What is Soft Science Fiction?

Soft Science Fiction (SSF) is a term used to describe a genre of speculative fiction that combines elements of the hard and soft sciences, as well as the social sciences in order to create an imagined future world or society. The term was coined by author David Brin in his book Existence, which he describes as “a novel about what happens when we go beyond science.” In this sense, SSF can be seen as the sci-fi equivalent to utopian literature.

The concept of soft science fiction has its roots in the works of Isaac Asimov, who wrote several stories that combined aspects of both the hard and soft sciences with the intention of creating a new fictional universe for readers to explore. These were later collected into two books: I, Robot (1950) and Second Foundation (1951). A few years after these collections appeared, Brin published his first story, “The Transparent Man,” but it wasn’t until the publication of Existence that SSF became widely known among sci-fi fans.

Soft Science Fiction Definition

The definition of soft science fiction is fairly simple; it’s just fiction that incorporates some aspect of the hard and/or soft sciences. However, there are many different ways of defining the term. Some people use it to mean any kind of futuristic writing that includes elements from the hard and soft sciences. Others limit it to only those novels that include real scientific concepts or theories. Still others define it more narrowly, restricting the term to only those novels that contain at least one element from the hard sciences.

In addition to being defined by the inclusion of non-scientific elements, there are also some more specific characteristics that define soft science fiction. One of them is the use of technology that doesn’t exist today, such as time travel, teleportation, artificial intelligence, or genetic engineering. Another characteristic is the inclusion of many different types of scientific knowledge, including physics, biology, chemistry, psychology, sociology, anthropology, economics, etc.

This allows authors to combine their own ideas with those from other fields in order to come up with something completely original. It’s not uncommon for authors to include references to real-life phenomena, such as climate change or political corruption, in their work.

Differences Between Hard and Soft Science Fiction

There are significant differences between hard and soft science fiction, although they don’t always apply equally to all kinds of sci fi. For example, space opera tends to focus on the exploration of outer space, whereas space opera is usually a subgenre of hard science fiction. Likewise, cyberpunk often focuses on the effects of advanced technology on society, while cyberpunk is usually considered part of the hard science fiction category.

Here’s a list of science fiction subgenres to explore.

However, even within each type of sci fi, there are still important distinctions. For instance, hard science fiction generally deals with the development of theoretical physics and cosmology, whereas soft science fiction deals with the application of scientific principles to everyday life. Examples of the latter would include the creation of a system of medicine that uses nanotechnology to heal damaged cells, or a computer program that can predict future events based on historical data.

History of Soft Science Fiction

Although soft science fiction was originally popularized by Isaac Asimov, it didn’t become an established genre until the 1980s. Before this period, most sci fi writers either ignored the idea of combining the hard and soft sciences, or used it to create humorous situations. After that point, however, the number of writers who incorporated elements from the hard and the soft sciences increased dramatically. Today, we have dozens of writers who publish novels that incorporate aspects of the hard and soft sciences every year.

The first author to write a novel about a world where the hard and soft sciences coexist was Robert Silverberg, who did so in his 1973 book The World Inside. Although the novel contains no actual scientific concepts, it does present several possible explanations for why humans evolved differently than animals. In the story, these differences result in the evolution of sapience (the ability to think abstractly) in Homo sapiens but not in other species.

Another early example of a novel that combines the hard and soft sciences is Larry Niven’s 1977 novel Ringworld. In the story, humanity has developed a new form of propulsion called “ring gravity,” which enables them to construct enormous rings around planets. These rings act much like giant spaceships, allowing humans to explore the universe without having to spend years traveling through interstellar space.

Other examples of novels that combine the hard and soft sciences include:

• Robert J Sawyer’s 1995 novel Mindscan, which explores the concept of mind uploading;
• Greg Bear’s 1997 novel Blood Music, in which the protagonist creates a virtual reality simulation of Earth after a global catastrophe;
• Neal Stephenson’s 1999 novel Cryptonomicon, which incorporates cryptography into its plot;
• David Brin’s 2001 novel Startide Rising, which features a group of people who develop telepathy;
• Kim Stanley Robinson’s 2003 novel Aurora, which describes how a disease causes the population to evolve into a new kind of human; and
• Brian Aldiss’ 2004 novel Quarantine, which takes place in a post-apocalyptic world populated by genetically engineered humans.

Elements of Soft Sci Fi

In addition to using the hard and soft sciences as metaphors for their stories, many authors also use real scientific concepts when they write about the future. This often results in some interesting contradictions between what might happen if certain ideas were applied to our current society, and what actually happens.

Genetic Engineering

For instance, one common theme among soft science fiction is the idea of genetic engineering. Authors who write about this subject usually base their work on the fact that genetic modification will probably be commonplace in the near future. However, because the technology is still in its infancy, very few people know exactly how such modifications would affect living organisms.

This leads to interesting scenarios, including:

• People being able to change the color of their skin, eyes, hair, etc.;
• Genetically modified plants producing food that can’t be eaten by humans; and
• People being able to produce offspring with different physical characteristics.

The idea of genetic engineering may seem farfetched today, but there are already scientists working on ways to modify DNA. For example, researchers at Harvard University recently created an artificial enzyme that could break down a gene responsible for causing breast cancer. Another team of scientists at Stanford University managed to alter a virus so that it could infect cells more easily. The hope is that such research will lead to treatments for diseases caused by mutated genes.

Nanotechnology

Similarly, the idea of nanotechnology is another common element of soft science fiction. Nanotech involves creating objects smaller than atoms, which makes it extremely difficult to predict what effects such creations will have on the environment and human life.

Some possible outcomes include:

• Nanobots replacing individual organs;
• Human beings growing out of control when they create microscopic robots; and
• A computer virus that destroys all information stored on computers.

Time Travel

Another popular theme in soft sci fi is the idea of time travel. Although most people think of time travel as something from science fiction, it is becoming increasingly plausible. Scientists have discovered that wormholes exist throughout the universe, and even physicists believe that black holes could eventually allow us to enter other universes. Time travel is especially intriguing because we don’t yet understand how it works. It is therefore easy to imagine that any number of strange phenomena could occur once we begin exploring this area of physics.

Some authors take advantage of this possibility by writing about alternate realities where things turn out differently. These worlds are sometimes called parallel universes or multiverses. One common scenario involves a physicist accidentally opening a door into another dimension. After doing this, he discovers that his entire world has been transported to a new location. He then begins to explore this new place, only to discover that everything he knows is completely wrong. Though in this case it would be alternate realities affected or changed by the act of time travel, thing The Butterfly Effect.

Other examples involve characters traveling back in time to save someone’s life, or going forward in time to prevent a terrible event from happening.

In order to make these types of stories believable, authors must rely on facts from the real world. They do this by describing events that have already occurred, rather than making up random elements. While not a rule, most soft sci fi would exist “in our own timeline”

For example, if you want to write a story about time travel, you might describe the scientific discoveries made over the past two hundred years. You would also need to explain why certain ideas were rejected before now. This includes the fact that some scientists believed that the Earth was flat, or that the moon didn’t orbit around the planet.

Teleportation

The concept of teleportation is similar to time travel, except that instead of moving through space, characters are sent to different places through the use of technology. In many cases, the destination is unknown until after the character arrives. Teleportation can be used to transport characters anywhere in the galaxy, or even across the universe.

However, unlike time travel, teleportation does not require the existence of wormholes or black holes. Instead, the process simply requires advanced technology. Like time travel, teleportation is often used to change history. Authors can either choose to send their characters to a specific point in the future, or they can choose to go back in time and rewrite history.

While the idea of teleportation sounds like magic, it is actually based on current scientific knowledge. For example, quantum entanglement allows particles to share information instantly, regardless of distance. The same principle is used to teleport objects such as atoms, electrons, photons, and even entire planets.

Another type of teleportation is instant communication. A few technologies currently exist that allow for instantaneous communication between distant points. However, these devices are still too expensive for everyday use.

Alternate Reality

A variation of the time travel theme is Alternate reality. Here, characters find themselves in an unfamiliar situation, but with all the details of their previous lives intact. For example, they may wake up one morning believing that they’re married, when in fact they’ve never met anyone named John Smith. Or they may suddenly realize that they’re living in a foreign country.

Most alternate realities are set in our own world. But other possibilities include being trapped inside a video game, or waking up in a bizarre dream state.

Popular Soft Sci Fi Works

• Time Travel: Back to the Future (1985) – Michael J Fox plays Marty McFly who travels back in time to avoid a tragedy.
• Contact (1997) – Carl Sagan explores the possibility of contact with extraterrestrial intelligence.
• The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (1979) – Arthur Dent finds himself caught up in a mysterious adventure involving aliens, time travelers, and his own mortality.
• Star Trek: Voyager (1995-2001) – Seven of Nine uses her telepathic abilities to help others escape a dangerous environment.
• Futurama (1999-2003) – Futurama takes place in an alternative universe where humans live alongside robots called Frybots.
• Doctor Who (1963-1989) – Doctor Who has been around since 1963, but only recently gained popularity due to its new series starring Matt Smith.
• Star Wars (1977-2005) – Characters from this popular sci fi franchise travel between worlds using the Force.
• Stargate SG1 (1994-2007) – The cast of this television show explore several alien civilizations by traveling through a portal known as the “Stargate.”
• Battlestar Galactica (1978-2009) – This science fiction drama follows a group of people trying to survive against overwhelming odds. They travel through space aboard a spaceship called the Battlestar Galactica.

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