On Science Fiction by Isaac Asimov – Summary, Q&A, MCQs

Open / Close contents

Summary of the Chapter

In this essay Isaac Asimov traces the roots and scope of science fiction. He argues that real science fiction arises after societies recognise science and technology as forces that shape the future — a change that became clear only after the Industrial Revolution. Earlier stories of wonder served the same emotional need but were set in a prescientific universe ruled by gods, magic and myth. Asimov explains that modern science fiction differs because it rests on impersonal laws of nature that writers extrapolate to imagine new possibilities. He also defends the wide reach of science fiction, showing it can include varied genres and even fair mysteries if the writer sets clear rules for their imagined societies.

Explanation of the Chapter

1. Why science fiction is modern

Asimov explains that science fiction depends on the belief that science and technology drive change. Before people noticed rapid scientific progress, stories of wonder used gods or magic. Only when science began to shape daily life could writers imagine futures grounded in natural laws rather than supernatural wills.

2. Prescientific tales and their function

Myths and legends offered similar emotional satisfaction: awe, escape, and a sense of wonder. They pictured superhuman beings or magical tools to explain forces people could not control. Asimov stresses that these tales met the same human longing for marvels, though set in a different explanatory framework.

3. The shift from magic to law

Modern SF replaces gods with impersonal laws of nature. Instead of spells, characters use scientific understanding to alter their world. This change requires writers to think about plausible extrapolation — what could happen if known laws were taken further.

4. Genre blending and background

Asimov shows that any story—sports, Westerns or deep literary fiction—can become science fiction simply by changing its background (e.g., a space station for a sports match). The essence of a story remains while the background adds speculative elements.

5. Science fiction mysteries — rules and pitfalls

Science fiction mysteries are possible but demanding. Writers must set clear boundary conditions for their imagined societies so the reader sees every clue that the investigator sees. Sloppy or implausible use of 'science' can ruin the fairness of a mystery.

Difficult Words and Meanings

Word	Meaning (short)
prescientific	Belonging to a time before modern science
prehistoric	Very old; before recorded history
whimsical	Playfully odd or unpredictable
travesty	A distorted or exaggerated imitation
extrapolate	Infer future outcomes from known facts
turgid	Overly complex, swollen in style
outré	Unusually odd or unconventional
misdirection	Deliberate distraction from the truth
red herring	A false clue meant to mislead
cajole	Persuade gently with flattery
enchantments	Magical spells
boundary conditions	Limits that define what is allowed
senescence	State of becoming old or declining
impersonal	Not influenced by personal feelings
extrapolation	The act of projecting known data forward

Textbook Questions & Answers

1. (From 'Stop and Think') What is the parallel drawn between myths and legends of the past and science fiction?

Category: Short Answer (50–60 words)

Answer: Asimov compares both forms as attempts to depict life beyond our everyday experience. Myths used gods and magic to explain the strange; science fiction uses scientific ideas. Both satisfy the human desire for wonder by imagining powers or worlds different from our own, though their explanatory frameworks differ.

2. (From 'Stop and Think') What gives science fiction its validity?

Category: Very Short Answer (30–40 words)

Answer: Science fiction’s validity comes from its basis in scientific laws and technological change. It imagines futures by extrapolating from real science, so its speculation rests on the idea that science and technology shape the future.

3. (From 'Understanding the Text') How does Asimov establish that John Campbell was wrong in his opinion that science fiction mysteries cannot be fair?

Category: Long Answer (160–180 words)

Answer: Asimov counters Campbell by explaining that a science fiction mystery can be fair if the writer clearly defines the rules and limits of the imagined society. In any good mystery, the reader must have access to the same clues as the detective. Science fiction adds new tools or principles, but those must be explained and kept consistent so the reader can follow and reason. Asimov points out that using sudden, unexplained scientific devices (a fanciful 'Q-ray') would be unfair, but careful extrapolation of known science is acceptable. He also notes that many classical mysteries already use scientific knowledge that readers may not know, and that does not make them unfair. The difficulty for SF mystery writers lies in understanding real science sufficiently to extrapolate plausibly; errors or implausible leaps can break the reader’s trust. Asimov defends his own SF mysteries as examples that follow the rules and remain fair to the reader, showing that Campbell’s claim was too pessimistic.

4. (From 'Understanding the Text') What are the pitfalls that the writer of a science fiction mystery must guard against?

Category: Short Answer (50–60 words)

Answer: Authors must avoid using unexplained science or sudden rule changes that give the investigator unfair advantages. They must know the science well enough to extrapolate plausibly, set clear boundary conditions for the imagined society, and ensure all clues are available to the reader to preserve the mystery’s fairness.

5. (From 'Stop and Think') Which literary works does the author have in mind when he refers to ‘Open Sesame’ or the concept of winged horses or flying carpets?

Category: Very Short Answer (30–40 words)

Answer: Asimov refers to ancient myths and tales such as the Arabian Nights (e.g., ‘Open Sesame’), and classical myths featuring winged horses and flying carpets — traditional stories that used magic to achieve wonder.

Extract-Based MCQs (5 extracts × 3 questions)

"I have often made the point that true science fiction is a creature of the last two centuries."

According to the extract, science fiction is mainly a product of which period?
- a) Ancient times
- b) The last two centuries
- c) The Middle Ages
- d) Prehistoric era
Answer: b) The last two centuries
Why does Asimov place science fiction in this period?
- a) Because myths stopped being read
- b) Because scientific change became noticeable
- c) Because technology regressed
- d) Because of religious reforms
Answer: b) Because scientific change became noticeable
'Creature' in this context most nearly means:
- a) A living monster
- b) A modern invention or form
- c) A mythical hero
- d) A biological species
Answer: b) A modern invention or form

"The goals of these ancient stories are the same as those of modern science fiction—the depiction of life as we don’t know it."

What shared goal do ancient stories and modern SF have?
- a) To teach history
- b) To depict life as we don't know it
- c) To provide scientific facts
- d) To record laws
Answer: b) To depict life as we don't know it
Which phrase best captures 'life as we don’t know it'?
- a) Ordinary life
- b) Imagined or strange life
- c) Everyday routine
- d) Historical life
Answer: b) Imagined or strange life
The extract suggests that ancient stories and SF both aim to produce:
- a) Economical forecasting
- b) Wonder and imagination
- c) Legal codes
- d) Travel guides
Answer: b) Wonder and imagination

"There may be misdirection and red herrings to obscure and confuse, but it must remain possible for the reader to introduce the investigator."

What must remain possible in a good mystery?
- a) The reader is left clueless
- b) The reader can follow and solve
- c) The writer can change rules midway
- d) The investigator hides clues
Answer: b) The reader can follow and solve
'Red herrings' are:
- a) Genuine solutions
- b) Deliberate false clues
- c) Types of fish
- d) Science devices
Answer: b) Deliberate false clues
The phrase 'introduce the investigator' most nearly means:
- a) Hide the detective
- b) Let the reader think like the detective
- c) Replace the detective
- d) Remove all suspects
Answer: b) Let the reader think like the detective

"Science fiction is a literary universe of no mean size because science fiction is what it is, not through its content but through its background."

What, according to the extract, defines science fiction?
- a) Only its characters
- b) Its background and setting
- c) Only its plot
- d) Its length
Answer: b) Its background and setting
The phrase 'no mean size' here means:
- a) Small and insignificant
- b) Considerable or large
- c) Of poor quality
- d) Narrowly focused
Answer: b) Considerable or large
Changing the background of a story can:
- a) Make it non-fiction
- b) Turn it into science fiction
- c) Remove all meaning
- d) Make it unreadable
Answer: b) Turn it into science fiction

"I don’t even ask that they be wrenched out of context and somehow be made to fit the universe of reality by being given a scientific or pseudoscientific gloss."

What does Asimov say about prescientific tales being 'made to fit' reality?
- a) They must be altered to match science
- b) He does not demand they be forced into modern science
- c) They are worthless
- d) They should be banned
Answer: b) He does not demand they be forced into modern science
'Pseudoscientific gloss' refers to:
- a) A truthful scientific explanation
- b) A fake scientific-sounding explanation
- c) A type of writing style
- d) A grammar rule
Answer: b) A fake scientific-sounding explanation
Asimov's attitude toward prescientific stories is:
- a) Dismissive and contemptuous
- b) Accepting if they are self-consistent and well-written
- c) Indifferent
- d) Hostile
Answer: b) Accepting if they are self-consistent and well-written

Practice MCQs — 15 Challenging Questions

According to Asimov, why did true science fiction only become possible after about 1800?
- a) Because printing became common
- b) Because the Industrial Revolution made scientific change noticeable
- c) Because myths faded away
- d) Because authors learned new styles
Answer: b) Because the Industrial Revolution made scientific change noticeable
Which element differentiates a prescientific tale from science fiction?
- a) Use of gods and magic vs laws of nature
- b) Length of the story
- c) Presence of heroes
- d) Language style
Answer: a) Use of gods and magic vs laws of nature
Asimov argues that myths and SF both satisfy:
- a) Political needs
- b) The longing for wonder
- c) Practical instruction
- d) Religious doctrine
Answer: b) The longing for wonder
What does Asimov call necessary for a fair SF mystery?
- a) Explaining boundary conditions clearly
- b) Hiding clues from the reader
- c) Using impossible science
- d) Keeping the setting identical to Earth
Answer: a) Explaining boundary conditions clearly
The phrase 'background' in the essay primarily refers to:
- a) Characters' clothing
- b) The imagined society or setting
- c) The author's biography
- d) The book's cover art
Answer: b) The imagined society or setting
When Asimov mentions 'Open sesame' and flying carpets, he is illustrating:
- a) Modern technology examples
- b) Prescientific methods achieving wonder
- c) Names of novels
- d) Scientific experiments
Answer: b) Prescientific methods achieving wonder
Asimov warns against which danger in SF mysteries?
- a) Overuse of adjectives
- b) Making detectives too powerful via unexplained tech
- c) Having too few suspects
- d) Using historical settings
Answer: b) Making detectives too powerful via unexplained tech
Which of the following best expresses Asimov’s view on older mythic tales?
- a) They are irrelevant
- b) They are poor literature
- c) They can be enjoyable if self-consistent and well-written
- d) They must be rewritten
Answer: c) They can be enjoyable if self-consistent and well-written
Changing the setting of a story to a space station would:
- a) Remove any genre identity
- b) Make a sports story into science fiction too
- c) Make it non-fiction
- d) Make it unreadable
Answer: b) Make a sports story into science fiction too
'Extrapolate' in Asimov's context most nearly means:
- a) Forget known facts
- b) Extend known science to imagine plausible futures
- c) Invent false history
- d) Copy myths exactly
Answer: b) Extend known science to imagine plausible futures
Why does Asimov mention errors by mystery writers in scientific details?
- a) To mock all mystery writers
- b) To show that scientific mistakes can spoil plots
- c) To praise careless writing
- d) To encourage more mythic elements
Answer: b) To show that scientific mistakes can spoil plots
Which quality does Asimov find valuable in prescientific tales?
- a) Their scientific accuracy
- b) Their self-consistency and excitement
- c) Their short length
- d) Their modern vocabulary
Answer: b) Their self-consistency and excitement
A story remains the same in nature when:
- a) Its background changes but core content stays
- b) Its author changes
- c) It is translated
- d) Its title is altered
Answer: a) Its background changes but core content stays
Asimov’s reference to 'laws of nature' emphasizes:
- a) Supernatural control
- b) Predictable, impersonal rules governing phenomena
- c) Randomness only
- d) Religious doctrine
Answer: b) Predictable, impersonal rules governing phenomena
Which of these would Asimov most likely accept in a story?
- a) Sudden, unexplained Q-ray devices
- b) Devices explained within clear rules of the world
- c) Changing laws halfway through
- d) No explanation at all
Answer: b) Devices explained within clear rules of the world

Extra Questions (Q&A)

What main change in society made science fiction possible?
Answer: The growth of scientific and technological change visible within human lifetimes — notably after the Industrial Revolution — made people see science as a force that shapes the future.
How are myths and science fiction alike?
Answer: Both aim to present life beyond everyday experience and satisfy a human desire for wonder, using different explanatory frameworks — magic for myths, scientific laws for SF.
Why does Asimov defend older fantasy stories?
Answer: He argues they can be enjoyed if self-consistent and well-written; dismissing them simply because they lack scientific realism would be shortsighted.
What must writers do when introducing new scientific ideas?
Answer: They must explain limits and boundary conditions so readers understand what can and cannot be done in that world.
Give one reason why SF mysteries are difficult to write.
Answer: Because authors must both understand the science and maintain fair-play rules so readers have access to necessary clues without surprise rule changes.
How does changing a story’s background affect its genre?
Answer: Placing the same content in a speculative background (e.g., a distant planet) can make it science fiction while preserving the story’s core.
What warning does Asimov give about sloppy scientific detail?
Answer: Mistakes or impossible claims in scientific detail can spoil credibility and reduce the reader’s trust in the plot.
What does Asimov mean by 'self-consistent' stories?
Answer: Stories that stick to their own internal rules and do not violate the logic of their invented world.

Sunday, November 16, 2025