Ripping the supernatural out of science fiction.

[stj]

The difference between SF and fantasy is stylistic. In SF the fantastic stuff is supposed to be natural. In fantasy the fantastic stuff is supposed to be supernatural. When the story hinges on the inapplicability of known scientific laws or the irrelevance of logic, because reason is inadequate, then we have fantasy intruding. There are a number of SF stories suddenly tacking on some divine plan at the end, as a sort of shamefaced have it both ways coda. These are usually irrelevant. Usually, efforts that genuinely mix SF and fantasy are miserable failures artistically in my opinion. (I can't really think of any exceptions right now.)

[Frontier]

cynical dreamer wrote:

---

I just long for a sci-fi series that plays it straight. At all times.

I know what you mean.

Science Fiction is science, IMHO, and fantasy is the supernatural stuff. They should be kept more separate.

That said, as long as the foundation is built upon science, I can cope with the rest.

I do hate it though when something is clearly fantasy/supernatural and yet gets lumped in with sci-fi.

Anyway, what about Terminator? That's all science. I mean, there is the question of fate, destiny, and such, but it's always a question. They really keep to the science. Man and machine.

Someone mentioned Firefly...

Uhm... hrm.

You can't really say 'Ghostbusters' fall into it, but, I always liked that they used their technology to combat the supernatural. Showed that anything otherworldly had a science element in it which could be exploited.

[darkwing_duck1]

cynical dreamer wrote:

---

And the whole concept of Sisko being 'the chosen one' seems to fit with the notion of precognition (on the part of the wormhole aliens) which would also make it fit as supernatural in my eyes.

The wormhole aliens/Prophets exist OUTSIDE linear time, meaning they percieve all points of time simultaneously. It's not "precongnition", it's the advantage of perspective.

I don't think it's fair for you to lump telepathy, et al (which MAY be explainable by science we haven't figured out as of yet) with the TRULY "supernatural" (ie, that which lies outside of all of nature, such as true Gods, etc).