What Will Science Fiction Be Like in the 23rd Century?

[Dayton3]

A recent article in the paper describing how so many of science fictions predictions 50-70 years ago haven't become reality got me to thinking.

What is science fiction like in the 23rd & 24th centuries?

The only thing I think we ever saw resembling science fiction was Voyagers Tom Paris interest in "Captain Proton" holodeck adventures.

But given the time period and level of technology on Voyager, Captain Proton looks more like retro "old fashioned" science fiction.

 

[Michael]

Intelligent science fiction always asked some kind of "What if ...?" question. I don't think this will change in the next three hundred years. Maybe 23rd century science fiction is more like existential ficiton as it is technological ficiton; so that the stories would deal with the different ways of existence (I'm thinking of Organians and the Q).

Social fiction would also very likely be a sub genre of fiction. Maybe a 24th century science ficiton story would be about a galaxy without a federation.

 

[misskim86]

I don't think it will change so much to be honest, I doubt we will have found any intelligent life in space by then or have made much more progress in space except walked on Mars and begun small scale colonization of the moon

 

[Michael]

misskim86 said:
I don't think it will change so much to be honest, I doubt we will have found any intelligent life in space by then or have made much more progress in space except walked on Mars and begun small scale colonization of the moon

I think what Dayton3 meant was the future of the Star Trek universe. So the question really is: How will science fiction look like when the world we live in is just like science fiction is nowadays?

 

[C.E. Evans]

Dayton3 said:
A recent article in the paper describing how so many of The only thing I think we ever saw resembling science fiction was Voyagers Tom Paris interest in "Captain Proton" holodeck adventures.

But given the time period and level of technology on Voyager, Captain Proton looks more like retro "old fashioned" science fiction.

Even in the 23rd Century, there will always be authors wondering about what happens in the future. Even in the Trek Universe with warp-capable ships and aliens being a facet of everyday life, there will be stories about fantastic adventures in another part of the Galaxy (or even in another galaxy).

But perhaps a more common form of sci-fi will be that of alternate histories or alternate realities. Stuff like the Mirror universe, y'know...

 

[misskim86]

Oh ok like "what will Sci Fi" look like in the 23rd 24th star trek universe?"

Good question, it seems like there is a lot of 21st century romanticism so maybe it will be a lot of time travel books back to that era.

Othervise I think the Sci Fi will be more philosophical books, what if scenarios, like a 4th world war etc

 

[Dayton3]

Belar said:

misskim86 said:
I don't think it will change so much to be honest, I doubt we will have found any intelligent life in space by then or have made much more progress in space except walked on Mars and begun small scale colonization of the moon

I think what Dayton3 meant was the future of the Star Trek universe. So the question really is: How will science fiction look like when the world we live in is just like science fiction is nowadays?

That is exactly what I meant.

What kind of Science Fiction would Miles O'Brian read while growing up? Or John Sheridan (Babylon-5)?

 

[Apogeal Alpha01]

Dayton3 said:

Belar said:

misskim86 said:
I don't think it will change so much to be honest, I doubt we will have found any intelligent life in space by then or have made much more progress in space except walked on Mars and begun small scale colonization of the moon

I think what Dayton3 meant was the future of the Star Trek universe. So the question really is: How will science fiction look like when the world we live in is just like science fiction is nowadays?

That is exactly what I meant.

What kind of Science Fiction would Miles O'Brian read while growing up? Or John Sheridan (Babylon-5)?

Whatever will appear to be fantastic to a more technologically sophisticated society at that time. I agree with the notion that we'll be further out in space, perhaps with bases on Mars and our moon, mining planets and moons for resources. That alone will take a lot of effort. Writers will still wonder about the meaning of existence, the creation of the universe, dimensional travel, life in other solar systems, galaxies, etc. New theories will spring from proofs of currently unprovable theories like String theory, or nanite technology, people with cybernetic implants, genetic modifications, sexbots, intelligent AI, propulsion tech and cheap energy production. Lots of stories there, but space is vast, it'll take a lot to get beyond our solar system.

I don't think we'll be close to where Miles O'Brien and John Sheridan are placed in fiction, so writers will still write similar themes with more advanced science and social situations.

 

[JoeZhang]

the technology in star trek series is very undeveloped (once you leave out fantasy stuff like transporters and warpdrive) - it's still a guy with a gun and a radio watching a TV screen.

 

[Silvermane]

Sorry, I'm not allowed to tell. TPD

 

[Balrog]

Sci-Fi in the 24th Century? Maybe timetravel without paradoxes. Mirror universe traversing. Going faster than Warp 10 without turning into a salamander.