Science Fiction

Science fiction is a popular form of literature.  I suspect that part of the popularity of this genre is that we have an interest in the future.  Some of the things that people are able to do in science fiction novels, movies and T.V. shows are things that we are likely to be able to do in the future.  To a certain extent science fiction portrays the dreams that people have about the future.

One thing that I sometimes wonder about is the extent to which science fiction morally supports science.  Scientists are often portrayed as creepy characters who would put the entire world in danger in order to promote their own careers.  To be sure some scientist, like people in all other fields, are unethical.  However, they are no more likely to be so than other people, and probably a great deal less.

Ironically science fiction often supports a mystical view of the universe. Characters often run into beings with supernatural powers.  Wishful thinking is often portrayed as an effective way of altering the universe.  Stories will often contain the theme that if we give up the benefits of technological advance and revert to simpler ways of the past, that we can improve our lives.

If science fiction often appears to reflect a viewpoint that is not terribly supportive of science and technology, the treatment of capitalism is much worse.  Stories are more likely to support economic interventionism than to oppose it.  Socialism is seldom condemned, and socialistic societies are often portrayed as being functional, desirable improvements over the status quo.

From my point of view much of science fiction seems ill suited to guide us into the glorious future that it portrays.  It is difficult to tell whether it does more good or harm.  To be fair, it might generate some interest in science.  Portraying people who travel to the stars is likely to stimulate interest in astronomy, for example.

I wonder to what extent disciplines succeed on their own merit.  If science does good things, then this is likely to increase its moral standing.  On the whole, its standing is quite high.  The same cannot be said for capitalism.  However, the bad press that capitalism receives is hardly unique to science fiction.  Note the disproportionate number of murders committed by businessmen in television dramas.  Most businesses are run by law abiding, upstanding citizens, not murderers.  This is one of the most debilitating prejudices that we have to deal with in our society.