Re: Arthur C Clarke, RIP

Gene Ward Smith wrote:

> Peter Knutsen <peter@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in news:47e0e679$0$15885
> $edfadb0f@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> 
> 
>>Now, what I'd really like to see is a definition of science fiction that

>>excludes Clarke. Even a half way serious one.
>>
> 
> 
> Anyone who has written fantasy is not a science fiction author.
Admittedly, 
> it's a terrible definition, but no worse than yours. And it does exclude

> Clarke.

Does that mean anyone who has written non-fiction is not a fiction 
writer? I guess Isaac Asimov loses in both categories. Also kind of 
flies in the face of your requirement that a science fiction writer must 
prove a knowledge of science before being a "real" science fiction writer.

I don't see how participating in more than one format excludes an artist 
from being considered a contributor in another format. Fred Astaire 
sings, so he can't be a dancer? John Carpenter directed science fiction, 
so he can't be a horror director?

If a writer has written *exclusively* fantasy, then I'd agree, that 
writer is not a science fiction author. But Ray Bradbury, frex, has 
written science fiction, even if we may not agree which books were 
science fiction and which weren't.