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Not convinced of the point that these inventions "come from science fiction", sci-fi popularizes and speculates about the future of current science and technolo

Not convinced of the point that these inventions "come from science fiction", sci-fi popularizes and speculates about the future of current science and technology, it doesn't invent the science and technology. Cell phones have existed in experimental forms since the 1940s[0] so they certainly weren't invented by Gene Roddenberry, he just speculated that they would become smaller and more powerful. Likewise, Stephenson was riffing on the existing technologies of the internet and VR[1][2] by performing the simple trick of asking what happens when these technologies get better, smaller, cheaper and more widely available. Honestly, the speculative part of scifi is the easy part. The credit due these artists is in their fantastic story telling abilities and their world building around the what ifs. They shouldn't get the credit for inventing the technology itself since it a) already existed and b) the notion of it getting better over time is fairly universal and not driven solely by their visions. [0] https://www.openculture.com/2023/01/bell-telephone-launched-a-mobile-phone-during-the-1940s.html https://www.openculture.com/2023/01/bell-telephone-launched-... [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Qe4suqGZmU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Qe4suqGZmU [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfHMSqQKg6s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfHMSqQKg6s

tivert 3y ago
> Not convinced of the point that these inventions "come from science fiction", sci-fi popularizes and speculates about the future of current science and technology, it doesn't invent the science and technology. Cell phones have existed in experimental forms since the 1940s[0] so they certainly weren't invented by Gene Roddenberry, he just speculated that they would become smaller and more powerful. To amplify your point: it's worth noting that the Star Trek communicator was depicted as a compact, extremely long range two-way radio. Cell phones only vaguely resemble them. So even less credit is due to sci-fi.
- ddellacosta 3y ago
  I think it's also the case that multiple concepts end up manifesting in ways that we can't envision or simply don't consider (see Marshall McLuhan). For example, this was also science fiction, but is probably much more relevant than a two-way radio when considering how we use our mobile devices, even if the form factor is far closer to a tricorder: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memex https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memex

tivert 3y ago

> Not convinced of the point that these inventions "come from science fiction", sci-fi popularizes and speculates about the future of current science and technology, it doesn't invent the science and technology. Cell phones have existed in experimental forms since the 1940s[0] so they certainly weren't invented by Gene Roddenberry, he just speculated that they would become smaller and more powerful. To amplify your point: it's worth noting that the Star Trek communicator was depicted as a compact, extremely long range two-way radio. Cell phones only vaguely resemble them. So even less credit is due to sci-fi.

ddellacosta 3y ago
I think it's also the case that multiple concepts end up manifesting in ways that we can't envision or simply don't consider (see Marshall McLuhan). For example, this was also science fiction, but is probably much more relevant than a two-way radio when considering how we use our mobile devices, even if the form factor is far closer to a tricorder: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memex https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memex