From the beginning of science fiction, scholars and devotees questioned about what it is exact definition of the genre and its exact definition is still a kind of contested question. Today, they are questioning about its functions. Some people believe that science fiction should be for the present others say that it should be for the future. From my point of view, science fiction should be for the present. Firstly, most science fiction stories are about current political and it gives a kind of useful message to readers and audience. Secondly, the genre reflects some ethical issue such as private life or freedom. Thirdly, science fiction shows danger of current innovation in science and technology. Lastly, some people assert that science fiction predict the future and that is why it should be for the future but, I do not agree with this perspective.
First of all, some science fiction movies comments directly upon the contemporary twenty first century politics. In addition, Science fiction has always done that for example, some 1950s science fiction films reflects their era’s political issues. When World Collide, The Day the Earth Stood Still and War of the Worlds are products of the period when the atomic bomb was used and the hydrogen bomb was developed and tested. These movies show the historical realities of the fifties. For example War of the Worlds representation of the failure of the nuclear weapons and The Day the Earth Stood Still mentions about President Truman decision about using of the atomic bomb against Japan. Consequently, these movies show their era’s political issue and give a kind of useful information about 1950s political events for audiences. That is why science fiction should be for present. Moreover, twenty first century science fiction products are also about politics such as Avatar. This movie gives messages about human beings have to preserve their connection to nature and private militaries can get out of control easily. This example is related to contemporary politics because today, it is obvious that we do not care the nature.
Secondly, science fiction genre mentions about its era’s ethical issue. For instance, technology becomes more powerful some ethical questions arise from this process such as human genome cloning. This topic mentions in Andrew Nicoll's movie Gattaca. This movie released in 1997 and just as the sequencing of the human genome neared completion. The prevalence of genetic alteration in Gattaca generates a division of social class. The social system in Gattaca is based on your genetic makeup and the way you were born. People born the way as natural are "in-valids"; on the other hand people born with the assistance of genetic engineering are "valids." An "in-valid" has his future set out to be a cleaner or other insignificant job in society which doesn't require an education and this class is seen as second class. This class discrimination is example of the ethical problems. In addition, another example of the ethical issue is 1984 which is George Orwell novel. It published in 1949 and at this time communism raised some region on the earth. George Orwell represents ethical problems of communist system. For example, in 1984 novel The Party quell all physical sensations of love and this limitation referred “duty to the Party” by The Party. This is a kind of birth control program and in 1949 Communist Party constituted this program in China. In this direction, we can say George Orwell criticizes this system in his book and this system was stared to implement at this time. This is restricted the freedom. Moreover, in Ray Bradbury’s novel which is “A Sound of Thunder” reflects unethical problem in term of law. According to the book “If you disobey instructions, there’s a stiff penalty of another ten thousand dollars, plus possible government action, on your return.” (Bradbury 1). If a man disobeys instruction which is no touching anything at the past otherwise everything will be changed. This is very important and serious problem but government instead of shut down this company; he put a kind of temporary laws. In my opinion, in this way the author criticize like this laws which are unethical.
Thirdly, science fiction genre reflects danger of both current technological and scientific developments such as Terminator movie. This movie represents the danger of artificial intelligence and genetic modification. Terminator a kind of robot and he looks like man. His main duty destroys the mankind. This movie released 1984 and this time robotic industry and genetic modification was developing so, this movie’s content developed through at that time technological and scientific improvements. In addition, today some science fiction stories are about some mad scientists. These scientists cause of epidemic a kind of intelligent bacteria or viruses. Moreover some science fiction movies are about the apocalyptic vision and this vision also helps us aware of the possibilities of world destroying.
Lastly, some people asset that the future can be predictable. For example, according to John Huntington’s article, which is “Science Fiction and the Future”, “William Rupp takes it as a “favorable sign” that 48% of a sampling of English professors defined SF as “a type of story that . . . tries to anticipate the impact of future technological developments on society” Some recent guides to the future go so far as to insist that anyone who expects to cope with the future at all must read SF. “ Science Fiction should be required reading for Future 1,” declares Alvin Toffler. Arthur C. Clarke maintains that “A critical . . . reading of science fiction is essential training for anyone wishing to more than ten years ahead” ” (Huntington 345). These writers believed that future can predictable and science fiction did this. They assert that science fiction prepares us for future but I do not agree with this idea. Firstly, we cannot say anything about the future without the present because the present is source of our information, our imagination. Secondly, you cannot predict something which is always changing such as technology. Technology is developing everyday a little more. For example, in the past there is room shaped computer and their only function was basic calculation but now we have mobile computers and they have a lot of qualities. I do not think this can be predictable. According to William Gibson who is author of Neuromancer and Zero History “I think the least important thing about science fiction for me is its predictive capacity. Its record for being accurately predictive is really, really poor! If you look at the whole history of science fiction, what people have said is going to happen, what writers have said is going to happen, and what actually happened — it’s terrible. We’re almost always wrong.” (Boble, Ariel)
To conclude, science fiction stories mentions about political problems, some ethical issue and danger of both technological and scientific developments. All of them developed their present times and that is why we can say that science fiction should be for present. It enables us to understand all these things. In addition, some people say that this genre predict the future but, they cannot explain how can be predictable something which is always changing. Consequently, future cannot be predictable.
Works Cited
Bogle, Ariel. “William Gibson says science fiction is almost always wrong.” mhpbooks.com. Web. September 18, 2012
Bradbury, Ray. “A Sound of Thunder”. Retrieved on 12 June 2010 from:
Huntington, John. (1975). “Science Fiction and the Future.” College English, Vol. 37, No. 4, 345- 352.
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