Isaac Asimov and Artificial Intelligence: A Critique of Anti-SF Sentiment
An article by Carlo Pagetti and Anna Stefi on Doppiozero responds to a 28 June 2026 piece in La lettura del Corsera titled "Contro la fantascienza," which criticizes science fiction. The authors argue that the article's stance feels regressive, akin to stepping back over half a century before Darko Suvin's 1979 work "Metamorphoses of Science Fiction" (Italian edition 1983 by Il Mulino). Suvin, a leading scholar of SF, utopia, and imaginary voyages, established a critical framework that the recent article ignores. The piece references H.G. Wells's "The Time Machine" (1895) to illustrate how exploring the future can inadvertently lead to the past. The discussion centers on Isaac Asimov's relevance to artificial intelligence, suggesting that dismissing SF overlooks its profound engagement with technological and philosophical questions.
Key facts
- Carlo Pagetti and Anna Stefi wrote the article on Doppiozero.
- The article responds to 'Contro la fantascienza' published in La lettura del Corsera on 28 June 2026.
- Darko Suvin published 'Metamorphoses of Science Fiction' in 1979 (American edition) and 1983 (Italian edition by Il Mulino).
- H.G. Wells's 'The Time Machine' (1895) originally included a chapter set in the prehistoric past.
- The authors criticize the anti-SF article for being outdated.
- Isaac Asimov is central to the discussion of artificial intelligence in science fiction.
- Suvin is described as the most authoritative critic among scholars of SF, utopia, and imaginary voyages.
- The piece argues that dismissing SF means ignoring its insights into AI and other topics.
Entities
Artists
- Isaac Asimov
- H.G. Wells
Institutions
- Doppiozero
- La lettura del Corsera
- Il Mulino