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Arts & Humanities > Fantasy & Science Fiction The difference between science fiction and fantasy: 4 of 24

In analyzing the differences between these genres, and their similarities, let us first acknowledge the huge amount of variety in both. Fantasy is not limited to Tolkien, nor sci-fi to Star Trek. Fantasy stories can exist without magic or elves, and sci-fi can exist without space travel or aliens. If we're going to answer th...
Arts & Humanities > Philosophical Concepts Is this a perfect world: 11 of 48

There are two objections that I frequently hear to the idea of a perfect world. The first is that the world is not or cannot be perfect, and the second is that the world should not be perfect. Both often involve descriptions of what a perfect world would be like, which usually amounts to there being no war or violence, no cr...
Arts & Humanities > Writing Tips How to write an artificial language: 1 of 4

I am a science-fiction writer with an interest in linguistics, and my primary intention in writing this article is to help other writers who need to create the basics of a fictional language for an alien species. But alas, within that very first sentence we come across the first error that so many sci-fi authors make. Humans...
Arts & Humanities > Writing Tips Tips for finding story ideas: 14 of 49

One of the most common questions asked of any writer is probably where they get their ideas. The creation of a new idea is seen by many as a sort of mystical event, where an author can strain for days trying in vain to come up with an idea, until sometime after they've already given up they're struck by insight by a gen...
Arts & Humanities > Writing Tips How to create interesting characters: 9 of 31

In considering how to create interesting characters, we must of course first determine what makes a character interesting. Is it realism? Or perhaps conflict? Or uniqueness? Or is it complexity? Let us examine each of these, in turn. Does realism help make a character interesting? For a character to be realistic means, of co...
Pets & Animals > Dogs (Other) Should restaurants allow dogs in with their owners?: 6 of 15

I am not a dog owner and, while I do like dogs, I don't have any plans to own one in the future. I do not feel that the addition of dogs would improve my dining experience in a restaurant, and I do not think the rights of dog owners are being infringed upon by keeping dogs out. But when someone asks whether something should ...
Relationships & Family > Gay & Lesbian Issues Being gay as a choice: 7 of 14

If you ask the average gay man or lesbian this question, you are likely to receive a forceful "no!" in addition to a stern lecture on why being gay couldn't possibly be a choice. I fully understand the reason for this passion and I don't exactly disagree, but I believe that it's misguided. Consider for a moment: why does it ...
Religion & Spirituality > Religion & Spirituality (Other) Can God and Darwinism coexist?: 64 of 109

I see no reason that the existence of a god or gods and the existence of evolution should be seen as mutually exclusive. However, it makes sense that people who believe in evolution often become atheists or agnostics. I myself am an atheist and an evolutionist. The reason is not that evolution rules out the existence of gods...
Arts & Humanities > Writing Tips Fiction-writing: The importance of character flaws: 3 of 5

All writers seem to agree: characters who are not flawed are boring, and your readers will fail to relate to them. I agree that these statements are essentially true in most cases, but let us analyze why this is the case and how we can apply this knowledge to the craft of fiction. What precisely is a flaw? Here is where we m...
Computers & Technology > Hardware (Other) RAM explained: 6 of 8

I know that many people new to computing or who don't have an education in computer science can get confused about the difference between RAM and your hard drive. Both can be referred to as "memory," and they both store data, but they perform very different functions for the computer. RAM, or random access memory, is the com...