SCIENCE FICTION- Andrew Scott Lecture

Science fiction is about the impact of science on people. - Harry Harrison

It's about change/ ideas and exploring how these would affect society and the ripple effect it creates.

Advances of technology are controversial

Industrial Revolution accelerated working, money, commuting and cities.

Photography allows the present to become the frozen past and impacted society greatly.

Is science fiction a prophecy?

Star Trek predicted many things for eg. computers, communicators led to modern phones

Stars in my Pocket like a Grain of Sand predicted Google essentially and explored gender and sexuality.

Minority Report predicted gestural interfaces and the Oculus Rift was developed which allows 3D modeling and more.

Is science fiction a mirror?

We look at the present through a rear view mirror. We march backwards into the future.

Science fiction can mirror societal fears of the time

They Live explores aliens and the fears of them invading Earth.

Exploration is a common theme, when the Earth was still being explored.

Robots, AI, aliens, slavery were all themes that are feared and explored through science fiction.

Apocalyptic futures

I Am Legend approaches a zombie outbreak and has a twist where humanity is the monster.

Utopian futures

The Culture looks at a post-scarcity society where resources are unlimited and machine intelligence runs the world

Post-Human futures

Computer worlds, Tron Legacy, digitally uploaded humans, great examples of industrial design

All of these present ideas that influence and change society's views, industrial designers can be influenced by science fiction and take inspiration, challenge the status quo.