INTRODUCTION
THE DIMENSIONS OF SCIENCE FICTION


Science fiction often uses concepts of dimensionality in order
explore a world of fantasy that takes us beyond our own three-dimensional
world. When the plot of a novel, television program, or film moves into
the realm of fantasy, the creator usually relies on vague scientific jargon
to provide support for the wild fiction he/she is concocting. As a story
asks a reader to invest more and more of his/her belief, the creator of
the story offers tidbits of scientific information that attempt to ground
the fiction in a solid scientific foundation. All in all, this trick helps
the reader suspend his/her disbelief more easily, and allows the writer to
invent fiction that stretches far beyond the world we know.

Our group has studied several contemporary works of science fiction in an
effort to characterize the way science fiction addresses the question
of other dimensions. We analyzed the scientific content of several films
(The Star Wars Trilogy, the Star Trek series, and Contact) and one television program
(The X-Files). Clearly, this sample of contemporary science
fiction is limited: there must be scores of sci fi books that delve deeper
into the details of science than any film or television show does. Still, the works
we have chosen are clearly the most popular science fiction creations of
the day, and they are valuable subjects because they show us how popular science
fiction deals with the complexities that arise when science confronts
fiction.

As might be expected, the works we have sampled address science in varying
degrees of detail. Whereas The X-Files and Contact use abstract theories of
relativity, Star Wars and Star Trek are far less specific. All in all,
as we will see, these works of science fiction use science generously,
bending the truth whenever necessary and omiting facts when convenient.
One point is clear: science fiction authors do not regard other dimensions
strictly in the geometric sense. Rather, they use the term to describe
the unkown.


  • CLICK HERE FOR THE X-FILES

  • CLICK HERE FOR STAR WARS

  • CLICK HERE FOR STAR TREK

  • CLICK HERE FOR CONTACT