At what point.............

[Bluce Ree]

Time travel is not in the realm of "real" right now, yet it is an accepted Scifi trope.

It's based on real theoretical science. Most good sci-fi has, at its base, some form of plausible or unproven scientific theory that is beyond our current capabilities. Sometimes, that science is modified to the absurd to explain the possibility of some technology we see but the basis is still real theoretical science in spite of how far that theory has been stretched.

 

[Illiterati]

I always go back to the idea that to people who are entirely unfamiliar with a technology will see science as magic.

I'm sure that this has been the case with many native peoples having first-time encounters with members of "advanced" cultures.

Anne McCaffrey attempted to explain her telepathic dragons using science: Her dragons were genetically engineered to not only be much larger than their progenitor species, firelizards, but they were also genetically engineered to have their telepathic abilities massively enhanced. Of course, this didn't happen until late in the series, but that was within a book that was a prequel of sorts.

 

[Gatefan1976]

We seem to have lost our way a bit here. (partly my fault I guess)
I did not intend for this to be a discussion on the reality or validity of magic or science in the "real world", but more "at what point does science break and become fantasy" IN TV, Movies etc.

For example:
Star wars
Star Trek
Babylon 5

Each of these shows has a "mystical" element; The force, or Psychic powers for the other 2. SW is generally considered "Space opera", yet ST/B5 are generally considered to be Sci-fi.
Where do you personally draw the line?

 

[shavedape]

We seem to have lost our way a bit here. (partly my fault I guess)
I did not intend for this to be a discussion on the reality or validity of magic or science in the "real world", but more "at what point does science break and become fantasy" IN TV, Movies etc.

For example:
Star wars
Star Trek
Babylon 5

Each of these shows has a "mystical" element; The force, or Psychic powers for the other 2. SW is generally considered "Space opera", yet ST/B5 are generally considered to be Sci-fi.
Where do you personally draw the line?

sci·ence fic·tion
Noun
Fiction based on imagined future scientific or technological advances and major social or environmental changes,
Merriam-Webster

Like others have said in this thread, science fiction involves futuristic/scientifically advanced technology and its impact on humanity. Even movies that seem nothing more than alien monster stories generally involve a form of advanced technology to bring the elements of humans and aliens together in order to play out that story. For instance, the movie Alien is science fiction because not only does it have deep space travel (light speed or more) as an element (brings the humans to the point of meeting up with alien life, your "social" and "environmental change" right there) but it also has the implied element of genetic development of the alien life form (as a weapon), which would fall under the heading of scientifically advanced technology.

As for a more abstract answer to your query, all I can say is when a story (movie, TV show) demands that the viewers continually suspend their disbelief instead of giving rational, scientific explanations for the miraculous things that occur in the story, then it enters the realm of fantasy.

There can be elements of fantasy within a scifi setting, like the fact that in the ST universe the Federation recruitment requirements for women be that they all look like Barbie with big ta-ta's and have a high sex drive. But that's just marginal, nerdish, masturbatory fan boi stuff, it doesn't really change the scifi backbone of the story.

 

[Gatefan1976]

sci·ence fic·tion
Noun
Fiction based on imagined future scientific or technological advances and major social or environmental changes,
Merriam-Webster

Like others have said in this thread, science fiction involves futuristic/scientifically advanced technology and its impact on humanity. Even movies that seem nothing more than alien monster stories generally involve a form of advanced technology to bring the elements of humans and aliens together in order to play out that story. For instance, the movie Alien is science fiction because not only does it have deep space travel (light speed or more) as an element (brings the humans to the point of meeting up with alien life, your "social" and "environmental change" right there) but it also has the implied element of genetic development of the alien life form (as a weapon), which would fall under the heading of scientifically advanced technology.

As for a more abstract answer to your query, all I can say is when a story (movie, TV show) demands that the viewers continually suspend their disbelief instead of giving rational, scientific explanations for the miraculous things that occur in the story, then it enters the realm of fantasy.

There can be elements of fantasy within a scifi setting, like the fact that in the ST universe the Federation recruitment requirements for women be that they all look like Barbie with big ta-ta's and have a high sex drive. But that's just marginal, nerdish, masturbatory fan boi stuff, it doesn't really change the scifi backbone of the story.

Yes, that is what I was looking for Shaved.