Science fiction often tells us more about social attitudes and anxieties than science itself, and can be a spur for debate about everything from genetics to consciousness, from war to climate change.
Scifi can move people to engage in science, inspiring young people to become scientists, and encouraging the general public to debate the consequences of science for society. It can also frighten us, making us wary of new technology and its unintended consequences. Is this all to the good, or does scifi skew our understanding of science?
These are just some of the questions addressed in this video from the Institute for Ideas in London, England. The program, entitled “From Star Wars to the Battle of Ideas,” debates and talks with scientists and filmmakers discussing the links between scifi/fantasy and the real world of ideas.
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