Paul Anlee
When done right, I think sci-fi is the best genre for challenging what you think you know about the universe and your place in it. One reason I write is to shine a bright, rigorous light on the assumptions in our everyday interactions with our world.
In large part, I became a scientist because of my love of science fiction. It made me thin.... more
When done right, I think sci-fi is the best genre for challenging what you think you know about the universe and your place in it. One reason I write is to shine a bright, rigorous light on the assumptions in our everyday interactions with our world.
In large part, I became a scientist because of my love of science fiction. It made me think of a future I hoped to help create. Helping others to create their own visions of the future is another reason I write. Although my specialty was molecular biology and genetics, it was not long before I was involved in the new fields of nanotechnology and synthetic biology.
Western civilization seems to have given up on understanding the complex technology and society we have constructed. I think our current yearning for magical fixes and authoritative leaders comes from feeling lost in complexity. But this yearning for someone to “show us the way,” to provide simple solutions to complex problems, is dangerous to the planet and to all of humanity.
As a scientist/storyteller, I try not to use "magical" explanations as the basis for any of my settings, conflicts, or resolutions. I think long and hard about a plausible scientific rationale for everything important that happens in my stories. If I can't see some way that something could have a natural explanation, I won't use it.
That's quite a challenge in the Deplosion series as I cover quite a range of ideas: a universe evolving naturally from virtual particles; a generated field that changes the natural laws of physics; a way to grow a supercomputer in your head; a combination of artificial intelligence and downloading of a human mind; instantaneous travel throughout the universe; virtual worlds; buildings you grow; genetic engineering for living on different planets; etc.
For each of these, I can conceive of a scientific route that justifies the different technologies in question. Add in political intrigue, religion, philosophy, and human passion and you have the kind of story I enjoy reading. That's what I try to write.