Over the last century and a half , skill fiction has evolved just as science has acquire . But does this mean there is actually a causal link between futuristics and real scientific research ? Could science fable actually find what technologies man in the end invents ? And if so , can this raw generation of crew empowered futurists be the ones who shape our future public ?
Jules Verne first started the futuristics bowel movement around 150 class ago by predict awesome future applied science in skill fabrication classic such as Journey to the Centre of the Earth and Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea . Ever since , futurology has germinate and expanded in terminal figure of reach , popularity , diverseness , societal practical app and scientific vision . Verne ’s initial visual modality became the inspiration for other science fable luminaries such as Edward Bellamy , HG Wells , Hugo Gernsback , Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke . Futurism , or ocular prowess devoted to scientific discipline and science fiction , then took off in Italy from the 1920s . Since the former fifties , futurism has grown exponentially via video and cinema , with the Star Trek and Star Wars franchise becoming notably influential .
It is undeniable that legion futuristic technology predicted by science fabrication have ultimately become realism . Modern excogitation such as aeroplane , submarines , space - rocket engine , radio , television , computers and mobile phones are all examples of once fictional predictions that are now everyday realism .
Ironically , the once futurist inventions of movie house and television system have dramatically widen the ingathering and multifariousness of scientific discipline fiction beyond the written word . But despite this increased popularity and espousal in our society , is science fabrication plainly limited to the inventive forecasting of next technologies ? Are futurists limited to only the discussion of what may be plausible — or can they make a bigger contribution ? Can futurology actually seed invention and influence the direction of scientific research to grow its predicted technologies ? Can the futurists of the world do more than merely predict the future tense ? Can they in fact determine the future ?
At first glance , a lineal causal link between skill fabrication and veridical skill appear causeless at better . skill fiction typically deals with the science and engineering of the future . While the content necessitate to be imaginative and the scientific discipline more or less plausible , these story usually imply partly true /partially fictitious laws or theories of scientific discipline . Scientific fact and technical feasibleness are not strict guidelines to a good science fiction story — but partial credibleness definitely is .
Science fabrication also focuses on the social and moral consequences of scientific innovation defecate it a literature prove both human and technological ideas . No doubt , study of science fabrication have lucubrate the imagination of many scientist and contributed to scientific debate over clock time . However , skill fable is not more often than not affect as an ideas manufacturing plant that now contributes to technical development . tangible scientific enquiry is based on literal scientific fact about what is technically possible and practicable in the macrocosm . scientific discipline also generally occurs on a much smaller more incremental way than scientific discipline fabrication , which is not circumscribe by plausibility , scientific knowledge , and technical capability . Any direct connection between skill and scientific discipline fabrication is surely limit to the statistical probability that a sure percentage of plausible predictions might one sidereal day become true .
A science fiction author may have to look tens or even hundreds of year to find out if their envisage visual sensation of the hereafter is plausible enough to become reality . Even if a fictional prognostication about a future technology is technically workable that does n’t needs mean that it will one day become a reality . Not all technically feasible ideas make good innovation or marketable Cartesian product . Many other factors arrive into play such as the political direction of scientific enquiry , trend in guild , gainfulness of an innovation and the availableness of enquiry funding . certainly there is no way for scientific discipline fabrication and futurist fine art in cosmopolitan to directly shape scientific enquiry and the conception of unexampled technologies . Or is scientific discipline fiction and science much more machine-accessible than we ab initio reckon ?
The famous Russian author Vladimir Nabokov is quoted as saying “ There is no science without fancy and there is no art without fact ” .
Many futurists have recently get down to think about how they can actually regulate the future directly . move such as transhumanism and Humanity+ are investigating way that technology can elevate the human circumstance . The goal is to use applied science to help oneself humans evolve into superior beings that may one day become immortal . Scientists and futurists are now beginning to work together in many enquiry areas including medicine , micro - biology , nanotechnology , unreal intelligence and robotics . The H+ movement play a meaning shift in the steering of scientific research with an increased focus on long term vision and futurism . There has also been a comparable sack in futurism , with more real science and fact going into the art of science fabrication . It seems the combination of scientific discipline and art is a natural and reciprocally good relationship — one that enhance both scientific enquiry and aesthetic vision .
Humanity ’s large scientific discovery have often ensue from imaginative , illusionist and originative thinking , which is also the bedrock of all great art . With the emersion of the transhumanist bowel movement , science and science fiction are step by step moving nearer together , which extend the range and validity of both . Hence it seems sensible that the most raw environs for imaginative scientific research is alongside visionary and futuristic art . creative person can pep up scientists with visual sensation and scientists can inform artists with a deeper technical noesis about the macrocosm . Most importantly the concepts developed by science fiction and futurism can also influence scientist and manoeuver the direction and vision of scientific enquiry .
As a scientist myself I can certainly admit to being importantly influenced by science fiction . As a major Star Trek fan in my geeky teenage year I always wanted a “ Phaser ” . Phasers are irradiation beam gimmick used in the famous sci - fi TV series to either stun foeman , analyze strange phenomena or heal wound . The doctrine of analogy to laser engineering is obvious . Perhaps that is the reason I end up completing a PhD in Laser Physics some twenty years ago .
And even stranger than fiction , I am now involve in two separate enquiry project germinate “ Phaser - same ” equipment . One is the Lightning Gun project which is develop a non - lethal optical maser weapon that can stun human being and neutralize guided missile terror . The other is the Infrared Healthcare project which is developing a optical maser probe that detects and locates a diffused - tissue injury and then heals it with the same optical maser . It might have take 50 years for laser applied science to catch up with Star Trek predictions , but now these two project are within sight of becoming reality . Hence from a personal view I definitely trust in the magnate of science fiction to determine future scientific reality . No doubt there are many more instance of science fable straight influencing the technical vision of scientists and their inquiry .
Recently an educational brass has emerged with the aim of nurturing the relationship between skill and futurism for the causal agent of human organic evolution . The Singularity University in Silicon Valley is a inquiry initiation that is devoted to investigate the many exponential engineering that may dramatically increase human capability . This important educational faculty not only focuses on the essence of applied science on the human consideration — it also render an ideal acquisition environment to instigate tomorrow ’s technology loss leader and fantast . However , institution such as SU are only the first step in the merger of futurism and scientific discipline . The next pace in the evolution of futurist research needs to be more commercially focused , even more inclusive of art , and actually practice an exponential engineering science to accelerate its reach into bon ton .
While adopting a focus on futurism , SU is essentially a scientific research and teaching founding with a futuristic vision . However there are many engineering and design projection that are more immediately commercial in nature . They are not strictly scientific or artistic in nature and not considered appropriate for university enquiry funding . Unfortunately many of these project are also not yet close enough to becoming a commercial-grade reality to draw funding from the traditional investment funds community . Hence these highly creative task often see themselves catch in the space between concept and realism , between experiment and mathematical product , between today and tomorrow .
luckily a fresh exponential technology is now help to meet the crack in funding options for these antecedently un - fundable project . The recent explosion in crowd - support , or the usance of social medium to fund originative projects , is rapidly fill a gap in the funding market . Crowdfunding platform such as Indiegogo and Kickstarter are exponentially growing to replete a immense unmet financial backing recess . Now there is a real commercial option for many imaginative and futuristic task that were antecedently caught in a funding limbo .
But crowd - funding is not as easy as it sounds and there are plenty of ambush for those who figure the crowdfund market unprepared . Furthermore , many of these projects involve some basic infrastructure , professional advice and societal medium mien before they can successfully crowdfund their aspiration into a world . Many originative mass need some initial infrastructure and extra capableness to actualize their ambition . And many science , art and social culture medium professionals need a central facility or platform to exchange share idea .
What is now needed is a link between the donnish work of the Singularity University and the commercial-grade reality of build up a fresh technology or design . What is postulate is an brooder for imaginative skill and futurist art labor that have real commercial voltage . A office where scientists and artists exist in the same environment and can leverage the exponential power of social medium . What is need is a enquiry surroundings where imaginative scientists , artists and social media professional person can animate each other to make tomorrow ’s world . What is need is a commercial-grade incubator to aid skill fable becoming realism .
Now we get to the ultimate point of this discourse . I am presently involved , with several other like - minded scientists and artists , in an effort to build such an brooder environment . We are design to find the Science , Art and Social Media Institute ( or SASM Institute ) as a enquiry incubator for imaginative skill , art and social medium projects .
While the SASM Institute will focus on scientific discipline and applied science just like Singularity University , it will also have a focusing on futurist art , social culture medium and the interplay between all three . Consequently , the ideal location for the SASM Institute will be around 30 mile northwards of Silicon Valley in San Francisco . San Francisco has long been a hub of creative art and now it has emerge as the planetary centre of the social media revolution . We hope to turn the SASM institute from basic construct into a bricks and howitzer reality later this year . We also hope that it will contribute to expound the reach of the futuristics movement . Our vision is to make a commercially viable platform to launch some really unique and illusionist projects . Who knows what is possible when you put a bunch of scientists , artists and social culture medium experts all together in the same building ?
The SASM Institute will rest at the point of intersection of scientific discipline , art and the crew . It will be build on the groovy work set about by the Singularity University and others in the H+ community . It is just one lowly whole step in the phylogeny of Verne ’s futuristics movement and there is so much more that can be done . But perhaps one day soon , futurism may have the direct ability to create future technology alternatively of simply conceiving or prefigure them . When that happens scientific discipline will have truly fuse with art — and social media will have been the exponential applied science that enabled it to happen .
This clause is a call for action to all futurists . We can really shape the future directly instead of just portend it . The SASM Institute already has two science projects , two art projects and a social media project on panel . At this stage I should reveal that the social media task is in fact title “ Big Scary Ideas ! – the Social Media Experiment . ”
If you are a scientist , creative person , futurist or social media professional person who is interested in helping the SASM Institute get off the ground we welcome your involvement . you could contact me directly viaBig Scary Ideasor look for me out on Facebook or Linkedin .
Set phasers to stun and air us down , Scotty !
This clause primitively appeared atBig Scary Ideas .
FuturismSci - FiScience
Daily Newsletter
Get the best technical school , scientific discipline , and civilisation newsworthiness in your inbox daily .
News from the future , drive home to your present .
You May Also Like
