That was how Star trek series opened with space ship cruising into the universe. And boy it opened a whole new world. Star trek was a popular TV serial that used to be shown on Sunday noon in 80s. They made movie on it recently and this blogger happen to see it yesterday, though I avoid going for movies this I had to watch. I still prefer the older version (the newer version had to compete with latest technology, in the process many occasions it became more of a video game). It was amazing to see human transferred from place to another by a command. Despite difficulty in understanding I can still recall those names Capt Kirk (the grave looking head of the Star Trek had an astounding affect on me, till then life was about mythology wherein chariots could fly and so on. Star trek brought in science fiction. Science fiction means extrapolation of technological future or postulation of future that is logically consistent. Myth and fantasy based stories had magic or unexplained occurrences that were attributed to mystical powers. It was Arthur Clark who blurred the line of science fiction and science fantasy by introducing magic consist with logic.
I always wondered why science fiction not part of school curriculum?.(Note here science fiction is not same as science and therefore should be handled separately nor is it meant to 
make science interesting- tool of pedagogy. This blogger is arguing science fiction as different stream or additional chapters or exercises to ponder). We didn’t have even a chapter, I assume they don’t have it even now. That is shocking. Infact science fiction is an important understanding. Its implications are significant. They are the guys who predicted airplanes, submarines, spaceships, tanks, cyberspace, robot and so on. How could we ignore them?. Few science fiction writers need be noted here: Isaac Asimov (who first discussed artificial intelligence and made laws for ethical robots: "A robot may not injure humanity, nor, through inaction, allow humanity to come to harm" and so on, became premise for many other science fiction), HG Wells (time travel in Time Machine), Arthur Clark (well known for Space Odyssey-2001 with Kubrick. Speculating on geostationary satellite as also wireless communications, he even wrote time table upto 2010), George Orwell (1984- was about totalitarian future), Mary Shelley (Frankenstein, arguably the first science fiction, was inspired by nightmare she had!!) but it was French writer Jules Verne who is considered father of science fiction. Verne is credited with impressive predictions. His anticipations of the future included the moon landing, the helicopter, air conditioning, automobiles, and even the Internet! (remember it was 19th century). Verne's most famous works include 'Journey to the Center of the Earth,' 'From the Earth to the Moon,' 'Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea,' and 'Around t
he World in Eighty Days.’ Science fiction movies that were immensely popular in recent times include Jurassic park series (Attenborough, you can trust Attenborough brothers for brilliance) was written by Michel Crichton- his understanding on global warming though was more fiction than science!!. Bush administration tried to use him. This blogger is a great fan of science fiction movies (my first few English movie was Terminator, I can’t conceive terminator without
Science fiction need be important part of children’s growth, the understanding of present action/inaction and its probable implication on future for not only himself or herself but the society, the world or the life as we know is what science fiction construct itself on. Children need to understand these, the need for responsible use of science and knowledge. It also is a vicarious experience to a possible world constructed on extrapolating the present, the implications of our actions. Science fiction also provides a space for collective fear on where we are and where we go. The issues facing the world right from social implications of cloning to environmental catastrophes of human actions are important in the education of young generation. Science fiction therefore can be an important tool in understanding technological innovation and social consequences. This helps us to be more vigilant, preparing intuitions not necessarily being paranoid. Don’t know whether to use the word intuition but yes cognitive skills that is more emotional, creative than factual, lacking context. It makes children proactive and instill responsible behavior, it could also give them confidence to be visionaries. It makes them ask realistic questions that are less abstract and more real to the world as they experience and anticipate.
Another aspect
of science fiction is presenting a counter culture, an understanding of societies different from ours or how we could change in future. Implication here is that what we consider as permanent may not be. This helps in preparing us for change, questions traditions and opens new possibility that the present structure cannot even conceive. Science fiction can be an important tool for non fictional forecasting and preparing us for radical changes and tolerant to evolving social institution.
Science fiction as change speculators has the potential to create agents for change. The diversity of choices and multitude of paths it can lead is dependent on choices we make now is what these fiction teaches.
Post script: phew…that was quite exhausting. And so I will have to finish the above with a light hearted incident. Once a journalist inquired Arthur Clarke (one of the greatest science fiction writer who died in 2008. Space elevators anyone?!!), whether he was gay. Clarke replied "No, merely mildly cheerful". Good one!!.
Trivia: Arthur Clarke became a Sri Lankan citizen and was Chancellor of a University for a very long time, he is buried in Colombo.
