1) Definition (CUET-ready)
Science fiction (SF) is a genre of imaginative literature that explores:
- scientific, technological, or speculative possibilities,
- and their implications for humans, society, ethics, and identity.
A CUET-ready formulation:
- SF = speculative narrative grounded in rational/scientific extrapolation (often) and focused on consequences.
The “etc.” suggests inclusion of related speculative forms:
- dystopia/utopia,
- speculative fiction,
- cyberpunk,
- cli-fi (climate fiction),
- alternate history,
- space opera.
2) Core features of science fiction
A) Novum (the “new thing”)
A central change or invention (technology, social system, alien life) that differs from the real world and drives the plot.
B) Cognitive estrangement
SF makes the familiar strange in order to think critically:
- about politics,
- culture,
- humanity,
- and “progress.”
C) World-building
SF constructs coherent alternative worlds with internal logic:
- scientific, social, or historical rules.
3) Major SF subgenres (high-yield)
A) Hard SF
Emphasises scientific plausibility (physics, engineering).