In many ways, science fiction writers are futurologists as they imagine technologies that have not been invented yet. They somtimes get it wrong, but often their predictions are truly inspired. In fact, they may even have a hand in shaping the future as their ideas are turned into reality by a generation who grew up reading their stories. As futurist Ross Dawson has observed, “Fiction about the future whets our appetite for new technologies. It is how we discover what it is we truly want, driving new developments.” As the pace of change continues to increase, a statement by scientist and sci-fi author Isaac Asimov rings truer than ever: “It is change, continuing change, inevitable change, that is the dominant factor in society today. No sensible decision can be made any longer without taking into account not only the world as it is, but the world as it will be.
