A definition of what Science Fiction is in the 20th Century,

The rapid pace of technology and the advancement of scientific understanding in the past one hundred years are at the backbone for the distinctly twentieth century genre -- science fiction. Such rapid advancement in these fields of technology have opened up literally worlds of possibilities for the future. One hundred years ago the possibility of simply flying from city to city may have seemed nothing more than a distant futuristic dream to most. While a …

…as well. 'If you thought about it, you might see that sf...because they deal with imaginative alternatives to the real world, also frequently offer criticism to that world' (James 3). Science fiction can not help but draw upon the promise of future technology and analyze how it will effect our lives. While this role may be secondary in many science fiction stories, its importance most certainly is not meant by the author to be ignored.