History Main / ScienceFiction

In general, without getting too much into the advanced and diverse subgenres of science fiction, there are two schools -- [[SlidingScale/MohsScaleofScienceFictionHardness "hard" and "soft"]]. While the distinction isn't always clear cut, there are a few key differences. Hard science fiction relies on using already established science or justifying its fictionalized science using carefully calculated predictions. Hard SF tries to use the advanced technology as something that is important in itself, with its consequences, limitations and new uses being the main plot points. Due to the heavy focus on the scientific aspect, this is a rather niche market. Soft science fiction includes everything else, and generally falls under two major schools -- adventure/pulp science fiction (which includes the SpaceOpera) and social science fiction. The former uses technology as a means to an end, merely a backdrop that allows TheCaptain to fight ForGreatJustice with a [[TheParalyzer Stun Ray]] against the evil aliens and have [[BoldlyComing space sex]] with the GreenSkinnedSpaceBabe, instead of having to have him use a boring, ordinary gun and have boring, ordinary sex, with the boring, ordinary-skinned Earth babe. In the latter, the technology is used as a means of exploring characters and its social/psychological effects. Of course, it is entirely possible to have an action packed adventure story with deep social commentary.

As with everything, there is often a [[SlidingScale/MohsScaleOfScienceFictionHardness blend of Hard and Soft]] science fiction. It is perfectly possible to write a hard Science Fiction story about TheCaptain running around shooting people with miniaturized microwave emitters designed to incapacitate people without killing them, shooting aliens and having sex with {{Green Skinned Space Babe}}s (with no chance of conception because green aliens are biologically incompatible with humans), just as one can go into considerable detail justifying otherwise implausible technology that is [[ClarkesThirdLaw much like magic]] (usually accomplished by deliberately altering basic scientific laws) and its effects on scientific research. This can often lead to HiddenDepths.

* [[SlidingScale/MohsScaleOfScienceFictionHardness Hard and Soft Science Fiction]]

* [[LostWorld ...there was an undiscovered place on earth or beyond our dimension with bazar or prehistoric life]]

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In general, without getting too much into the advanced and diverse subgenres of science fiction, there are two schools -- [[SlidingScale/MohsScaleofScienceFictionHardness "hard" and "soft"]]. While the distinction isn't always clear cut, there are a few key differences. Hard science fiction relies on using already established science or justifying its fictionalized science using carefully calculated predictions. Hard SF tries to use the advanced technology as something that is important in itself, with its consequences, limitations and new uses being the main plot points. Due to the heavy focus on the scientific aspect, this is a rather niche market. Soft science fiction includes everything else, and generally falls under two major schools -- adventure/pulp science fiction (which includes the SpaceOpera) and social science fiction. The former uses technology as a means to an end, merely a backdrop that allows TheCaptain to fight for Justice™ with a [[TheParalyzer Stun Ray]] against the evil aliens and have [[BoldlyComing space sex]] with the GreenSkinnedSpaceBabe, instead of having to have him use a boring, ordinary gun and have boring, ordinary sex, with the boring, ordinary-skinned Earth babe. In the latter, the technology is used as a means of exploring characters and its social/psychological effects. Of course, it is entirely possible to have an action packed adventure story with deep social commentary.

* [[AdvancedAncientAcropolis ...if ancient humans were more advanced than we are.]]
* [[PrehistoricMonster ...if dinosaurs or other prehistoric beasts survived or were revived.]]
* ...If we could create our own sentient creatures.
* ...If an advanced ArtificialIntelligence declared war on humanity.

Science Fiction depends on asking "what if?" (Not quite the same thing as WhatIf). Or as an obscure 1930s Science Fiction musical asked, "just imagine"...

** SpaceCadetAcademy subgenre

* TranshumansInSpace

Science Fiction authors and fans are [[BerserkButton notoriously cranky]] about [[SciFiGhetto how their work is not taken seriously by the literary community]], and especially resent being lumped in with [[{{Fantasy}} the fantasy genre.]] (SpeculativeFiction, an umbrella term for all varieties of imaginative literature, has an analysis page that explains the [[Analysis/SpeculativeFiction differences between Fantasy and Science Fiction]].) Note also that many Science Fiction fans dislike the term SciFi: to them it suggests the [[{{Flanderization}} flanderized]] conception of the genre in popular culture, with green-skinned aliens, giant space battles and hammy production values. Therefore, [[InsistentTerminology they will insist on calling it]] [[SpellMyNameWithAnS SF]] for short.