Did you know? Sci-Fi influences these 4 aspects of security in countries

Science fiction (Sci-Fi) is a narrative genre that was consolidated many decades ago, through theories about dystopian futures.

In the 1970s, Arthur C. Clarke was already writing about the creation of the internet, and Isaac Asimov, about a future in which computers would be indispensable.

However, it is noted that, over time, the predictions of these plots have come true, and today attention turns more to new stories involving technological futures.

Some governments, such as the United Kingdom, have started using science fiction as a resource to understand what might happen in the near future and anticipate potential threats. So, here are some of the topics that country leaders evaluate based on science fiction:

1. Bioengineering

This technology can be evaluated based on the book “Dogs of War”, released by author Adrian Tchaikovsky in 2017. In the plot, the protagonist is a bioengineered war dog who follows the orders of soldiers until he realizes that they are not the “good guys”.

This story addresses many questions regarding ethics, morals and the exploitation of third parties, such as animals, for purposes that fit only within human logic.

Another point concerns precisely the need to develop the capacity of animals so that they can help in dangerous situations or in war contexts.

2. Drones

Drones are equipment that are being used in war zones for patrolling and executing suspects. However, even before their creation, this technology had already been predicted in science fiction.

In 1985, author Orson Scott Card published the book “Ender’s Game”, in which the protagonist is a child taken to a kind of battle school. There, he must perform various military exercises using computers to execute aliens.

However, after the simulation is over, he realizes that the exercise was real and he was commanding forces in the Universe. From this book onwards, ethical and moral issues were raised regarding remote assassination and the selection of targets for execution.

3. Behavioral modification

The most renowned authors in this area are Philip K. Dick, with “The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch”, from 1964, and “Ubik”, from 1969. In addition, the film “Firefly”, from 2005, addressed the theme.

In it, a crew travels to another planet, seeking to understand how chemicals were used to control and modify the behavior of other beings.

However, in 1977, it was discovered that the CIA had conducted human experiments for torture and brainwashing in Operation MK-ULTRA.

Although drugs are no longer used for human experiments, behavioral change is still an issue that scientists study for safety purposes.

4. Supersoldiers

Finally, super soldiers are human modifications that were addressed in the science fiction of authors Robert A. Heinlein (“Starship Troopers”, 1959) and Joe Haldeman (“Forever War”, 1974). In them, in order for the soldiers to be stronger and more agile, organs and muscles were added to their bodies.

However, due to the physical superstructure, the role of these soldiers is also questioned when it comes to ethics and morals. In addition, the possibility of these technological beings turning against human beings, as in “Forever War”, becomes increasingly closer.