To: Telepathic Intruder
Good science fiction is real science combined with fictional stories.
It sounds like you want to subdivide into sci-fi and science fantasy.
Anything with time travel (especially into the past), or zipping through galaxies in the time it might take Lewis and Clark to get to Oregon is too much of a staple of great stories that everyone regards as Science Fiction to say it isn't real science fiction, or that it is "bad" science fiction.
To me, Science Fiction and Science Fantasy (many pseudo-scientific superheroes like the Flash fall into that category) is a way to come up with stories that people can relate to, while tickling the imagination, but also to have as givens things that are impossible to have in real life, so that we could think through the consequences of the imaginary version. The Twilight Zone was mostly straight-up fantasy that never tried to explain the MacGuffin (Bill Mumy as an omnipotent youngster, store mannequins becoming beautiful human women for a day). You just suspend disbelief and enjoy the story.
I am afraid "Star Trek" would fail your test almost as badly as "Lost in Space".
24 posted on
10/29/2022 9:46:46 PM PDT by
Dr. Sivana
(What was 35% of the Rep. Party is now 85%. And it’s too late to turn back—Mac Stipanovich )
To: Dr. Sivana
Star Trek in definitely not what you would categorize as hard sci-fi. All the science is fake because it is secondary to the plot. Hard sci-fi puts the science first, and the story is build upon it instead of the other way around. Star Wars contains even less real science, if any at all. I will concede the point, however, that far future science fiction must include some made-up science, or it wouldn’t be possible. But it should never break fundamental physical laws, like a lot of popular sci-fi does. Because if you can do that, it’s just pure fantasy.
To: Dr. Sivana
“Bill Mumy”
My first crush 55 years ago!!
33 posted on
10/29/2022 10:38:38 PM PDT by
lizma2
To: Dr. Sivana
I don’t mind “what if’s” that appear impossible by the science we know today, as long as they are followed reasonably consistently. Babylon 5 was one of the better TV Sci-Fi shows in that regard.
The biggest problem I have with Star Trek is that it purports to create a somewhat consistent galaxy (or at least a portion of one), but particularly in TOS, the gallant crew in several episodes meets super-powerful / “magical” species, initially banging heads with them, and then by the end of the show befriending them (or at least getting a little respect!)... and then we never hear of these beings again. Whatever happened to the Melkotians? Talk about some useful allies! The “First Federation” (Balok). The Organians? The Metrons?
Ah, well. It was still a good show.
34 posted on
10/29/2022 10:45:19 PM PDT by
Paul R.
(You know your pullets are dumb if they don't recognize a half Whopper as food!)
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