Sci-fi and reality

[Locke_]

This could reside more in philosophy, but it is in regards to science, real and imaginary. I'm not much of a sci-fi reader, so I figured I could get the input of those who know better. I've wondered lately if perhaps sci-fi isn't directing the path that technology might take in reality.

This robot is old news:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brD5D0ytD04

But I've wondered how many sci fi stories come to mind when one sees it, and I wonder if it's not the imagination of fictional technology that inspires real creations. I won't say prophetic, though there may be cases (like I said, I'm not much of a reader of the genre). Could Big Brother even subconsciously or unwittingly inspire such a creation in the now (or as some may argue, perhaps it has already.)

I don't really know where to go further than this. Could sci fi--in its depictions of dark technological creations--inspire people to strive for that? Could scientists be limited to the imaginations of storytellers? Why would these scientists feel the need to create a humanlike robot? Etc.

[jotabe]

Well, for one, humans find it easier to interface with human-like beings. Say for example, a parking toll machine: you can get mad at them, even hit them. But you will show a lot more restraint with a humanoid machine... i hope

*remembers how people usually treats C3P0*

[LiQingJao]

This could reside more in philosophy, but it is in regards to science, real and imaginary. I'm not much of a sci-fi reader, so I figured I could get the input of those who know better. I've wondered lately if perhaps sci-fi isn't directing the path that technology might take in reality.

This robot is old news:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brD5D0ytD04

But I've wondered how many sci fi stories come to mind when one sees it, and I wonder if it's not the imagination of fictional technology that inspires real creations. I won't say prophetic, though there may be cases (like I said, I'm not much of a reader of the genre). Could Big Brother even subconsciously or unwittingly inspire such a creation in the now (or as some may argue, perhaps it has already.)

I don't really know where to go further than this. Could sci fi--in its depictions of dark technological creations--inspire people to strive for that? Could scientists be limited to the imaginations of storytellers? Why would these scientists feel the need to create a humanlike robot? Etc.

I want to say that sci-fi influences real life technology, but i don't happen to have any hard evidence. I was thinking that i had read some article about this exact topic... I seem to remember that the book 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea was written before the invention of modern submarines, yet he correctly guessed aspects of the submarines that would come later. Admittedly, he ignored the problems that water pressure cause, but his writings on the military possibilities that subs had were oddly accurate.

The wikipedia article on this subject backs up those claim that i just made: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/20000_Leag ... nd_subtext

I also found a recent article on Russian spies in America. They're accused of using steganography to send messages. Very similar to how Petra encoded the message for Bean in Shadow of the Hegemon.

Here's the article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/201 ... linephotos

That happens to be the best evidence i have. It certainly is possible that science is influenced by sci-fi, and it seems that it has happened in the past, but whether it is limited by such texts... I can't fully answer that one.[/u]