Einstein's Dreams (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Einstein%27s_Dreams)