Sci-Fi ... Why?

1. Sci-Fi ... Why? • What is science fiction? • Why are we studying this stuff? • What possible benefit can I get from paying attention in this class (other than an academic credit)?

2. Well ... I'll tell you.

3. Science fiction ... ... or Sci-Fi, is a genre of fiction that poses questions about humanity through the lens of current or future science and technology. Really. Even when it's dealing with aliens, Sci-Fi is really about you. And me.

4. Which one is cooler? ...or What would the human race do if it were hunted by someone tougher, stronger and more advanced? Would we lie down and die, or fight? The Predator mirrors our role in Earth's food chain. What would we do if we were attacked by someone like ... us?

5. The typical human being • Walks upright. • Has four limbs. • Is self-aware. • Uses tools. • Worries about social status. • Has a fear of death. • Questions the nature of reality.

6. Maslow's Hierarchy • Abraham Maslow is dead but back in the 1940s he was a noted psychologist. He came up with the concept of humanity's “Hierarchy of Needs.” Maslow theorized that all human needs could be represented in this pyramid, with the most important stuff at the bottom. Humans will sacrifice all the stuff at the top in order to get all the stuff at the bottom. In order to make sure he survives, a human will give up self-esteem, family, friends and security. It's psychology, baby!

7. So what happens when .... You take this guy ... Who has these needs ....

8. And you rock his world ....

9. With ... New technology.

10. Or ... Some kind of calamity.

11. Or ... A strange visitor from another world.

12. Or possibly ... An alternate universe or time line

13. Or simply .... The ever-changing future ...

14. If it's a story you get science fiction. If it's real life, you probably get death. So let's stick to Sci-Fi.

15. We will look at five sub-genres ... • Cyberpunk – Deals with computers, bionic augmentation, artificial intelligence, hackers and near-future events. • Think of “The Matrix.” That's cyberpunk.

16. Military Sci-Fi – Dealing with inter-planetary war, high-tech weapons, battles in space. • Think “Starship Troopers”

17. Dystopian Sci-Fi – The end of the world as we know it, and what comes after. • Like in “The Road Warrior” or “Waterworld.”

18. Space exploration – Mankind takes to the stars, or at least the local solar system. • Think “Red Planet” or “Sunshine.”

19. Time Travel – Mankind goes forward into the past or back to the future. • Think “Back to the Future” or “Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure.”

20. Points to remember • Hard Sci-Fi tends to feature technology and science that is possible or empirically feasible. For example, the space shuttle or solar power, or the Internet, or phones so small you can carry them in your pocket. • Soft Sci-Fi tends to go beyond the boundaries of what is likely possible. Faster-than-light travel, star gates, matter transporters … we can dream up this stuff but can’t figure out how to do it.

21. Good sci-fi is speculative, which means it poses questions about the future and the nature of humanity, and makes an attempt to provide answers. • However, some sci-fi is like candy for the brain—sweet and fun but not terribly nutritious. It may make you fantasize but it won’t make you think. “Star Wars” is an example of pure entertainment. • Guess which one of these we’ll be focusing on. • Aww, too bad. “Hmmm … yes, sad I am.”

22. Sci-Fi is often called .. • “The Literature of Change” • It predicts the future. • Author HG Wells predicted space travel, genetic engineering and alien invasion back in the 1890s. • Capt. Kirk had a flip phone in the early 1960s. Sci-Fi writers have been talking about global warming for decades.

23. So … • Sci-Fi makes you think, broadens your mind and predicts the future. • That’s why we are studying it. • Plus, it’s entertaining … • And that’s why I like it. • (Yes, I have been to a Star Trek convention.) • Questions?