Comments on: Asimov, Heinlein and Virgil https://www.isegoria.net/2015/07/asimov-heinlein-and-virgil/ From the ancient Greek for equality in freedom of speech; an eclectic mix of thoughts, large and small Tue, 12 May 2026 23:05:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.6.1 By: Lu An Li https://www.isegoria.net/2015/07/asimov-heinlein-and-virgil/comment-page-1/#comment-2351145 Lu An Li Wed, 29 Jul 2015 15:24:13 +0000 http://www.isegoria.net/?p=38477#comment-2351145 Asimov, Heinlein, and L. Sprague De Camp all working together on scientific projects at the Philadelphia Naval Yard during WW2? Maybe there is some credence to the Philadelphia Experiment after all? Sounds absurd, I know, but who knows?

]]> By: Isegoria https://www.isegoria.net/2015/07/asimov-heinlein-and-virgil/comment-page-1/#comment-2351105 Isegoria Wed, 29 Jul 2015 13:50:46 +0000 http://www.isegoria.net/?p=38477#comment-2351105 I cited Wright’s explanation of science fiction versus fantasy in The Point of Disbelief:

The separation of fantasy from science fiction is merely the difference in the craft of verisimilitude used. Fantasy impersonates the tone and style, the tropes and details of medieval and ancient songs, epics and folktales. Unearthly and unbelievable things can happen in Middle-Earth, provided they seem to happen in the same mood and atmosphere as ORLANDO FURIOSO or LE MORTE D’ARTHUR. If the mood is not broken, the audience will accept the illusion as real.

Science Fiction impersonates science. The science does not need to be real, but it needs to produce a realistic illusion. Time Travel, or Faster-Than-Light drive, are both as fantastical as Santa’s Elves: but, in the communal imagination of SF, they are assumed to be the product of scientific investigation, built in a workshop or lab, produced by the same ingenuity as Robert Fulton or the Wright Brothers.

]]> By: Exfernal https://www.isegoria.net/2015/07/asimov-heinlein-and-virgil/comment-page-1/#comment-2351069 Exfernal Wed, 29 Jul 2015 12:48:58 +0000 http://www.isegoria.net/?p=38477#comment-2351069 Is there any rationale for making the distinction between science fiction and fantasy? Fantasy doesn’t have the requirement of internal consistency, science fiction is deemed bad science fiction if it does the same.

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