Science fiction in children's literature courses was usually divided into two types: hard science fiction and soft science fiction. Hard science fiction was based on scientific principles and known technological facts. It included some technological settings and worldviews that were contrary to the real world, such as time travel, aliens, superpowers, and so on. These settings needed to have a scientific basis in the novel and needed to be compared and discussed with existing science and technology. Soft science fiction novels, on the other hand, focused more on human nature, society, culture, and other aspects. Their scientific and technological settings were relatively more basic and common, such as " Milky Way Empire " and " Three-Body Problem " novels. Although the characters and technological settings in these novels were based on the real world, their emotions, values, and social systems were different from the real world, so they paid more attention to the discussion of human nature and culture. It is important to note that hard science fiction and soft science fiction are not a strict classification but a relative and subjective classification. Therefore, different readers may have different opinions on which category the same novel is classified into.
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.
The main difference lies in the role of science. In hard science fiction, the scientific elements are central and drive the plot. They are usually based on current scientific knowledge or plausible extrapolations of it. Soft science fiction doesn't depend as much on scientific rigor. It might take a scientific concept like time travel and use it mainly to create an interesting setting for a story about love, friendship, or power struggles within a society.
Soft science fiction typically doesn't rely as much on hard scientific facts. It can be more speculative about the future in terms of how society might change, with only a loose connection to current scientific understanding. It might explore things like new forms of government or how a discovery affects people's beliefs. Hard science fiction is different. It demands a high level of scientific accuracy. Writers of hard science fiction often have a good understanding of fields like physics, biology or astronomy. They use this knowledge to create stories where the science is not just a gimmick but an integral part of the plot. For instance, Arthur C. Clarke's works are full of detailed scientific explanations and his stories are driven by scientific concepts.
Hard science fiction focuses on accurate scientific and technical details. Soft science fiction, on the other hand, might use science more as a backdrop and focus more on characters and social themes.
Hard science fiction focuses on scientific accuracy and often features real scientific concepts like physics, astronomy, etc. For example, 'The Martian' shows detailed scientific knowledge about surviving on Mars. Soft science fiction, on the other hand, is more about the social and human aspects. It might use science - based settings but is mainly concerned with things like relationships and society, like in 'Brave New World' which uses a scientific - based dystopian setting to explore human nature and society.
Hard science fiction focuses a great deal on scientific accuracy and often features concepts like advanced physics, astronomy, or engineering. For example, stories might revolve around interstellar travel based on real scientific theories. Soft science fiction, on the other hand, is more concerned with the social and human aspects. It might use a scientific concept as a backdrop but is mainly about exploring human relationships, ethics, and society. For instance, a story could be set in a future where a new medical technology exists, but it's really about how that technology affects family dynamics.
Soft science fiction usually emphasizes human relationships and emotions within a science - fictional setting. It can play fast and loose with the science part. Take a story about a telepathic society where the mechanics of telepathy are not really explained but the focus is on how it affects human interaction. In contrast, hard science fiction demands a firm grounding in established scientific knowledge. Writers of hard sci - fi do extensive research to ensure their stories' scientific elements are plausible, like in stories about time travel that are based on theoretical physics.
Hard science fiction focuses on scientific facts, theories and technologies. It often involves accurate descriptions of things like physics, astronomy. For example, 'The Martian' shows a lot about space travel and survival based on real scientific knowledge. Soft science fiction, on the other hand, is more about the social and human aspects. It might use science - fiction settings to explore relationships or society, like in 'Brave New World' which focuses on a dystopian society rather than hard science concepts.
Soft science fiction may be more popular among those who are interested in the social and emotional impacts of fictional concepts. It can be easier to get into as it doesn't get bogged down in scientific details. However, hard science fiction has a dedicated following among science enthusiasts and those who like to think about the future of science. Overall, it's hard to say which is more popular as they both have their own niche audiences.
It depends on different audiences. Some people are really into hard science fiction because they love the exploration of real - world scientific concepts. They enjoy stories that are based on solid scientific knowledge. However, soft science fiction also has a large following. Those who are more interested in human nature and social issues might prefer soft science fiction. So, it's hard to say which one is more popular overall.