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<blockquote data-quote="Zander" data-source="post: 2250950" data-attributes="member: 1364">No, by definition they're fiction. Fantasy is its own genre within the broader category of fiction, just as horror, crime, historical fiction, SF etc are. Fantasy and fiction are not synonymous. &nbsp;It is relevant.&nbsp;A few years ago, there was a protracted debate in Realms of Fantasy magazine about what is fantasy and what is SF (a debate you're no doubt already aware of). The editor concluded that SF is the fiction of ideas while fantasy is the fiction of imagery. The ideas that are fictionalised in SF are normally scientific or technological. As such, they have fictional scientific/technological rationales (which can be termed &quot;pseudo-scientific/pseudo-technological&quot;). Campbell provided just such a pseudo-scientific rationale for mental powers rooting them in SF. &nbsp;When you unstop the the pseudo-scientific/technological bottle, the fiction of ideas replaces the fiction of imagery. Once one thing has a pseudo-scientific basis, why not another? Very soon, everything within a fictional world can be explained pseudo-scientifically and elements that require relatively simple pseudo or even real science and technology become possible. In a world where matter can be manipulated by the electric activity of the brain, there's no reason not to have more mundane science and technology such as telegraphs or even bicycles.&nbsp;I don't know about you but in my game worlds paladins in shiny armour come to the rescue on horses, not bikes. YMMV.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Zander, post: 2250950, member: 1364"] No, by definition they're [I]fiction[/I]. Fantasy is its own genre within the broader category of fiction, just as horror, crime, historical fiction, SF etc are. Fantasy and fiction are not synonymous. It is relevant. A few years ago, there was a protracted debate in [I]Realms of Fantasy[/I] magazine about what is fantasy and what is SF (a debate you're no doubt already aware of). The editor concluded that SF is the fiction of ideas while fantasy is the fiction of imagery. The ideas that are fictionalised in SF are normally scientific or technological. As such, they have fictional scientific/technological rationales (which can be termed "pseudo-scientific/pseudo-technological"). Campbell provided just such a pseudo-scientific rationale for mental powers rooting them in SF. When you unstop the the pseudo-scientific/technological bottle, the fiction of ideas replaces the fiction of imagery. Once one thing has a pseudo-scientific basis, why not another? Very soon, everything within a fictional world can be explained pseudo-scientifically and elements that require relatively simple pseudo or even real science and technology become possible. In a world where matter can be manipulated by the electric activity of the brain, there's no reason not to have more mundane science and technology such as telegraphs or even bicycles. I don't know about you but in my game worlds paladins in shiny armour come to the rescue on horses, not bikes. YMMV. [/QUOTE]

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