# Speculative Fiction



## G-borg (Jun 30, 2004)

Who actually coined this phrase?
Does anyone know of links/articles/books about this term?
Thanks


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## Jayaprakash Satyamurthy (Jun 30, 2004)

I am not certain who coined the phrase, although this write-up: http://www.rffutah.org/speculativefiction.html says it was Robert Heinlein, which does seem to be something I've heard elsewhere. But I am fairly certain it was Harlan Ellison who started using it widely, partly because he felt the term 'science fiction' was not broad enough to categorise his own work. 

I have a few sf reference books in my place, I will look them over this weekend and see what else I can come up with.


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## G-borg (Jun 30, 2004)

The encyclopedia of Science Fiction has a very small entry on the term. It says that Heinlein and Eshbach used it in 1947, but that the definition was vaugue.
Surely someone has tried to narrow its definition since then? Or maybe it is in the nature of the term to be vague? But isn't all fiction speculative in some way?


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## Jayaprakash Satyamurthy (Jun 30, 2004)

Yes, as I understand it, the intention of the term, was to create a broader slot into which fantasy, sf and even horror can fit. It is a remarkably vague and broad  term, all in all, and I am not sure whether I am really comfortable with it, personally. It seems to have a slightly pretentious air to it?


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## littlemissattitude (Jun 30, 2004)

The term doesn't really bother me, although from what I understand many people took it up to try to escape the geeky reputation of the term "science fiction", which has always been a bit disreputable in polite company.  I mean, face it, a lot of people think that they only people who read science fiction are fat, socially inept teenage boys with bad skin and glasses reparied with duct tape.  Now, we all know that isn't the case, but I'm always amazed at the number of people who wrinkle their noses as if they have smelled something bad when I mention that I read science fiction.

I think knivesout is correct in his assertion that it was Harlan Ellison who really pushed for the acceptance of the term "speculative fiction".  It makes sense that he would have done.  A lot of his work really doesn't fit the narrower term "science fiction".  Also, Harlan just has to be different; it's in his genetic makeup, I think.  (You understand that this is not a criticism, but just a statement of what seems to be the case.)


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## dwndrgn (Jul 1, 2004)

I'm not sure of the origin of the term but I agree that both Heinlein and Ellison would seem to be the types to do such a thing.

I really dislike the term myself.  If you take it apart and just look at it as a description, it is redundant.  Fiction itself is speculative.  That's not why I have a problem with it.  My problem is that people have latched on to the phrase as a way to 'class up' a genre that has always been sort of the 'red-headed step-child' in the fiction world.  LittleMiss is correct that many people look down on both science fiction and fantasy - horror is generally just left alone, like the guy wandering down the street talking to himself, essentially harmless but nothing really you want to get close to.  So they try and dress it up.  Ugh.  It's too PC for me.

The problem is that people get all hyped up over a name.  A rose is a rose is a rose, and by any other name is still a rose.  I've seen arguments over the fact that 'speculative fiction' is neither science fiction nor fantasy but a melange of intelligent thought about what might happen.  As if regular science fiction or fantasy can't be intelligent.  Narrow-minded brown-nosers trying to justify their enjoyment of a genre that is considered by many to be escapist, anti-literature.  I find that those people who look down on the genres have never delved into it and are just advertising their ignorance.

I'm happy with the terms science fiction and fantasy and don't give a rat's patootie about whether people consider me a geek for enjoying the stuff.  

Ok, so that really didn't answer your quesiton did it?  Well you got my opinion on the subject anyway.  Do with it what you will  .


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## littlemissattitude (Jul 1, 2004)

Well, as I said, the term "speculative fiction" doesn't really bother me.  However, I agree with dwndrgn that it is essentially a way to make science fiction acceptable, and as such is a bit of a cop out.  Personally, I use the term "science fiction" sort of as a badge of honor, as a way to tweak people, and as a way to proclaim to the world that I don't mind being considered a geek or a nerd.  And people sometimes wonder where I get my screen name. 

I also think dwndrgn has a good point about genre literature in general.  I find that people who put it down generally haven't read it.  Fortunately, there are actual university lit classes out there who actually teach it now, and do so without condescension.  A few years ago I took an upper division English class, "Popular Fiction".  And most of what we read (a novel a week, except that we got two weeks to read "Fellowship of the Ring") was either science fiction, fantasy, or detective fiction.  The only non-genre things we read that semester were "Othello" and "Catcher in the Rye".  We read a Kurt Vonnegut novel (something about Mars, but I can't recall the title).  We read a Robert B. Parker "Spenser" novel.  We read Heinlein's "Farnham's Freehold".  We read one of Ellis Peters's "Brother Cadfael" novels.  I can't remember what all else we read; it's been several years since I took the class.  But I remember that it was so cool...we got to talk about genre novels just like all other literature.  And let me tell you, some of the English majors in the class spent some time going through some serious changes over that.  It was really comical.


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## G-borg (Jul 7, 2004)

I agree with what most of you have said about science fiction, but instead of disregarding the term I would rather look at what light it perhaps can shed on the genre.
I found this website http://www.isfdb.org/ if you are interested, but you're probably not


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## Jayaprakash Satyamurthy (Jul 7, 2004)

Oh that's a pretty useful site, G-Borg, no reason we'd not be interested.


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