The uses andabuses of science fiction

Abstract

Science fiction is one of the most successful and perhaps most influential contemporary literary genres, and surely also one of the most significant cultural factors shaping ourimages of science, technology, and - last but not least - the future. As an integral part of postmodernculture, science fiction has penetrated all fields of the media landscape: fiction, comic books, movies, even plays and musicals. Science fiction themes and images surface sometimes quite unexpectedly in everyday life, in TV commercials and video clips, not to speak of computer games. Internet enthusiasts use science fiction jargon and imagery to depict their visions of cyberspace. A generation ago, the race to the moon was at least partly inspired by the dreams of early science fiction writers and readers. For the public, technology is science fiction come true. For many scientists and engineers too, science fiction provides the imagery of their visions.