Sunday 5 June 2016

A WORK OF RESEARCH AND PRESENTATION ON SCIENCE FICTION... TODAY'S SCIENCE FICTION IS TOMORROW'S SCIENCE!

             

THE STUDY OF TODAY'S SCIENCE FICTION BEING TOMORROW'S SCIENCE

                    The Scientific-Literature (Sci-Fi) in relationship with Man


   Under this topic, we shall be considering science in its creative phenomenon in relation to literature of untrue stories that touches humanity, scientific and technological innovation and the undebatable sense of reasoning  that suggests the fact that some of      these fictitious stories are somewhat, if not definitely true to nature.  This is confirmed in the sense that the creativity or inspiratory senses of the authors of science fiction are        purely visional and revelation they get, which are probably not known to them before 
and after inception.  Furthermore, you can agree with me that the yesterday’s computer science fiction is today’s computer science. How? There were stories of the past that revealed the past ages writing of unrealistic thoughts, yet those thing seen as unrealistic later became realistic or better still a magic to the world. Though. It’s no magic but a reality to consider for the mysteries behind nature.  As a result, numerous materials in regards to the topic were earlier known as untrue stories but humanity made the untrue stories true stories through the act of the same creativity, but in a more advanced interpretation of the earlier said vision that made them write. Therefore, let us ride on to see the revelation of the fictitious-reality.

What is science fiction?
  1.   Science fiction is the writing and acting which combines science and fiction, that is, untrue stories.
2.   To a layman, science fiction, popularly known as Sci-Fi is any story, drama, movie, play or any other expressive thought that deals with scientific innovation, narrated in such a way that it could never be true to nature. As the name implies; fiction is any expression that is not real. Lovers of literature would love to read stories known as fiction; which means that such stories are just written as a product of creativity and did not actually happen.  In a slight contradiction, the writers do get their inspiration from the reality of nature and things that happens around humanity and decorate a community of acceptable false-reality out of it. A clear picture of Sci-Fi story is expressed below with reference to a movie
3.   It deals on both the creation and recreation of community through man’s intelligence, scientific, artistic and philosophical initiative; to bring into existence certain futuristic society having some elements of truth, through creative assumption; with power naturally bestowed on him. Some of his creations as long as science fiction is concerned include:
·        Time settings in the future with alternative time line narration: which travels through the future, to the present, past and back to future.
·        Alternative history or contradictory history
·        Special settings like other planets, underwater, beneath the earth surface or even places that never existed; sometimes, the earth.
·        Transmigration of souls
·        Dystopian post-scarcity
·        Consequence of scientific innovation
·        Spirits, computers, human and other human-like elements
·        And others, not mentioned.
In concurrence with the above, science fiction is a brand of fantasy identified by the fact that it eases the “willing suspension of disbelief” on the part of its readers and viewer by utilizing an atmosphere of scientific credibility for its imaginative speculation in physical science, space and time, social science and philosophy.  Moreover, a good science fiction story is about human being, with a human problem and solution, which would not have happened at all without its scientific contents.
The term which suggests that the topic eases willingness of suspension of disbelieve means that the reader, audience or viewers as the case may be, sees those untrue stories as reality and true to nature. In other words, they willingly suspend the fact that such stories or movies are not real in order to derive enjoyment; as a result, people easily believe in a movie that a cooking utensil when connected to some electric current and other scientific applications would definitely be in the position to interact to each other in the absent mindedness of the users, even in the presence of the said users.  Some writers of the subject matter drives their wheel to the extent of letting readers believe the fact that their narration could actually happen.

My question is this: Why is it always science fiction, why not any other fiction or art fiction? This question arises as a result of how science fiction is embraced in the society today; even though it is fiction (may come to pass someday), I come to discover that more than 60% of readers and viewers cherish this genre of scientific-literature so much; which exposes, with prediction, belief, feelings and conviction the creation of community of the futuristic technology which from present tells what the future is and further to the past, present and back to the future.  More so, people are mesmerized by the technicality of the narrator, as such, sees the subject matter interesting.  Sometimes, a scary fiction of the subject matter; such as dystopian post- scarcity; which might evolve as a result of fuel scarcity; giving rise to intra- and extra-country war which would wipe the entire earth and leave little or no persons in agony; arouses tension and resulting to real tears on readers or viewers.  This is because, the story seems real to them.  In fact, writers of science fiction makes it real enough to arouse fears on the society when it comes to tragedy; which reveals catharsis (purging of emotional tensions) in literature.



 Today’s computer science fiction is tomorrow’s computer science
(Scientific believe concerning the Future)
Whatsoever it may be, science fiction is real and real enough to break doubts that strongly contradicts its reality; as long as scientific innovation, literature, strong imagination, creation and visional predictions of the subject is concerned.  In regards to when space travel has not been found, amidst the existence of science; who would say in assurance that one day, astronauts could discover and travel to space?  But today, such is the order of the day.  Space travelling is no longer a new phenomenon.  Though, it might once be seen as a science fiction.  Secondly, under-water travel vehicles was also seen as a science fiction; with doubts that a ship could travel beneath the surface of a sea.  But today, it’s a day-to-day practice.  Thirdly, the airplane.  It might have also been taken as science fiction, where people might have asked: “how a fish-like vehicle could be used as a transport medium and also have the ability to fly up the sky in a few time to a farer distance? In fact, this is not possible!”  Interestingly, we travel on fish-like vehicles today.  All these were yesterday’s science fiction, which is today’s scienceThat is the reality of science fiction am talking about.  Man, with an ordinary background eyes will view science fiction writings as not-true-to nature: but the way I see it, most science fiction are always real and should not be taken for entertainment alone.  It is real in the sense that man, being a tool of strong imagination and creativity have seen it in his visional and inspiratory sense, as prophets do.  Therefore, I see science fictional writers as science fiction prophets because, something must have inspired and aroused them to write.  Such things are somewhat the reality intending to happen in future but not known to them (the writers).  Moreover, man is capable, as nature awarded him, to make that which he imagines to be real.  Therefore, if any science fiction could not be achieved as a product of conceptual and intellectual elements of man that means, the executor of such creation and imagination is not yet born, and once he is born, the fiction will repent to non-fiction.  During the early times of science and technology, when basic computer were used as a mere calculating machine, no one could believe it that one day, computer would take over the world where certain functions are now voice-coded and reciprocates with the users.  But, this was also a science fiction, where people must have also said: “Ah! Is this man alright? How could he say that sometime in the future one would be orally communicating with his car, so that it takes him wherever he wish or even ask a question to a device and it responds, it is not possible”.  It wouldn’t have been possible if the inventor was not born; but as long as he was born, it had come to pass.  Similarly, there are numerous science fiction stories today that will eventually come to be.  I say, when the inventor is born, they would come to be; am totally convinced.  Remember, it was the same scientific and technological advancement that made cloning of animals with another’s cell possible.  In the past, it was a fiction.  Really, it must have been difficult for people to believe the fact that someday, through science and technology, animals (generally) could be made as products of original cells through cloning.
One thing with Science fiction is that it knows no time. It starts from the future and travel to the present, to the past and back to the present. It moves like a magic. If there is no concentration in reading or watching a science fiction story or movie, there would be no comprehension because of the mystery of time travel involved.  Secondly, sometime, humans are not involved in such stories because of the name and to captivate the minds of the reader and interest them to read. The readers in the other hand would be seen asking questions on how such thing could be or could make a story, yet they enjoy it a lot.
The acronym SCI-FI suggest the following:

S- SCIENTIFIC
          C- CREATIVITY with
          I – IMAGINATION of
                              F- FICTION (to see the future) and
                             I – INSPIRE man towards reality.  

The acronym SCI-FI above explains itself to be a creative idea of scientific nature of unrealistic (fiction) painting of the future, through prediction and strong visional thought to inspire the people and believing that it is real.      
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Case study: A movie – Terminator (The movie is an example of science fiction, which relates to man)
The movie; Terminator; written by Brad Fiedel painted a community of interaction between human and Robots; though, there exist two main robots heroes: a male and a female.  The male is the protagonist while the female is the antagonist; who tried to terminate and the former saves.  Similarly; there exist two human heroes – Nick Stanl, as John Connor and Claire Danes as Kate Brewster; both were the subject of revolvement.  The actions in the movie revolved on both of them, in such that the terminator seek for their lives to terminate, while the Robotic protagonist is programmed to save their lives: as such, technology fought amidst human existence for and against human.  This is just the narrative view point of Nick Stanl; on how 2032 would be: his narration was made in the present; though, came to an extent deviated to the past and back to the present.  According to the movie, the male Robot made it known to the human heroes that he killed him on July 4th 2032; that is the future yet to come, while the hero in question is still alive.
In the movie, the skynet, that is, robotic machines bounced on their builder, programmers, users and as well as the entire World.  Similarly, some of the robots which were used for human favour were seen fighting their owners with ammunition; as a result of being contaminated by certain virus: which made them resist from being shut down.  As such, the robotic machine took over the World and that is exactly the “consequence of scientific innovation and the bad side of spirit of computer”, especially that of computers and robotic machine. This story, being a fiction gives insight on the tomorrow’s computer innovation and how horrified it would be.  Though many may not think the way it is here but that contributes to the fact that it’s end-time revelation that would come to be.

      

 Reflection of thoughts of Science Fiction (the spirit of computer fights man)

First, I have a question.  “Why is it that these machine designed for human aid are seen fighting their builders and users? (Even though it’s a fiction)” Though, the question is left for scientists and technologists because, the phenomenon is critical one.  As I said earlier, even though it is seen as science fiction, there are some elements of truth in it. The writer, of the said movie; Brad Fiedel, with his imagery mind and visional senses thought how our tomorrow’s computers would react; even though he does not liken it to come to pass.  In a realistic sense, the more the day go by, the more, more sophisticated computers are built to ease life.  But I say to you; that one day, someday, these computers would cause harm to humanity if something is not done earlier.  The harm mustn’t be like that of the movie “terminator”; where the robots were seen fighting men face to face: it might come in the form of individual attack, instead of mass killing, or even any other form; not yet known.  Remember! Today’s science fiction is tomorrow’s science.  Here, what we see as not real in regards to the stories and movies is the reality we see tomorrow.  Already, robots exist in different forms and shapes but there is no human-like robot in existence today; that possesses fleshy bodies and having the extreme intelligence exactly as a human (where there is no difference between the robot and human; except the robot tells you).
With reference to the movie, the human-like robots were programmed in such a way that they were able and capable of predicting, through their database the bonding of two unmarried fellows and as well as making it known to them that they were destined to get married someday.  Maybe, one day, scientists and technologists would build human-like machine that would predict human personality trait, marriage bonding between two fellows and so on.  When all these begins to happen, I see it as the “end-of-the-world innovation” and its negative effect is the consequences.  In the movie also, both human heroes saw and took it that the world was to end as the machine fought men – that is exactly how it would be: the end time. Yes, it shall come.
In summary, science fiction is science fiction; and science fiction is the truth behind science fiction.  What I mean by the above is; science fiction is all about scientific application of thought through imagination to create a non-true story, painting it to be real and the same science fiction is the only tool which is used to reveal the tomorrow’s realistic situations - which might be seen real to some extent to the writers, readers and viewers but only those who see the foreground would understand.  Man will one day, in the future, try to build, programme and design a human-like robotic machine that would assist and keep him company.  This would be achieved as a result of scientific and technological advancement; the more technology advance, the more the eyes of scientists open to see what was thought, imagined, written and discussed in the past.  Keep in mind that today’s computer science fiction is tomorrow’s computer science.


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