Science fiction means what we point to when we say it
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
A common paraphrase from Damon Knight on the tricky matter of defining the science fiction genre.
The complete quotation from Science Fiction Adventures (1952):
That the term 'science fiction' is a misnomer, that trying to get two enthusiasts to agree on a definition of it leads only to bloody knuckles; that better labels have been devised (Heinlein's suggestion, 'speculative fiction', is the best, I think), but that we're stuck with this one; and that it will do us no particular harm if we remember that, like 'The Saturday Evening Post', it means what we point to when we say it.
See also: Classification of Fantasy.
| Fanspeak |
| This is a fanspeak page. Please extend it by adding information about when and by whom it was coined, whether it’s still in use, etc. |
