Do you love sci-fi and religion? You’re not alone.

America ^ | James T. Keane

[Graybeard58]

GOOD sci fi that is. There are too many bad ones.

````````````````````````````````````````

Like the one that was on my telly tonight (again), very possibly the worst sci-fi movie ever made:

“Cowboys and Aliens”

[Fai Mao]

The Mansions of Space by John Morresy

Essentially a 30th century search for the Shroud of Turin

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/2763645-the-mansions-of-space

[Dr. Sivana]

Do you cringe when you’re watching “Star Wars” and Han Solo says the Millennium Falcon did the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs, because a parsec is a unit of distance, not time?

I read an explanation that Solo was bragging that he took the Falcon through a "shortcut" that was far more dangerous than the common path, and that it was a tribute to the Falcon's speed, maneuverability, and his skill as a pilot. Maybe weird worm hole and warp stuff plays into the explanation, too.

[Dr. Sivana]

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".

[31R1O]

When I read that book it was akin to when I discovered the blues listening to Led Zepplin, as opposed to listening to it because it was rock. I heard those riffs everywhere and gained a new appreciation for Pink Floyd (specifically Shine on You Crazy Diamond). I thought about that book for a long time after I finished it and see echoes of it in many sci fi stories.

[Telepathic Intruder]

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.

[central_va]

Intersteller space travel is impossible. It will always be impossible. All science fiction involving that premise is science-fantasy.

[Paul R.]

Ah, yes. John W. Campbell. The guy who “developed” a lot of the “greats” ...

[Telepathic Intruder]

No, interstellar travel is definitely possible, it just takes a long time. Decades at least if you have a ludicrous amount of energy at your disposal, or centuries with more moderate amounts. Or if you want to travel very far, millennia or even millions of years. But it’s definitely possible using real science available today. Although to attempt it today would require an insane budget and some vey good engineering.

[central_va]

Ok what living organism lives centuries? E=MC<sup>2</sup> Is a bitch.

[Telepathic Intruder]

Life extension is scientifically possible, as far as we know. There’s nothing to rule it out, anyway. Modern medicine has already improved average lifespans from just a century ago. Old age is actually programmed into our DNA, to make room for later generations. If they can isolate and “turn off” the aging gene (although I’m sure it’s not that simple), humans could potentially live for centuries. Then we could reach other stars within a human lifetime. But if not, multigenerational starships are not unknown to science fiction.

[Ellendra]

Do you cringe when you’re watching “Star Wars” and Han Solo says the Millennium Falcon did the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs, because a parsec is a unit of distance, not time?

Some of the novels actually explained that. According to them, the Kessel Run requires navigating through a cluster of black holes. A faster ship can skate closer to the black holes, making for a more direct route.

[lizma2]

“Bill Mumy”

My first crush 55 years ago!!

[Paul R.]

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.

[Paul R.]

Agreed, multi-generational ships are a fairly common item in sci-fi. IF we pushed, I think they could be practical in 100 years or so.

[Telepathic Intruder]

I imagine living your whole life in a space ship would not be too unlike modern urban life in New York or L.A.

[31R1O]

Michael Crichton was a master of this.

[Angelino97]

Michael Weingrad's famous essay -- Why There Is No Jewish Narnia -- theorizes that Science Fiction is Jewish, Fantasy is Christian. A very interesting read.

To put it crudely, if Christianity is a fantasy religion, then Judaism is a science fiction religion. If the former is individualistic, magical, and salvationist, the latter is collective, technical, and this-worldly.

That said, this Catholic never much cared for fantasy. Trolls, elves, dragons, and wizards all seemed silly to me.

[imardmd1]

The Triune God created the universe ex nihilo" (out of nothing). and man's soul with it. Who thinks that he/she can consign both of them back to nothing, not even a memory of them in the consciousness of that which still exists?

(I have stopped reading sci-fi as well as other casual pursuits that showed they have no eternal benefits, not even self-preservation.) Knowing the Resurrected Human and His Will in the real sense is my preferred occupation, not merely only time-consuming profitless activity.

[Nifster]

If you do then you ought to read CS Lewis’s triology. It’s very good