Insistence of Vision
By David Brin
The fiction of David Brin is informed by a recurring theme, which can be boiled down to the operation of various kinds of evolution: organic and synthetic, directed and undirected, fast and slow. This interest in dynamic change feeds into his vision of SF as an essentially optimistic form: not because he believes in “progress” but because he believes in the ability of humankind to adapt to different conditions and improve its condition.
This isn’t to say that change is always for the best. Sometimes progress comes at a price, sometimes two steps forward are followed by one step back, and sometimes the best laid plans go terribly awry (the story “Mars Opposition” providing examples of each of these outcomes).
Despite the odd dystopic detour, however, Brin remains hopeful, while providing us with thought experiments that help us to imagine, and prepare for, what may be ahead.
Alex on SF 