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Alternatively, it may explore the implications of a ''kind'' of sentient being, society or civilization that is significantly different from any with which we are familiar at the time of writing. Such a kind would be a radical departure from anything that remotely resembles a human being, or the societies or civilizations that human beings have built.

Alternatively, it may explore the implications of a ''kind'' of sentient being, society or civilization that is significantly different from any with which we are familiar at the time of writing. Such a kind would be a radical departure from anything that remotely resembles a human being, or the societies or civilizations that human beings have built.

It is notably difficult to define what is and isn't Sci-Fi as such stories can be set in the future, present or past, and on alien worlds, alternate forms of Earth or even Earth as it is or was historically. Even defining Sci-Fi as being a medium that contains at its core scientific or technological concepts that are used to either define, drive or resolve the story is inaccurate enough that, as a description, it would include such works as Bones, CSI, etc; which are notably not Science Fiction works.  An oft running joke amongst Science Fiction and Fantasy enthusiasts is that while a fan struggles to provide an accurate description of what Science Fiction is and isn't, they still know Science Fiction when they see it.

It is notably difficult to define what is and isn't Sci-Fi as such stories can be set in the future, present or past, and on alien worlds, alternate forms of Earth or even Earth as it is or was historically. Even defining Sci-Fi as being a medium that contains at its core scientific or technological concepts that are used to either define, drive or resolve the story is inaccurate enough that, as a description, it would include such works as Bones, CSI, etc.; which are notably not Science Fiction works.  An oft running joke amongst Science Fiction and Fantasy enthusiasts is that while a fan struggles to provide an accurate description of what Science Fiction is and isn't, they still know Science Fiction when they see it.

== History of Science Fiction ==

== History of Science Fiction ==

Many early science fiction novels used the idea of [[time travel]] to promote "futiristic" [[socialist]] ideas. Examples include ''The Time Machine'' (which is a subliminal criticism of the class system) and ''[[Looking Backwards]]'' by [[Edward Bellamy]] (which was written in 1887 but is primarily set in the year 2000 in a socialist utopia). However, this category has almost entirely disappeared in recent times. The general idea of using science fiction has continued to a lesser extent though, such as [[Robert Heinlein]]'s 1960's [[libertarian]]-themed novel [[The Moon is a Harsh Mistress]].  

Many early science fiction novels used the idea of [[time travel]] to promote "futiristic" [[socialist]] ideas. Examples include ''The Time Machine'' (which is a subliminal criticism of the class system) and ''[[Looking Backwards]]'' by [[Edward Bellamy]] (which was written in 1887 but is primarily set in the year 2000 in a socialist utopia). However, this category has almost entirely disappeared in recent times. The general idea of using science fiction has continued to a lesser extent though, such as [[Robert Heinlein]]'s 1960's [[libertarian]]-themed novel [[The Moon is a Harsh Mistress]].  

The twentieth century saw science fiction become far less serious in its purpose. The works of [[Hugo Gernsback]] and others were intended merely to entertain and amuse—in other words, to help the reader escape an unpleasant reality. But reality would soon reimpose itself on the imaginations of science-fiction writers. The nuclear attack on the [[Japan]]ese cities of [[Hiroshima]] and [[Nagasaki]] inspired many writers to create [[monster]]s ([[Godzilla]], [[Rodan]], ''etc.'') of tremendous size and destructive power comparable to the power of [[nuclear weapon]]s. Other writers speculated anew on the harms that can result from playing fast and loose with dangerous new forces—in this case, [[Atoms|atomic]] [[radiation]]. The deepening mutual scorn in which the [[United States of America]] and the [[Union of Soviet Socialist Republics]] held one another, originally inspired works featuring [[Extraterrestrial life|extraterrestrial]] expeditionary forces coming to the earth to make war upon humanity (or occasionally to catch humanity in the crossfire). Later writers, editors, and producers, like [[Gene Roddenberry]] (of [[Star Trek]] fame), would speculate that humanity would expand on new voyages of discovery, only to end up fighting with enemies that looked and behaved very similarly to whatever power was foreign to the writer's nation-state of origin. This era would also see the writing of the ''[[Dune (novel series)|Dune]]'' series of novels by [[Frank Herbert]], in which humanity would expand throughout a vast region of the universe, only to divide into interstellar and trans-galactic versions of the civilizations then extant in the 1960's, and even have conflicts over natural resources that closely mirror the struggle for control of such resources, chiefly [[petroleum]], today.

The twentieth century saw science fiction become far less serious in its purpose. The works of [[Hugo Gernsback]] and others were intended merely to entertain and amuse—in other words, to help the reader escape an unpleasant reality. But reality would soon reimpose itself on the imaginations of science-fiction writers. The nuclear attack on the [[Japan]]ese cities of [[Hiroshima]] and [[Nagasaki]] inspired many writers to create [[monster]]s ([[Godzilla]], [[Rodan]], ''etc.'') of tremendous size and destructive power comparable to the power of [[nuclear weapon]]s. Other writers speculated anew on the harms that can result from playing fast and loose with dangerous new forces—in this case, [[Atoms|atomic]] [[radiation]]. The deepening mutual scorn in which the [[United States of America]] and the [[Union of Soviet Socialist Republics]] held one another, originally inspired works featuring [[Extraterrestrial life|extraterrestrial]] expeditionary forces coming to the earth to make war upon humanity (or occasionally to catch humanity in the crossfire). Later writers, editors, and producers, like [[Gene Roddenberry]] (of [[Star Trek]] fame), would speculate that humanity would expand on new voyages of discovery, only to end up fighting with enemies that looked and behaved very similarly to whatever power was foreign to the writer's nation-state of origin. This era would also see the writing of the ''[[Dune (novel series)|Dune]]'' series of novels by [[Frank Herbert]], in which humanity would expand throughout a vast region of the universe, only to divide into interstellar and trans-galactic versions of the civilizations then extant in the 1960s, and even have conflicts over natural resources that closely mirror the struggle for control of such resources, chiefly [[petroleum]], today.

Eventually, however, this theme would give way to hopeful tales of [[God-substitute]]s promising to solve all humanity's problems, if humanity's leaders were smart enough not to provoke such people to war. However, [[George Lucas]], borrowing heavily from mythologycal archetypes, and somewhat from Frank Herbert's concepts for ''Dune'', would create a story arc (''[[Star Wars]]'') set in a far-distant [[galaxy]] that, as he now reveals, is a metaphor for his perception of the War in [[Vietnam]] and the role (which in Lucas' view is ''not'' flattering) of the [[United States of America]] in the civilized world today.<ref>Burns, Chris. "[http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Movies/05/16/cannes.starwars/ Lucas on Iraq war, 'Star Wars']." [[CNN]], May 16, 2005. Accessed March 12, 2008.</ref><ref>Lucas, furthermore, stated that his "Galactic Empire" could be a metaphor for the [[United States]] in its current war in [[Iraq]].</ref> In the process, Lucas combined the technological prowess shown by producer [[Stanley Kubrick]] in ''[[2001: A Space Odyssey]]'' with the production values and sensibilities of the science-fiction [[B movie]]s of the 1950's and 1960's to create the special-effects-laden "blockbuster" formula that dominates [[motion picture]]s today.

Eventually, however, this theme would give way to hopeful tales of [[God-substitute]]s promising to solve all humanity's problems, if humanity's leaders were smart enough not to provoke such people to war. However, [[George Lucas]], borrowing heavily from mythologycal archetypes, and somewhat from Frank Herbert's concepts for ''Dune'', would create a story arc (''[[Star Wars]]'') set in a far-distant [[galaxy]] that, as he now reveals, is a metaphor for his perception of the War in [[Vietnam]] and the role (which in Lucas' view is ''not'' flattering) of the [[United States of America]] in the civilized world today.<ref>Burns, Chris. "[http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Movies/05/16/cannes.starwars/ Lucas on Iraq war, 'Star Wars']." [[CNN]], May 16, 2005. Accessed March 12, 2008.</ref><ref>Lucas, furthermore, stated that his "Galactic Empire" could be a metaphor for the [[United States]] in its current war in [[Iraq]].</ref> In the process, Lucas combined the technological prowess shown by producer [[Stanley Kubrick]] in ''[[2001: A Space Odyssey]]'' with the production values and sensibilities of the science-fiction [[B movie]]s of the 1950s and 1960s to create the special-effects-laden "blockbuster" formula that dominates [[motion picture]]s today.

== Science fiction and [[evolutionism]] influencing one another ==

== Science fiction and [[evolutionism]] influencing one another ==