On Science Fiction (Isaac Asimov)

Asimov draws a parallel between myths and legends and science fiction by saying that both satisfy the same human desire for wonder and both depict life as we don’t know it. The difference is only in the background: myths work in a prescientific Universe ruled by gods, demons and magic, while science fiction works in a Universe ruled by impersonal laws of nature and their scientific understanding.

Science fiction gets its validity from the fact that the Universe follows the laws of nature. Asimov says that, in a narrow sense, science fiction is valid today because the Universe does follow the dictates of natural laws and is not controlled by gods and demons. So science fiction fits reality because it is based on what science can understand and explain.

By ‘Open sesame’, Asimov refers to the tale of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves from _Arabian Nights_. By the ideas of winged horses and flying carpets, he has in mind the old myths and fairy tales in which such magical forms of travel appear.

The distinction lies mainly in the background of the story, not just in its content. A sports story has sporting activity, a Western has cowboy life, and a jungle story has wilderness dangers as part of their content. But if such content is placed in a society very different from our own, the story can still remain that kind of story and also become science fiction. Thus, science fiction is defined by its imaginary society, setting, and background, not merely by a particular plot.

Asimov shows that John Campbell was wrong by arguing that a science fiction mystery can still be fair to the reader if the rules are clearly stated. He says the writer must explain the boundary conditions of the imaginary society so that the reader knows exactly what is possible and what is not. Then the reader must be given all the clues just as in a classical mystery. Asimov also points to his own novels, _The Caves of Steel_ and _The Naked Sun_, as proof that such mysteries can be written successfully.

The writer of a science fiction mystery must guard against several pitfalls:

- misusing science or not knowing science properly,
- making bloopers and scientific errors,
- introducing unfair extra powers or sudden rule changes without warning,
- failing to explain the boundary conditions of the imaginary world,
- and making the clues unclear so that the reader cannot follow the mystery fairly.

The writer must know the science, modify or extrapolate it rationally, and keep the mystery rules honest for the reader.

Imagination and fantasy help human beings explain the complexity and unpredictability of the universe by creating stories about strange powers, gods, monsters, and magical control over natural events. When people do not fully understand nature, they use imagination to make sense of what seems mysterious or beyond human control.

Science fiction often predicts or imagines future changes in daily life caused by science and technology. Things that are normal today—such as television, telephones, remote-control devices, space travel, or computerized information systems—were once imagined in science fiction. So the statement means that science fiction foresaw many developments that later became part of everyday life.

Asimov’s attitude towards pre-scientific imagination is respectful and appreciative, not mocking. He admits that myths and legends are not science, but he treats them as a genuine and accomplished literary form that satisfied human needs for wonder. The tone is intelligent, balanced, slightly humorous, and mildly ironic. He gently points out the limits of old beliefs, but he does not sneer at them.