Sci-fi Art versus Science (1).

Science-fiction art is fascinating because it requires our speculative thinking and, ultimately, our creativity. And creativity is, as we all know, the engine of progress. By challenging our prejudices and mental patterns, the art of sci-fi succeeds in pulling us out from the inertia of our daily life, forcing us to ask ourselves questions about the surrounding universe and our purpose as integral parts of it.  

This remarkable performance of sci-fi art is largely based on its claim to have established its credibility. In order to draw our attention and to convince us to grant it some mental space among our thoughts, the sci-fi art presents itself as the expression of a potential reality. It seems to be telling us: „this is a face of the world that you have simply ignored until now” or „look how the world might look like some time from now”.

Therefore, the scientific component is fundamental to the sci-fi art because its entire credibility rests on its shoulders.

But how much science is there in the contemporary sci-fi art ? Or, in other words: does the contemporary sci-fi art rely on any scientific truth or is it just pure fantasy which is craftily packed so as to look like having some objective truth in it ?

The „Prometheus” blockbuster seems to be an excellent case-study for such a debate.