Mutopia: Science Fiction and Fantastic Knowledge

The Enlightenments project of establishing scientific proof for the unity of the universe led to the fragmentation of knowledge and the pursuit of knowledge developed a symbiotic association with science fiction. The essays in Mutopia address the relevance of science-fictional imaginations for scientific modeling, critical theory, the deconstruction of the future, the future of religion, the future of nations, the imagination of empire, the construction of aliens, the future of science fiction itself, and the transformation of utopia into mutopia.

Format: Hardback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 01 July 2022
Publisher: Liverpool University Press

The Enlightenment's ambitious endeavor to establish scientific evidence for the unity of the universe ultimately resulted in the fragmentation of knowledge. The once-dominant culture of certainty gave way to a culture of conjecture and speculative supplements as the concept of a unified cosmos transformed into a fragmented tapestry. During this transformative process, the pursuit of knowledge formed an intricate symbiotic relationship with science fiction. While science fiction has frequently provided concrete ideas that have been embraced by the knowledge faculties, it is equally significant to acknowledge how science-fictional counterfactual world-building, often referred to as "science fiction's 'fantastic knowledge,'" has intersected with rational speculation across various fields of knowledge. Consequently, the dream of a fully rational, technologically engineered utopia has evolved into the image of "mutopia," where the objects of knowledge, the process of knowing, and the science-fictional imagination itself are anticipated to undergo continuous transformation.

The essays included in Mutopia explore the relevance of science-fictional imagination for scientific modeling, critical theory, the deconstruction of the future, the future of religion, the future of nations, the imagination of empire, the construction of aliens, the future of science fiction itself, and the transformation of utopia into mutopia. These essays, written over a span of years by a renowned scholar of science fiction, have been revised and expanded for republication in this collection. Additionally, new commentary has been provided to contextualize these essays in a contemporary setting.

Dimension: 239 x 163 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781800854673