In his article discussing the future of science fiction, Chown says that some writers fear that “science - and its handmaiden, technology - are changing so fast that it is impossible for science fiction to keep up” (Chown 46-49). It is true that the
“furious pace of scientific discovery is making the future ever harder to predict”
(Chown 46-49). Science fiction writers cannot accurately predict the future because technology changes so rapidly that it is hard to imagine future achievements. Every discovery can lead to unexpected consequences. In the Golden Age, science and technology did not catch up with the pace of science fictions and caused
disappointment. Prospects and hopes were aimed high when science fiction emerged with technological development which flourished in the 19th century. Science and technology are so unpredictable that a tiny change can result in huge impacts.
However, science fiction writers have followed a predictable path in recent years.
Writers are running out of new ideas that can surpass previous works. Some pessimistic writers claim that science fiction “is dead - or, if not dead, in terminal decline” (Chown 46-49). Realizing the possible declination of science fiction, Chown states that “it is going to be even harder for science fiction writers to predict the technological developments which will transform our lives” (Chown 46-49). In an interview, science fiction and Doctor Who writer, Paul Cornell, comments on the concept of good science fiction and the remake RoboCop film (2014). He says that “a great science fiction [story is] always a form of satire about what’s happening right now” (Cornell & Savy). Although a story may be set in the far future, “it is often about the here and now rather than the future” (Chown 46-49). In recent years, science fictions (especially in science fiction films) become the battlegrounds of scientific competitions in order to surpass the previous works and to appeal the readers. Cornell says that the original RoboCop (1987) was full of satire but he fears
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that the remake is “replacing some sharp points with action movie” (Cornell & Savy).
He observes that science fiction doesn’t “have enough new ideas” when reinventing old ones (Cornell & Savy). Science fiction seems to encounter a dilemma that writers have to keep changing their portrayal of technology in the stories in order to keep it new. Although the writers try to put fresh ideas into their works, they might encounter the difficulties of envisioning the possible futures due to the rapid changes of
technology. Even though the writers can freely picture their imaginary worlds as Gibson suggests, they still struggle to find new ideas that are more unique and original.
With the highly-developed technology and science over the years, the
exploration of science fiction ideas is set particularly outward. In other words, high-tech is excessively used to create these possible worlds and futures. The emphasis is more on its spectacle of technological achievements rather than its impact on human beings. In 1957, Soviet Union launched the first artificial satellite, Sputnik, and marked the beginning of the space race between Soviet Union and United States (Boyle). Since the space race, we can find that the exploration or the expedition is the result of collective human desires. The ambition to explore the unknown has grown stronger since then. Although science fiction cannot be viewed as the fortune-teller of our future lives, it surely can broader our views toward the future. David Seed also says that the “futures represented in SF embody its speculative dimension” (Seed 2).
Some of these possible futures might be fulfilled with the enhancement of the
technology. Google Glass, launched in 2012, made the computer smaller enough to be wearable in order to get faster and direct access to internet. Samsung started to test new contact lenses with computer inside. In the science fiction series—Continuum, the Protectors (“cybernetically-enhanced” police officers) of the city are implanted with small chips in order to access the information from the database (O’Neill). They
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have “built-in tech that can tell if you are lying or can identify different people's DNA by sight” (O’Neill). Their vision is combined with computers and can easily
investigate any case by uploading and downloading every detail. Although this technology is set in 2077, the prospect might be accomplished somehow by the ambition of human desires.
Most science fiction stories tend to look forward into the future instead of looking backward. That is, science fiction writers try to come up with the most innovative ideas in order to avoid clichés and old themes. The stories may easily end up with technological competitions between the writers who try to reach the top before others. Doctor Who chooses not to overemphasize scientific accuracy but to examine closely in humanity and its changes. The freedom of going anywhere in time and space “enable[s] a seemingly inexhaustible series of new texts to be generated”
(Roberts 274). With this premise, many episodes deal with historical events and how these events interact with or are affected by humans. Human activities and impacts are scattered everywhere into time and space during human evolution. This unceasing interaction between humans and the environment breaks the boundaries of different species and challenges the nature and qualities of human beings. The spontaneous journeys of the Doctor demonstrate the flexibility of interactions with the world.
Doctor Who examines the fundamental problems of human beings through the fluidity
of human identities, bodies and qualities, not through technology-centered plot. The journeys of the Doctor may be driven by himself, unknown forces, or unexpectedly, by the TARDIS. The Doctor likes to explore new destinations and sometimes he enjoys asking his companions to choose their destinations. He said to one of his companion: “[A]ll of time and space, everything that ever happened or ever will - where do you want to start?” (Moffat). The seemingly out-bounded exploration becomes retrospective when the adventures encounter different forms of life and‧ 國
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different aspects of humanity.
In order to keep the genre fresh, we have to bear in mind that “science fiction, rather than dying, is changing” (Chown 46-49). Chown notices that science fiction
“themes have infiltrated mainstream fiction” and it “has morphed into a multitude of forms” in recent years (Chown 46-49). Thus, we can say that science and technology are so common that humans can hardly escape their influences. Human beings
change, so does science fiction. “Science fiction is the literature of change… [a]s long as change is an integral part of our lives, science fiction is likely to survive” (Chown 46-49). Science fiction can continue to live on only by creating hybrid ideas and visions through the experiences of technological impacts. Although innovations keep it alive, science fiction still need to come back to its valuable purpose—to show the consequences of the explorations, how we deal with these changes and “the impact on humanity” (Cornell & Savy). By examining the changes in science fiction, human beings may find themselves evolving with it and have the opportunity to re-value these changes of human legacies.
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Chapter Three
Transhuman Dilemma: Metamorphosis of Humanity
Through the history of science fiction, many authors have often hoped to create imaginary worlds and ideas that no one has ever conceived. However, the stories may lose their depth and impact when the focuses are just on technologies without
reflecting our current conditions. In other words, science fiction stories may become a tool of showing off innovative technologies when the examination and focus are no longer on human impacts and consequences. With rapid growth of technological influences and exposure, imaginary future technologies in science fictions may be appreciated by the viewers because we live in a world built on technology (tools, machines, and computers). Most people are now experiencing the advantages of technology because it brings convenience and other benefits. The advancement of medical science and pharmacology alleviates pains from diseases and aging. In Only
Human, after having a basic understanding of the future people of Osterberg, the
Doctor explains to Rose that they “introduced genes that cure almost everything, with regular updates sprayed out to keep everyone healthy” (Only Human 88). As a result, the Osterbergers all wear badges that eliminate what is described in the novel as their“wrong-feelings”.
The surface observer—Reddy—tells Rose how they all feel about the “wrong-feelings” and the disturbing emotions. He says lightly: “Why disagree when you can party?” (Only Human 105). Eliminating the downsides of natural aging is rather tempting because the advancements tend to make us feel better. After kidnapping the Doctor, Chantal alters his body condition by chemistry so the Doctor may not feel any
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“wrong-feeling” again. To his surprise, the Doctor feels good about his contentment and calmness (Only Human 132-33). People tend to choose those feelings that are comfortable instead of those disturbing ones although sometimes these disturbing feelings can trigger us to strive harder. People embrace the transhuman idea of improving the inconvenience while worrying the side effects and consequences of these modifications. Transhumanism is criticized for being too optimistic toward the combination of humans and technology. Cory Doctorow views techno-optimism as
“an ideology that embodies the pessimism and the optimism above: the concern that technology could be used to make the world worse, the hope that it can be steered to make the world better” (Doctorow). Nevertheless, the optimism toward the
technology-enhanced future keeps society looking forward. This optimism toward a better future is practiced by transhumanists who try their best to call for freedom of human bodies. As a result, they over-emphasize the good side of enhancing human bodies with new technologies. When discussing transhumanism, issues of morality are definitely involved. It is hard to avoid any judgment during the debates; however, this chapter is going to focus on the transformation of humans and its possible definitions.
In order to understand human nature, we might want to start with the definition of humans and then we can move on to transhumanism and its metamorphosis.