Differentiating between fantasy and science fiction
The differences between fantasy and science fiction are not simply time-period. This is especially true with the emergence of alternate history and speculative fiction media. There are a few basic distinctions between the fantasy and science fiction genres.
Many believe that science fiction attempts to address speculations of the future. While science fiction asks the question “what will the future be like?” fantasy asks “what would the world be like with magic in it?” While fantasy stories can take place in many different time periods, science fiction almost always happens in the future. Countless details can help differentiate between fantasy and science fiction. If there is a space ship, it is science fiction. If there is a dragon, it is fantasy. If there is a wizard, it is fantasy. If there is an alien species, it is science fiction.
Fantasy does tend to involve magic and science fiction tends to involve technology. Depending on how it is written or scripted, however, magic and technology are not as easy to articulate. In a science fiction series, mind control could be applied via nanotechnology. In fantasy all one needs is a wizard and any number of impossibilities become possible. In another story mythical animals could be written into a fantasy tale, where the same animals in science fiction would be created by genetic engineering.
There are also many arguments for an unnamed genre of “science fantasy” where there is not even an attempt to explain technology with any plausibility. There are also arguments, especially within steampunk, that magic is simply a less explainable technology. Urban fantasy has been one attempt to reconcile this genre blending, with modern or futuristic tales of fairies and magic. Some people may feel there doesn’t need to be a distinction at all anymore. While the differences may be cosmetic, they are still important to note. e line was more clear and unbroken.