ABSTRACT
This chapter explores what science fiction is, how it is created, and what it can be good for. Science fiction tells us about the future, but it also tells us about the present. It is a place where we can experience alternate realities, rooted in different approaches for ordering society or affected by the development of new technologies. Beyond box office hauls, book sales, and online binge-watching, science fiction has emerged as a significant influencer on matters of technology and society. Cory Doctorow said science fiction allows authors to bridge some of the time and space problems that can make it hard for people to make good judgments about policy, not just about technology, but also matters such as climate change. He pointed out that science fiction has been influential in policy discussions in universities and law schools.
