two links: fiction and philosophy

[heresluck]

I read The Nation for many reasons. Here are two of them.

1. This week's issue contains China Miéville's review of J. G. Ballard's Complete Stories. Completely aside from the very interesting account of Ballard's work, the review is notable for Miéville's comments on the question of whether Ballard can or ought to be considered a writer of SF. An

Comments

[thingswithwings]

It is possible that I am already planning to steal that last line to staple to certain colleagues' foreheads.

oh my god, I am right there with you. Right after I send a dozen roses to China Mieville. Thank you for the link!

[shewhomust]

I am baffled by the assertion that "science fiction 'couldn't hold' Ballard". Literary description as restraining device? Yes, and Jacobean drama can't "hold" Shakespeare. Your point being...?

[oracne]

Clearly the claim that SF has nothing meaningful to say and that therefore meaningful fiction cannot be SF is a tautology predicated on a question-begging and evasive conception of genre as canard.

*fans self*