The Gap Between Science And Science Fiction - 902 Words

Science fiction is full of machines that have feelings. In 2001: A Space Odyssey, the onboard computer turns against the crew of the spaceship Discovery 1, and utters cries of pain and fear when his circuits are finally taken apart. In Blade Runner, a humanoid robot is distressed to learn that her memories are not real, but have been implanted in her silicon brain by her programmer. In Bicentennial Man, Robin Williams plays the part of a robot who redesigns his own circuitry so that he can experience the full range of human feelings. These stories achieve their effect in part because the capacity for emotion is often considered to be one of the main differences between humans and machines. This is certainly true of the machines we know today. The responses we receive from computers are rather dry affairs, such as System error 1378 . People sometimes get angry with their computers and shout at them as if they had emotions, but the computers take no notice. They neither feel their own feelings, nor recognize yours. The gap between science fiction and science fact appears vast, but some researchers in artificial intelligence now believe it is only a question of time before it is bridged. The new field of affective computing has already made some progress in building primitive emotional machines, and every month brings new advances. However, some critics argue that a machine could never come to have real emotions like ours. At best, they claim, clever programming might allowShow MoreRelatedRay Bradbury s Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep1611 Words   |  7 Pages Science fiction and graphic novels both possess special niches in literature. Writers like H.G. Wells, Ray Bradbury, Douglas Adams, and Phillip K. Dick progressed the genre to reach a broader audience through increasing exposure in society. Today, writers like Orson Scott Card continue to popularize science fiction through both published works and online stories. The new medium presented by the increased accessibility of the internet allows for the genre to grow, allowing recognized authors andRead MoreScience Fiction : Reality And Fiction1325 Words   |  6 PagesKelley played Dr. McCoy in the classic sc ience fiction TV Show Star Trek. Kelley’s favorite thing about playing a doctor on television was when people would tell him, that they became a doctor because of a fictional character he played. Fiction is a dream of â€Å"what could be†, a plan to outline in front of an audience saying over and over again, â€Å"This could be you, you can make this, you can be this.† The best example of this is in science fiction, as science fiction is known to predict future technologyRead MoreReading Response # 3 : Code Breaking1173 Words   |  5 PagesReading Response #3: Code-breaking I have, until this point in this course, complained that, with few exceptions, Science Fiction as a genre never seems to quite reach a critical mass where it can achieve breakaway-velocity and leave its rather conservative orbit of binary gender (and heteronormativity) behind. There seems to have been many times when the genre has tiptoed close to the edge of gender-binarism (for instance, in its sub-genre of feminist utopias), only to scurry away from the assumedRead More Isaac Asimov, Mind of a Child Essay1102 Words   |  5 Pagestheir own ideas and developed their own style of writing and stories. This is has happened throughout history and is most prevalent in todayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s society. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In the early 1900à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s technology began to boom. Many tales of science fantasy were created. The imagination of many was stirred violently as America and the U.S.S.R. were neck and neck in the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Space Raceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬?. Magical tales of aliens and Martians were shaped by the twisted and horrifically minds of authors such as IsaacRead More`` Estrangement And Cognition `` By Darko Suvin Essay1631 Words   |  7 PagesMuch of the appeal surrounding science fiction is the fact that a lot of the genre exists far from what we experience in our own world, and far from what exists within our own imagination. The phrase, â€Å"cognitive estrangement† has been used to describe the way that a lot of science fiction makes us feel. In his essay, â€Å"Estrangement and Cognition,† Darko Suvin describes cognitive estrangement and its relationship with Science fiction as a genre. He writes, â€Å"Thus it is not only the basic human and humanizingRead MoreEssay on H.G. Wells: The Odd man Who Shaped a Genre1181 Words   |  5 Pages H.G. Wells: The Odd Man Who Shaped a Genre Herbert George (H.G.) Wells was a man of many passions both strange and ordinary, but despite his eccentricities, he impacted science fiction and fantasy in a profound and noticeable way. As a man who bridged the entertainment gap between the upper and lower classes that existed at the time, H.G. Wells books felt right at home from the 1890’s clear through the Lost Generation (British Writers, Vol. 6, 226). Fantastical plots and relatable language asideRead MoreSuper-Toys Last All Summer Long992 Words   |  4 PagesSummer Long† is a short story published in Harpers Bazar in 1969 by science fiction author Brian Aldiss. What is interesting in this story, is the fact that many different issues are shown, such as the emotional gap between family members in an overpopulated society. When the story was written, it was meant to be a look into a self created future by Brian Aldiss which is why the genre is science fiction. The meaning of science fiction is to criticize society through an imaginary world. In that way,Read MoreThe Star by Arthur C. Clarke and the Juxtaposition of Science and Religion704 Words   |  3 Pages When dwelling into the explorations about science and religion, one can find it quite amusing. If science and religion are to continue to coexist it seems opposed to the conditions of modern thought to admit that this result can be brought about by the so-called water-tight compartment system which, even at the present time, is frequently extolled or considered possible.(Boutroux, 406) Two powerful forces that coexist yet each of them deny one another, but yet they define one another. TheRead MoreThe Role of Science Fiction Serial Doctor Who in British Culture1549 Words   |  7 PagesThis essay will attempt to illustrate the role of science-fiction serial Doctor Who in British culture, comparing the classic series (aired from 1963 to 1989) with the new one (airing from 2005) by analysing the â€Å"birth† of Doctor Who in 20th century and its â€Å"regeneration† in 21st. Far from being just a filler in Saturday evening show schedule, Doctor Who became a cult not only in Britain but in the whole world, emerging as a model for all the sci-fi series to come. Throughout the years, the â€Å"Whoniverse†Read MoreReprogenetics and Eugenics Essay867 Words   |  4 Pagesgrowing gap between haves and have-nots. Although such a gap may emerge initially, the cost of reprogenetics is likely to drop sharply over time. Like computers and advanced telecommunications, it could become affordable to the majority in developed countries. Ultimately, hyper-human genetic enhancements will become feasible, too, and the economic and social advantages that wealthy countries maintain could be expanded into a genetic advantage. The divide between wealthy