PHILOSOPHY

Is Star Wars REALLY science fiction??! 👽

We all know Star Wars… the spaceships, the aliens, the robots, the lightsabers, and the intergalactic battles. If you ask anyone what genre Star Wars is part of, most would say sci-fi… right?

Well, in classic philosophy fashion, many philosophers working in the realm of Aesthetics (sometimes called the Philosophy of Art) have been questioning our assumptions about art (specifically fiction) and why we categorise works into genres. This has led them to ask questions like: What is genre? How do we know if a specific film, novel, or TV series belongs to a genre? Is there anything in particular that works in a genre have in common?

💡 Things to consider

• Specific Features: A lot of people’s first response would be to say, “Surely we just have to look at what’s in the work to tell what genre it’s in?” That does seem intuitive. For example, we might say romance movies typically include a romantic relationship (duh!), while science fiction includes futuristic technologies (think the Millennium Falcon in Star Wars or the TARDIS in Doctor Who). However, this view seems to ignore a genre’s ability to evolve. For instance, while horror films in the past often included some kind of ‘scary monster’ to evoke fear and disgust (like zombies), that has become less common in modern horror. Can you think of any examples? Here’s a hint: consider films that build dread through psychological tension, trauma, or social commentary.

• Purpose: Contemporary Oxford philosopher Catharine Abell has recently suggested that what makes something part of a genre is the purpose it was created for. For example, if someone made a movie to scare people, then it’s part of the horror genre. Likewise, if someone wrote a novel to make people laugh, it’s part of the comedy genre. So, it’s not about specific features in the story, but about what the creator intended the work to do and what the audience expects it to do. This view also helps explain why a genre’s features change. They evolve because authors, filmmakers, and other creators develop new, innovative ways to achieve a genre’s purpose. That’s why silent comedy films from the early twentieth century look very different from the comedy films you can watch on Netflix today!

• Interpretation and Evaluation: It’s all well and good to explore philosophical theories about genre, but why should we even care about categorising works in this way? Is it even worth discussing? One reason we might care is that genre affects how we interpret artworks. For example, imagine reading a book where the narrator says someone “gave up her heart willingly.” If that sentence appeared in a realist romantic novel, we’d likely interpret it metaphorically: she fell deeply in love. However, if we read the same sentence in a sci-fi novel, we might interpret it literally: maybe she’s offering up her heart to live eternally as a robot? In a similar way, genre can affect how we evaluate an artwork (whether we judge it as good or bad.) How might genre shape that evaluation?

🔎 Find out more

• ‘Genre, Interpretation and Evaluation’ by Catharine Abell

• The lying art of historical fiction (The Guardian)

🍒 The cherry on top

• 🌾 The Chemistry That Feeds Billions: This article explores how Fritz Haber cracked the code to convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia, and how Carl Bosch scaled it for industry. The result? Synthetic fertilizer that now supports nearly half the world’s food supply — and also made explosives for WWI. A great read if you’re into Chemistry.

• 💘 Courtly Love: This illustrated British Library article explores the medieval origins of “courtly love,” tracing its rise from Arthurian battles and bardic flattery to knights literally fighting backwards to impress queens. With duelling hearts, burning love, and monkeys in school, it’s a visual feast and sharp primer for those interested in Literature.

• 🏙️ The Psychology of Urban Planning: This deep dive reveals how urban design is now merging with neuroscience. Using virtual cities, physiological sensors, and immersive experiments, researchers are decoding how layout, green space, and even the visual texture of a street influence stress, navigation, and wellbeing. A thoughtful read if you’re interested in Psychology, Architecture, or Sociology.

👀 Keep your eyes peeled for…

• 18th June:

  • Oxford Historiography Workshop

  • Christ’s College Cambridge Personal Statements Webinar

  • QMUL Linguistics Taster Webinar

  • University of Law Taster Lecture

• 19th June:

  • Balliol College Oxford A Level English to Degree Level English Webinar

  • Homerton College Cambridge Medicine Subject Focus Session

  • UEA Psychology Taster Session

• 23rd June:

  • QMUL UCAT webinar (Verbal Reasoning)

  • UEA Environmental Science Taster Session

🗳️ Poll