What is soft science fiction?

Soft science fiction focuses on the social and human aspects. It often explores how people interact with new technologies, societies, and ideas. For example, works might deal with how a new form of government in a future society affects individuals' rights and relationships.

Soft science fiction is characterized by its focus on the softer sciences. So, instead of centering on physics or engineering like hard science fiction, it may deal with psychology, sociology, and anthropology. It also tends to be more character - driven. The characters' emotions, motives, and growth are important aspects of the story. Moreover, it often uses speculative science as a tool to comment on current social issues.

Another kind is alien - contact soft science fiction. These stories are more about how humans interact with aliens on a cultural and emotional level rather than the exact scientific aspects of alien biology or technology. 'E.T. the Extra - Terrestrial' is a great example, showing the bond between a boy and an alien.

Soft science fiction often focuses on the social and cultural impacts of scientific or technological changes. For example, it might explore how new communication technologies change relationships or how a new medical discovery affects society's view on life and death.

Soft science fiction can be defined as the type of science fiction that doesn't rely as much on strict scientific accuracy. It's more about using scientific ideas as a backdrop to tell stories about human nature, culture, and society. Stories in this genre may involve time travel, but the focus is less on the mechanics of time travel and more on how it impacts the characters' lives and the world around them.

The Martian leans towards being soft science fiction. It emphasizes the characters' experiences and emotions in a scientifically plausible setting, without delving too deeply into complex technical details.

Avatar was a sci-fi film based on modern biology and physics. It explored the story of humans entering Pandora and establishing civilization there. In the movie, there are many technological and biological differences between the creatures on Pandora and humans. These differences are very different from the biological and technological levels in our real world, so it can be considered a hard science fiction movie.

In soft science fiction, the 'Mission of Gravity' could refer to a story's central task or journey related to the concept of gravity. Maybe it involves a mission to study the effects of gravity in a fictional setting, like a different planet with extreme gravitational forces. It could also be about a group of characters trying to overcome challenges caused by abnormal gravity situations during their exploration or colonization efforts.

One characteristic is its emphasis on human nature and behavior within a fictional social setting. It might deal with topics like power struggles, class differences, and gender roles. Soft social science fiction doesn't usually rely heavily on hard scientific concepts like physics or engineering, but rather on the'soft' sciences such as sociology, anthropology, and psychology. For instance, a story could be set in a future society where a new economic system has been implemented, and the narrative delves into how people adapt to it based on their psychological makeup and social conditioning.

One implication is the exploration of artificial intelligence in a more accessible and fictionalized way. In soft science fiction, transformers can represent our hopes and fears about AI. They can be seen as a metaphor for how technology can both serve and potentially overpower humanity.