Celestia Forums

Over the course of my observations of science-minded people and actual scientists over the years, I have noticed an extreme level of belligerency towards the realm of science fiction, as well as a large bias against it, especially so among actual scientists.

Is this observation correct? If this is indeed correct, then what is the reason behind the belligerency? Is this reason a logical reason? Is it rational, or irrational?

What have you observed?

I wouldn't quite put it that way. Many physicists, at least, were inspired to become interested in science because they read SF when younger. Some well known SF authors are scientists, too.

Of course, there are always some who follow the edict of putting aside childish things.

I have never noticed scientists being belligerent towards science fiction in general. Some well know scientists are sci-fi fans like Stephen Hawking for example. I think he was a star trek fan.

I had a big discussion about this on another forum, and they said pretty much the same thing, so I'm guessing it's just the characters I've interacted with more than anything else.

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john Van Vliet wrote:it depends on what you call SF
Leary Niven
A.C. Clark
A. Asimov

Ben Bova
or the newer " 3 b's"
Greg Bear
David Brin
Gregery Bedford

or the NOT SF writers but the "fantasy " authors

That's what I'm talking about. "Soft" science fiction, the kind you call "fantasy", seems to be universally discriminated against.

PlutonianEmpire wrote:That's what I'm talking about. "Soft" science fiction, the kind you call "fantasy", seems to be universally discriminated against.

Maybe because it isn't Sci-Fi at all, neither "soft". It's fashion is the pre-scientific realm: ancient/medieval. Technology as science's production is irrilevant and (usually) neither is the root for the tales nor is taken into account here and there the "description" of its mechanisms.

I'm not talking about Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings, I'm talking about Star Trek, Star Wars, and their ilk.

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If I can chime in. I frequently get annoyed when people permit their entire perception of science to be distorted by what they see in science fiction. Or when they think that real science is boring because it doesn't permit the things they see in these fictitious movies. Then it does generate a bit of animosity from me. But it's hard to justify pinning it onto modern science fiction.

Hungry4info wrote:If I can chime in. I frequently get annoyed when people permit their entire perception of science to be distorted by what they see in science fiction. Or when they think that real science is boring because it doesn't permit the things they see in these fictitious movies. Then it does generate a bit of animosity from me. But it's hard to justify pinning it onto modern science fiction.

I will admit that I do find it quite irritating that the speed of light can't be surpassed no matter what, and the recent neutrino results even more irritating.

I mean, what's the point of all that eye candy out there if there's no way to actually get there?

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