Re: Arthur C Clarke, RIP

Amanda <chicagofish@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in news:hNEEj.4843$6H.166
@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Okay, just one...Hugo Gernsback, whom I think we can all agree was 
> somewhat knowledgeable on the subject:
> 
> "a charming romance intermingled with scientific fact and prophetic 
vision"
> 

Certainly one of the best definitions on the page, and by a man defining a

term he himself coined. Some other good ones:

    Donald A. Wolleheim
    Science fiction is that branch of fantasy, which, while not true to 
present-day knowledge, is rendered plausible by the reader's recognition
of 
the scientific possibilities of it being possible at some future date or
at 
some uncertain point in the past. 
    "The Universe Makers"

    Sam Moskowitz
    Science fiction is a branch of fantasy identifiable by the fact that
it 
eases the "willing suspension of disbelief" on the part of its readers by 
utilizing an atmosphere of scientific credibility for its imaginative 
speculations in physical science, space, time, social science, and 
philosophy.

On the other hand, we have science fiction authors defining it in a way 
which raises the question of whether, and how often, they actually managed

to write science fiction themsevles:

    Robert A. Heinlein
    A handy short definition of almost all science fiction might read: 
realistic speculation about possible future events, based solidly on 
adequate knowledge of the real world, past and present, and on a thorough 
understanding of the nature and significance of the scientific method.To 
make this definition cover all science fiction (instead of "almost all")
it 
is necessary only to strike out the word "future." 
    from: Science Fiction: its nature, faults and virtues, in The Science 
Fiction Novel, Advent, Chicago:1969

 We also have the following pronouncement, which suggests to me perhaps we

shouldn't even bother to try writing science fiction:

    Gordon R. Dickson
    In short, the straw of a manufactured realism with which the sf writer

makes his particular literary bricks must be entirely convincing to the 
reader in it own right, or the whole story will lose its power to
convince.

Then there's this, which seems to conflate science with science fiction, 
and suggests that if he'd just go about it in the right way, James P.
Hogan 
would be on the right track:

    Amit Goswami
    Science Fiction is that class of fiction which contains the currents
of 
change in science and society. It concerns itself with the critique, 
extension, revision, and conspiracy of revolution, all directed against 
static scientific paradigms. Its goal is to prompt a paradigm ****ft to a 
new view that will be more responsive and true to nature. 
    The Cosmic Dancers (New York, 1983)