Science Fiction

Science Fiction [?sa??ns?f?k?n?] ("scienceseal"; officially written: Sciencefiction or Science Fiction; Abk.: Sci Fi, SF, German also: Scientific Phantastik) a form of the literature and the film, in addition, other disciplines is such as z. B. the forming art, which the particulars, which regards society or the environment in temporal, spatially or historically radically alternative constellations. Most frequently this happens in form of one from the actual present extrapolates future conception, it is in addition, others Topoi, as for example of that one the in such a way specified Parallel world. If the SF of a temporally relatively near future takes care of, she discusses frequently the influence of new scientific or social developments.

Etymologie

Of some speaking and Literature scientists in the German linguistic area synonymously used name for a subrange reads Future novel or Future film. Since center of the 20 Century the designation has itself within the professional range and among lovers Science Fiction established. Further designations, which are used more or less accurately than synonyms, are Scientific Phantastik, utopian literature and simply only Fantastic literature (not to confound also Fantasy or that romantic Phantastik). The term Future literature sometimes likewise (not completely accurately) as synonym for Science Fiction one regards. It is correct however if necessary only for the subsection of the Science Fiction, which itself with that Future employed. The controversies over the designation of the category are characteristic for its development and its Topics and motives, in addition, for political opinions.

SF writer how Heinlein, Haldeman and Robinson coined/shaped as term Speculative Fiction, in order to avoid restricting the category on technical/scientific ranges, without on the other hand under the "Anything goes" that . This style direction is differentiated frequently thereby from the Science Fiction that its action surrounding field is not coined/shaped in relation to our time by scientific or social achievements, but history in an antique or medieval environment takes place, whereby the presence of supernatural phenomena as for example Magic or Fabulous creature is essential.

Of Science Fantasy one speaks, if both elements from Fantasy and from the Science Fiction in a work can be found. Examples for this are those Star WarsFilms or those DarkoverNovels.

The word Science Fiction in many languages directly or as leaning translation was in-patriated.

Overview and directions

Definitions

The question, whether and how SF should be defined is nearly as old as the term. Authors and readers tried already from the beginning to define SF the number of the definition attempts is meanwhile Legion. Until today disagreement prevails over it whether SF can be defined at all. Poststrukturalistisch oriented authors how Samuel R. Delany represented even the opinion that the indefinableness is a substantial characteristic of SF. In the theoretical discussion it is also unsettled whether SF Category and/or. one Kind it is thus whether it itself by a relatively firm set of formal, contentwise and/or structural elements lets define, or whether SF not more appropriate than Mode to be described, on a more fundamental level than a category the condition of the fiktionalen world should designation. Delany goes being seen even far into (literary) the SF in principle an own linguistic style like poetry differently being read must than "normal literature".

An attempt to summarize the term Science Fiction considering following explanations could look in such a way: SF is present whenever (apparently) impossible things are shown, which technical nature are and can from those be imagined that they could be possible a daily. Over it acts whenever the things shown the mental one or mirror-image-ritual come of and appear to us as impossible for all time. If both is mixed, one speaks usually of SF/Fantasy

To a large extent agreement prevails over the fact that SF is characterised by one or more elements, which are not possible in our ' normal ' everyday life world (still). For this element has itself of Darko Suvin, a pioneer of the SF research, coined/shaped term New fact (pl. New facts) to a large extent interspersed. Disagreement prevails over it in what respect the new fact differs from typical fairy tale or Fantasyelementen. Proponents of the hard F argue that the new fact must be scientifically explainable and rationally comprehensible. This position is very disputed, since in practice most SF new facts are scientifically unsettled or speculative. Typical new facts how Time journey or exceeding that Speed of light hardly differ in their plausibility from fairy tale elements like flying brooms or magic watering places.

Newer definition beginnings go out therefore also usually no longer with the scientificness of SF, but to argue that SF their scientificness primarily stated. SF is therefore less a question of the plausibility, but the attitude, which a film/novel takes opposite the represented world. The SF gives scientificness, it ' does in such a way as if ', by availing themselves of a scientific or science-similar Rhetorik. In the literature this expresses itself by a typical and often parodierten (pseudo)wissenschaftlichen jargon, which is to emislead about the fact that the respective new fact is simply impossible.

As example is here those Witch stated, and the Beamer ships by means of magic wand humans to another place out Star Trek: In both cases it acts around Teletransportation and thus around a procedure, that in accordance with today's knowledge, despite or straight because of first going by successes up more quantum-mechanically Even one, almost not possibly to be should, at least "up" the "quantum world". The fact that we identify the Beamer immediately as spectators as SF does not have to do anything with the fact that he would be more plausible or technically more comprehensible than the magic wand of the witch, but only and alone with the fact that the devices on board that Enterprise technically look, because they do "in such a way", as if would be they technically possible. Can simplified be said: SF is, which like SF looks. That does not mean that SF new facts are impossible by SE, it must however be by no means possible, and the more SF in their representation far away from current conceptions of it, how technology and science have to look, the more approaches it that on. Definitions of some SF authors are here.

Phantastik

The term Science Fiction is generally used today for works, which go beyond the well-known reality and which events and conditions explain or at least as rationally explainable represent rationally.

There are different beginnings to the order system of literature (and film, theatre, forming art) with "non-realistic" elements.

In the first beginning Science Fiction becomes beside

The largest proximity exists probably to category how Horror (the cinema row compares Alien) and . Horror less contents of a narration, than rather the style, the effect on the reader describes. covers those cases, in which the event is evenly no longer rationally explainable. From border lines to the Fantasy one can also speak, if either history in one then far future/so different world removed plays that that affects "natural ones" there us as "supernaturally" (z. B. "star Wars"), or the window blind (z. B. Mittelalterliche Hierarchien) Und/oder die Handlungsstruktur (z. B. those Quest), history is fantasy typical however neither with magic nor fabulous creature functions.

Although Mary Shelleys Franconia stone and Robert Louis Stevensons The strange case of the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde supernatural elements contained, contain them still one Extrapolation scientific ideas and are considered therefore as Science Fiction. On the other hand is Bram Stokers Dracula pure Fantasy.

Also many works running under the over term SF use for instance space or a future world not, in order to speculate upon questions of human developments, but as exotic Window blind, before which traditional of category (adventure, romance) run off. The term for this reads Space Opera - examples are u. A. TV serials how Spaceship Enterprise (Star Trek) or war of the stars (Star Wars).

Overlap also Utopia

A further overlap usually results for the modern Science Fiction novel with that Utopia (contrast: Dystopie).

While the SF is often content with the representation of partial aspects of technical and social developments, those became Utopia, whose is appropriate for a goal in the draft of a complete society draft, originally as uses. A goal was often it to present to the public without obrigkeitliche censorship political and philosophical ideas. However the classical utopias can how Thomas Morus' Utopia (1516) or Tommaso Campanellas Civitas Solis (1623) as SF hardly apply, since they developed at one time, to which scientific and technical progress still no important categories represented; enstprechend the early utopias exhibit also no SF new fact. The classical utopias are usually on a far island settled, only in 19. Century, with that that Industriellen revolution if the utopia shifts into the future, new facts become typical utopia elements.

The classical utopia proceeds from a static, perfectly organized state things, at which at the most still in the detail must be filed. This conception contradicts a modern dynamic view of society. It is therefore not amazing that in 20. Century hardly still classical Utopias appeared, but rather satirische utopian novels as of Robert Sheckley. He criticizes ironically social and technological (wrongly)Entwicklungen and refers thereby to the Tuecken of the everyday life and the dangers of the universe.

Depending upon contents of the devised world a novel appearing today would be to be regarded either as SF or Fantasy.

For this reason publishing houses do not try frequently only at all to accomplish an exact separation that of category and lead a "SF&F" row, in which Science Fiction, Fantasy and also horror are summarized sometimes. For this also the term became Speculative Fiction as alternative interpretation of the abbreviation SF coined/shaped. In German one speaks also of "fantastic literature".

Hard and soft Science Fiction

The distinction between hard (dt. "hard") and softly (dt. "softly") SF represents only a rough orientation and is to rather historical nature. Many novels extract themselves in the distinction from a clear allocation. The term Soft Science Fiction is uncommon in the German-speaking countries, whereas hard F as Sub category is quite recognized.

Hard Science Fiction

Hard F designates a direction in the SF, is characterized by an interest in scientific accuracy or detail. In the center of stories the natural sciences are located (for example , Physics, Mathematics, and .

Soft Science Fiction

The soft F is more also concerned philosophical, psychological, political or social , and uses topics technical achievements rather at the edge and as aid, in order to embed the action. The term softly originates from the English, and borders there the mentioned against (hard or ' accurate ') the natural sciences off.

An example of the soft F places Desert planetSeries, in which a universe with advanced technology, but a feudalen structure is devised at the same time. The role of the fuehrungsschicht and the questions about responsibility and ethics are basic part of the action.

A further example is the SF : Somnium, dt. The dream, 1634; Cyrano de Bergerac: L'histoire comique contenant les états et empires de la lune, 1656). Voltaire its reader led in Micromégas (1752) into far space, during Jonathan Swift in Gullivers journeys (1726) stranger of peoples and cultures on earth explores. 1877 meant the Italians Schiaparelli Marskanäle gesehen zu haben. Im 19. Jahrhundert finden sich Elemente der SF bei Autoren wie Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, und Fitz-James O'Brien - ein deutscher Vertreter war E.T.A. Hoffmann.

siehe hierzu auch: Entwicklung der Science Fiction

Frühe Werke

Im ausgehenden 19. Jahrhundertthe time of the actual Science Fiction began in Europe. Most well-known representatives are with its scientific-romantic adventures and with technical-society-critical works. As a foundress category however is considered Mary Shelley with their novel Franconia stone. A German representative of this period is Kurd letting leaving, after which the most important price for German Science Fiction literature is designated. With his technical-industrial works becomes Hans Dominik when the German Jules Verne designates, it is one of the most important pioneers that Future literature in Germany. Much was read in the middle of the last century also Paul Eugen victory with its technical future novels.

In the USA the Science Fiction predominantly stepped in the kurzgeschichte to its public. The most well-known appearing periodic SF magazine of this time was of Hugo Gernsback published Amazing Stories, which dedicated itself since 1926 excluding the publication of SF stories. However was the designation selected by Hugo Gernsback scientifiction, and afterwards this period of the SF is also called "scientifiction".

From this time the coming association of the SF with magazines and aufreisserisch arranged title pages (terrible monsters and halfnaked, helpless women)"approve of" make it today heavy the SF until in Germany as "respectable" literature to be recognized. This "pulps" however gave to the SF authors for many decades opportunity to print their innumerable kurzgeschichten and to reach because of their cheap price the public, which was for SF at the empfaenglichsten: Children and young people.

Completely uninfluenced by pulps wrote into the 30ern Olaf Stapledon its both hauptwerke Load and roofridge Men and Star Maker. The concepts occurring into this partial very much drying to reading works should for decades one Quarry form at ideas for many SF authors.

That Golden Age in the USA

A revaluation of the SF happened, as 1937 John W. Campbell, Jr. the publisher of Astounding Science Fiction became. While Gernsback put more on technical descriptions and a rather simple style value, Campbell preferred ideas. Stories favored by him had to be based on an astonishing acceptance or to take at least an amazing idiom. It brought narrations of late well-known and successful authors (, Arthur C. Clarke and Robert Heinlein) out. Altogether the SF is world-wide strongly affected of US authors of this time.

In addition, a set of authors, which only causes the SF to be added is, tried in the category and brought the SF a more respectable image (Karel?apek, Aldous Huxley, , Ray Bradbury, Kurt Vonnegut, George Orwell, Gore Vidal).

In that Philosophy became the problem of the possible Self-confident unity of Robots (a term, that Karel?apek 1920 in its SF play "R.U.R."for the first time) as problem that used Logic of God hard Guenther treated, over it even in Astounding Science Fiction published, which A. E. van Vogt for his part in The world of the zero A took up.

After the Second World War

The post-war period saw in particular into that an increasing popularity of the SF. In always new magazines the writers find a platform for their stories. The US-American dream seemed after the won war seizablly, those 50's was a time of the upswing and hope. Nevertheless that pulled Cold war near. The fears of it or that Atom bomb to designate, was task of the SF, since the topic was otherwise rather concealed. Their authors were inspired to write over Paranoia and dictatorships in the universe and every now and then also low-bad humor.

Now also the cinema discovers the possibilities of the SF. Legendarily Sunday in the morning taking place double demonstrations, in those the children great films how The day, on which the earth stood still, The thing from another world (after John W. Campbell), Danger from the universe, Metaluna 4 does not answer or Daemoni (after a collecting main of Jack Finney) see. Films, those as memorial against atom bombs or - depending upon point of view - the committee of Joseph MacCarthy or that to be seen to be able. Perhaps the phase of the best SF films at all, which awake the interest in the books kept.

Into that 60's debuetierten so different authors how John Brunner or and also that up to then particularly as authors of numerous kurzgeschichten stepped out Philip K. Thickly enjoys of an increasing popularity.

Modern Science Fiction

1957 start that Sputnik first more production of humans Satellites, briefly on it Sputnik 2 with the dog follows Laika on board, 1961 become Juri Gagarin first humans in the universe. Those it is struck why president John F. Kennedy announced, first humans on the moon must be US Americans.

The interest to the SF gets again a thrust. Particularly in consequence of the Space race a number of technical achievements to be made, soon thereafter in the living room of the population be located. But these progress does not involve, as hoped for, peace. In the opposite, Science Fiction is for the first time seriously taken, because each potential reader knows that SF can become over short or long reality. The problems and their solutions differ not too much from those on earth. James Graham ball pool of broadcasting corporations and Anthony Burgess stand for a SF, which is closer the present, than you can be dear. Harry Harrison writes Soylent Green, Philip K. Thickly written The Orakel of mountains via the USA, those that The Second World War lost, Thomas's M. Disch The fire devil.

Desert planet the beginning of a more-restrained cycle, which describes a universe, is not only temporally and locally infinitely from the presence of the earth far away, one similar to it fanatische Readership brings in how Tolkien with The master of the rings. Harsh RTS SF with its stress on systems of government, humans and on technology is regarded less therefore than soft F.

Also Spaceship Enterprise, in the original as Star Trek , if its debut admits 1966, thus on the high point of the space fever effected, can be regarded in the long run as such soft F. Although great importance was attached to the technical details and their Stimmigkeit (Asimov as physicists functioned several times as an advisor), is not the actions of the consequences not very SF typically: Kirk falls in love constantly unfortunately, must with superior extraterrestial fist fights deny and it even gives one Halloween-, one Hippie- and even one only into the late 80ern in Germany on video published NaziSequence. Nothing the defiance is it the first world-wide successful SF series, for Universalism and Human occurs. With a black one, a asiatic staemmigen, a Russian as well as the Halbvulkanier Spock (not only extraterrestially but still to it a half-breed!) on board it recruits for people communication. Such statements were politically uncomfortable and contributed to for premature joggle of the series by the backers.

In Germany sieved consequences that ran at this time Space patrol with the spaceship Orion and its crew, which exhibited a comparable composition. The series reached late cult status.

Particularly the 1987 started follow-up series Spaceship Enterprise: The next century (original: Star Trek: The NEXT generation) took up in the tradition of the predecessor again and again explosive society-critical topics. The same applies for that to some Star TrekMotion picture films. In contrast to the striking sword Kirk steps Cpt. Jean Luc Picard still more for people communication, Tolerance and peaceful solutions.

An advancement in the film naeherbrachte the SF to a far public: 2001: Odyssey in space (written of Arthur C. Clarke) and Planet of the apes (after Pierre Boulle, both 1968) it showed that the bad did not provoke the extraterrestial public any longer. New Hollywood its revolution began and got also the SF cinema. Then came The white shark and War of the stars and invented that Blockbuster. Between the "space fairy tale" and Uncanny meeting of the third kind (both 1977), also in the style and the kind, already worlds lie. Same applies to Alien (1978) and its successor 8 years later. Most following SF films are cut and hardly still with serious SF literature comparable multicolored, expensive Actionfilme, to the taste of the juvenile public.

Increasingly mental and socially coined/shaped SF was since then also outside of the USA. In particular in the countries of the Warsaw Pact the SF could do a covered Society criticism practice. Well-known authors cover and the brothers Arkadi and Boris Strugazki.

A relatively new direction of the Science Fiction is that Cyberpunk, into in particular the idea that in the computer one pursues. As founders of this direction are above all William Gibson (Neuro one cerium, COUNT zero (dt. Biological chip), Mona Lisa overdrive) and Bruce Sterling to call, beside it Pat Cadigan and in recent time Neal Stephenson (Snow Crash, Cryptonomicon). Representative of these usually dystopischen Films are for example Matrix or Dark town center. One first the film came with Tron on the cinema canvases.

A subspecies of the Science Fiction is the "Alternate Reality", another reality. These stories describe a world, in which history another process than in us admitted reality took. Well-known German author is u. A. Olive handle.

Most well-known current SF author made of Germany is Andreas Eschbach, its books The Jesus video and One trillion dollar large successes are. Franc Schaetzings Novel The swarm a scenario of the Apokalypse describes.

The largest Science Fiction series and thus the largest Science Fiction universe places Perry Rhodan . Is likewise very extensive the cosmos of Star Trek, both by the different series and motion picture films, in addition, by novels, Comics and computer games one forms. Also Star Wars a comprehensive has in the last years Merchandising begun.

Way of writing

The normal way of writing reads already for decades Science Fiction.

After the German spelling reform gives it in addition, the alternatives:

Sciencefiction (way of writing without hyphen, primary Duden way of writing)
Science Fiction (way of writing with hyphen, according to Duden also possible)

The abbreviation Sci Fi became 1954 of Forrest J. Ackerman "invented". It is considered nowadays as marking of second-class film productions of the category and is rather negatively occupied in its meaning.

Prices

International prices: Hugo Award (Science Fiction Achievement Award), Nebula Award, Locus Award, Rhysling Award (poetry)

German prices: German Science Fiction price, Kurd letting leaving price, German Phantastik price, Phantastik price of the city Wetzlar

Fan cathedral

The SF category draws by a strong fan municipality (English Fan cathedral) out, in which also many authors actively take part. In Germany this has one into those 50's handing tradition. Beside engaged single projects, one finds also competent advice in the many small and large clubs as well as the numerous InterNet Communitys, which are supported not rarely by the relevant publishing houses.

Beside various publications (fan magazines, Fanzine) and Chatrollenspielen, most SF conferences decrease/go back likewise to the initiative of engaged fan municipalities.

Important German SF magazines are fantastically!, New facts and of Franz Rottensteiner published Quarber merkur, as well as the on-line magazine Alien Contact. Approach places for questions and discussions to the SF are naturally beside the individual clubs the relevant Science Fiction Newsgroup that de.rec.sf.* Hierarchy such as z.B. de.rec.sf.misc, as well as the many different Web forums and , Topics and motives in the Science Fiction, Science Fiction club Germany, , Game of roles, Science Fiction on the television, , Dark Future, End time, Cyberpunk, Nakedness in the Sciencefiction literature, DSFDB, SciFi technology,Music in the SF (Filk)

Literature

Brian Aldiss, David H. Wingrove: Quintillion Year Spree: The History OF Science Fiction. Atheneum Books, New York 1986, ISBN 0689118392

Darko Suvin: Poetik of the Science Fiction. To the theory of a literary kind. Over. from the English of Franz Rottensteiner. Suhrkamp, Frankfurt A. M. 1979 (= fantastic library; 31). (original: Metamorphoses OF Science Fiction. Yale 1979), ISBN 3518370391

Edward James: The Cambridge companion ton science fiction. Cambridge: Cambridge University press 2003, ISBN 0-521-01657-6

John Clute, Peter Nichols: The Encyclopedia OF Science Fiction, St. Martins press, II.Edition 1995, ISBN 0-312-13486-X

Heyne encyclopedia of the SF literature 1987, ISBN 3-453-02453-2

As well as the appearing annual volume: Jeschke, Wolfgang/Mamczak, Sascha (Hrsg. Conditions 2005): The Science Fiction year, Heyne publishing house

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