Characteristics of Science Fiction and Why I Read It

I read SF for a number of reasons:

• I love that SF encourages me to look at the world differently.
• I love the sense of wonder that infuses so much SF.
• I love that SF stretches my mind and my heart.
• I love that it’s sometimes so bizarre and yet manages to stay believable.

Characteristics of SF:

• Literature of ideas, full of thought experiments.  'What if' is a very important question.
• Speculates on science - hard and soft - and technology, and humanity’s relationship to them.
• Explores ethics - often through a good cautionary tale. Perhaps just because we can do something doesn’t mean we should.
• Tells a good story with lots of interesting characters, settings, and events.

Ultimately, Science Fiction is about us - human beings - who we are, what we are, and our relationships to other life, society, technology, and the world around us.