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Fantasy Commentator, v. 1, issue 11, Summer 1946
Page 271
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FANTASY COMMENTATOR 271 The Far Future of Science-Fiction by Jack Speer (Editorial note: To some of this magazine's readers the phrase "decimal classification" may be new. As might be guessed, however, it refers to a Dewey-like system for classifying all types of imaginative fiction, each one being assigned a given numerical figure. The advantages of such a systematizing scheme are obvious, and, once its minor disadvantages are eliminated, such an index should prove invaluable to collectors and casual readers alike. The most recent draft of this author's system---one of several that have been proposed, incidentally--- may be found in The Acolyte for Winter, 1946; further information may be had by addressing Mr. Speer himself at 4518 16th NE, Seattle 5, Washington. ---A.LS.) But now, on the threshold of 1945, we have finally realized that the future has caught up with us.... It has become increasingly evident that Hugo Gernsback's magazine is becoming the magazine of today, is being outstripped in its fiction by fact. ---the sayings of Saint Assiduity. In the past, predictions have been made that an art form, science, or social idea has reached the limit of its development, only to have later events show the predictions laughably wrong, so often that we tend to suppose that such predictions must always prove false. But there are enough examples in which they have proven true, that we should be cautious about making such assumptions. Let us take the present-day varieties of science-fiction and see what may have happened to them in that far future when science is advanced as far beyond present knowledge as are we beyond that of, say, 1700. For convenience I shall use the categories of my currently revised decimal classification. 10. The Supernatural: This group is beyond the scope of this article but a word may be said. Stories which are frankly contrary to accepted belief will continue to be written and enjoyed regardless of the advance of science. But increase of knowledge and dissemination of the scientific way of thinking may attenuate the link which still binds our emotions to such imaginary occurrences---the thought that for all we know, such stories just might be true; at least there are many literate people who do believe in such things. Weird fiction will probably become assimilated to pure fantasy as far as material is concerned, and the light-headed Unknown-ish type of fantasy may predominate. 31. Extrapolations on Geography and Geology: Our stories of imaginary countries in Europe and Asia are based more upon the incompleteness of the common readers' education than upon actual gaps in our geographic knowledge. Educational advances which we may hope for, together with photographic mapping of the entire world, must banish the possibility of any large-scale isolated civilizations on the earth's surface. It may be noted that already the hidden lands which Tarzan is continually finding in Africa have passed into improbability approaching pure fantasy. As for geological extrapolations, tales of life at the center of the earth must presently be relegated to the flatly impossible (if we are to accept that degree of certainty in science which justifies calling ideas impossible---as that the moon is made of green cheese). Subterranean life, on the other hand, will be a continuing if far-fetched possibility; we will probably have other worlds to map before we get around to ascertaining the extent of caverns all over the earth. And undersea civilizations, either of the glass-dome or water-breathing types, will be good for many generations of hacks. 32. Dimensional: It probably won't be possible to disprove the existence of other planes of being, since it is unlikely that we shall ever invent means to go and see. Authors may therefore continue to ring the changes on Other
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FANTASY COMMENTATOR 271 The Far Future of Science-Fiction by Jack Speer (Editorial note: To some of this magazine's readers the phrase "decimal classification" may be new. As might be guessed, however, it refers to a Dewey-like system for classifying all types of imaginative fiction, each one being assigned a given numerical figure. The advantages of such a systematizing scheme are obvious, and, once its minor disadvantages are eliminated, such an index should prove invaluable to collectors and casual readers alike. The most recent draft of this author's system---one of several that have been proposed, incidentally--- may be found in The Acolyte for Winter, 1946; further information may be had by addressing Mr. Speer himself at 4518 16th NE, Seattle 5, Washington. ---A.LS.) But now, on the threshold of 1945, we have finally realized that the future has caught up with us.... It has become increasingly evident that Hugo Gernsback's magazine is becoming the magazine of today, is being outstripped in its fiction by fact. ---the sayings of Saint Assiduity. In the past, predictions have been made that an art form, science, or social idea has reached the limit of its development, only to have later events show the predictions laughably wrong, so often that we tend to suppose that such predictions must always prove false. But there are enough examples in which they have proven true, that we should be cautious about making such assumptions. Let us take the present-day varieties of science-fiction and see what may have happened to them in that far future when science is advanced as far beyond present knowledge as are we beyond that of, say, 1700. For convenience I shall use the categories of my currently revised decimal classification. 10. The Supernatural: This group is beyond the scope of this article but a word may be said. Stories which are frankly contrary to accepted belief will continue to be written and enjoyed regardless of the advance of science. But increase of knowledge and dissemination of the scientific way of thinking may attenuate the link which still binds our emotions to such imaginary occurrences---the thought that for all we know, such stories just might be true; at least there are many literate people who do believe in such things. Weird fiction will probably become assimilated to pure fantasy as far as material is concerned, and the light-headed Unknown-ish type of fantasy may predominate. 31. Extrapolations on Geography and Geology: Our stories of imaginary countries in Europe and Asia are based more upon the incompleteness of the common readers' education than upon actual gaps in our geographic knowledge. Educational advances which we may hope for, together with photographic mapping of the entire world, must banish the possibility of any large-scale isolated civilizations on the earth's surface. It may be noted that already the hidden lands which Tarzan is continually finding in Africa have passed into improbability approaching pure fantasy. As for geological extrapolations, tales of life at the center of the earth must presently be relegated to the flatly impossible (if we are to accept that degree of certainty in science which justifies calling ideas impossible---as that the moon is made of green cheese). Subterranean life, on the other hand, will be a continuing if far-fetched possibility; we will probably have other worlds to map before we get around to ascertaining the extent of caverns all over the earth. And undersea civilizations, either of the glass-dome or water-breathing types, will be good for many generations of hacks. 32. Dimensional: It probably won't be possible to disprove the existence of other planes of being, since it is unlikely that we shall ever invent means to go and see. Authors may therefore continue to ring the changes on Other
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