Member-only story
The Philosophical Relevance of Science Fiction
A secular substitute for myth and theology
The content of science fictional stories can be philosophical or not, depending on the author, but is there a distinct philosophical purpose of science fiction as a genre?
Generalizing about science fiction is tricky since there are various SF subgenres, some of which overlap with other genres such as fantasy or mystery. SF’s origins, too, are controversial, depending on whether you want to include ancient forerunners such as the Epic of Gilgamesh. We can speak, at least, of an SF heyday only in the modern period and especially the twentieth century when social and technological progress wasn’t just an early modern hope but a tangible reality.
Put simply, an SF narrative illustrates an extrapolation from current scientific knowledge and applied science. SF authors often imagine what the future would be like if technology developed in a certain way, or extraterrestrial life exists and contacted us. Or these authors may imagine an alternative history or use science or technology as a backdrop for exploring social issues. Themes such as robots, spaceships, aliens, time travel, interstellar empires, and dystopia are familiar from SF writing, comics books, television, and movies.
