It doesn't matter what your rules are provided that they are consistent and make sense, and also that if you are going to make them work magically/non-realistically you make it a different paradigm rather than screwing around with some feeble explanation of how "but DNA turns out to really work this way" when DNA doesn't.
The plumbing might be compatible, but there would be no offspring.
It depends on your definition of breeding. If you're talking about the traditional method then it would be limited. (If you're going with standard theory, but remember, this is sci-fi. There really aren't any rules.)
I would be inclined to say that one of the definitons of the boundary between SF and fantasy is that there are rules of some sort.
huh? I didn't realize that one fiction genre had stircter rules than another.
This could get really technical too because species in the strict scientific definition is the lowest classification on the scale.
Look at the Harlequin Romance guidelines for authors sometime. Those things follow a strict formula down to what has to happen on which page.
Not really; subspecies and varieties are recognised in some clades also. (Trust me, I wrestle with taxonomy as part of my dayjob.)
I'm not going to touch the correct usage of the word "race" with two Lech Walesas end-to-end, save to point out that Shakespeare uses it in The Tempest to mean one person;s family, ancestors and descendants.
Well those guidelines are set by that publication company, it's not really the same as general set of rules for an entire genre, especially a genre about aliens, wizards, dragons, vampires, etc. There really aren't rules there, just good theories that fans will agree with.
And yeah I know subspecies etc etc. That's kind of splitting hairs don't you think.
Besides I think different groups general recognize a different biological classification systems. Most I think now use the 9 tier system, but I believe some still use as low as a 6 tier system.
however i wanted to have at least one of his alien relationships to result in offspring as part of the over all plot of the series. i know how both species breed i just am trying to find a realistic reason why they would get pregnant.
Perhaps, but you will lose a lot of SF readers by presenting something as SF that fundamentally fails to make sense.
Exactly! that's why i said "theories that fans will agree with"
huh? I didn't realize that one fiction genre had stircter rules than another. Since it's all....... fictional.
Granted people have different opinions on how fictional ideas should function.
In a hard science-fiction, two separate species, even if built on the same basic theory of reproduction, would not be able to reproduce in most cases unless they are very closely related species.
Seriously, the whole notion of "species" is a pre-Darwinian holdover; the closer you look at it, the fuzzier the edges get.
But I'm not talking about "I like this", I am talking about "the logic of this holds". These are different criteria.
Science Fiction is the fiction of what could happen
Fantasy is the fiction of what can't happen
there is a breaking point of definite difference though...especially when do things like count the chromosomes of a DNA strand
With that said, I tend to find the Intergalctic breeding of most Sci-Fi to be less believable than breeding with Fantasy races such as Elves and Dwarves.
May I ask what SF you are actually reading here ?
@Nickeris86
I heard the AVP books were amazing, and the newest Predators adaptation by Trouble Maker studios is trying to go back to the roots of the first two movies, and get away from the AVP adaptations.
the first two are great, but they get kinda repetitive after that. i saw the new Predators movie and i was not that impressed, it was entertaining but they radically changed the mythose of the predators, and changed their behavior radically, they also did something that i thought was rather stupid but won't mention here for spoiler reasons.
how would this play over into humanoid hybrids.
Yeah, I think it wouldn't be hard to make cross species plausible.
If you had different species of humans as closely related as lions and tigers or horses and donkeys, maybe.
If you have something that evolved on another planet, you'll have an uphill battle convincing anyone who knows any biology that it even uses DNA, let alone that it can breed with a human.
True, but I think most people will just accept that it's fiction and only a handful of readers, like maybe 1%, will actually go hey "how can that alien and human breed".
Moreover, I think it would be ironic that they would be concerned with the breeding but not even flinch at the idea and existance of aliens.....hmmmm....
What I am saying is for those who read fiction involving extraterrestrial beings shouldn't have too many qualms with believing that one of said beings could mate with a human.
And that the fiction could easily be written to make mating plausible.
For example: the alien technology makes breeding possible
One the problems I run into when trying to find good examples of aliens, is that if you google Hottest Alien (sounds crazy), anyhow you will get list of aliens that all look human.
I know there are non-human looking aliens, like in Star Wars, Star Trek, Farscape, etc.
I can only find a few examples though, like Chiane from Farscape. But I guess my problem is I am looking only for female aliens because I am a dude. I guess I should think of it both ways.
Which is like saying "the alien technology provides infinite free energy". It's not plausible just because you declare it, not unless you explain or demonstrate enough of how it works.
I am still querying why. One of them is "I accept this as the premise of a book". The other is "logical consequence of aliens existing". Very different scales.
Which is like saying "the alien technology provides infinite free energy". It's not plausible just because you declare it, not unless you explain or demonstrate enough of how it works.
If the only SF you're interested in is as biologically implausible as those examples, I think we may be arguing on different scales.
why is saying that alien technology provides infinite free energy unbelievable . you are assuming that these races evolved technologically along the same lines as humans. there is a very interesting documentary done by this physicist and his theory is that advanced races may have technology so vastly different from ours that what we think of as advanced science could be a infants toy to them. free infinite energy is not outside the realm of possibility.
why is saying that alien technology provides infinite free energy unbelievable . you are assuming that these races evolved technologically along the same lines as humans.
I think you are thinking more realistically of actual aliens and the improbability of them being able to mate.
I am thinking of fiction. I am thinking totally make-believe beings, having totally make-believe sex, and having make-believe babies. Just for fictions sake.
Infinite energy may not even be that far from reality currently. Take the Super Colliders and the photons/anti-matter or whatever those whacky scientist are working on. Anyways I am no physicists, but it seems that even in reality infinite energy is not that implausible.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Large_Hadron_Collider
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Particle_accelerator
The movie The Saint and Chain Reaction, both came out in the 90's i think, and both were about limitless energy.
I think in most Sci-Fi the aliens have some source of energy that is practical infinite anyways.
I doubt all the Star Wars ship were Diesels.
What about all those alien energy weapons you see in most sci-fi, they have to get energy from something.
What powers a Transformer.
If it's explained well and plausible, let it ride. (once again, I am not arguing what is plausible, just using this term loosely here)
I am familiar with how these work, and converting matter to energy is neither generating energy from nothing nor infinite; large, yes, infinite no.
All these examples are fantasy. Star Wars has the Force. Transformers have that mystical meteorite thing.
Ah! Exactly! This is what I was trying to clarify earlier, I was still operating under the assumption Sci Fi was pretty much anything that involves outerspace, aliens, or advance tech.
See that is where I am having trouble drawing the line between the two, because for example, almost everything on SyFy channel is actually fantasy. Is that why they changed their name?
Do you believe the saying "nothing is impossible (http://www.askphilosophers.org/question/248)"?
I have no clue. I've not watched broadcast TV in fourteen years.
Really? Does that include shows via like Hulu too?
Did you watch DF TV show?
I'm in Canada, which Hulu does not service.
I occasionally catch things on DVD, but as timing goes I have just about caught up with I, Claudius.
Not yet, though it's on the list.
netflix
Ok, I think I get I get it now, Sicence Fiction is basically like other fiction like Harlequin Romance, where it is realistic, but the characters and story fictional vs. fantasy where anything goes.
Well if it a made-up science, doesn't that kind of loop back to Fantasy then?
so in a science fiction setting how would you explain something like a hybrid from to different races of sentient beings.
would you have to utilize some form of artificial insemination in order to insure a pregnancy or could you go the way of Jurassic Park in that "nature finds a way".
another question to consider is how these hybrids would be treated in an advanced alien culture.
Last I checked, lack of time was an issue, so no subscription to Netflix can fix that.
You can also watch a lot of shows via the networks site. I don't know about Canada, but I watched It's Always Sunny via FX website, I watched the Pilot of The Gates via ABC website. Those are free.
Well if it a made-up science, doesn't that kind of loop back to Fantasy then?
so in a science fiction setting how would you explain something like a hybrid from to different races of sentient beings.
could you go the way of Jurassic Park in that "nature finds a way".
another question to consider is how these hybrids would be treated in an advanced alien culture.
another question to consider is how these hybrids would be treated in an advanced alien culture.
Probably the same way Mulatto kids were treated in the 1950's versus how they were treated in 2000.
I think it would depend on how long they have been part of the culture, but I think this is were an Antropology expert would probably be handy.
Only if you want your aliens to have human emotional makeup and think like humans,
You really didn't like Star Trek, did you?
I agree, everything should be compared to Star Wars. :P
It was at this point, Your Honour, that the defendant began the long march southward, with eyes gleaming steely with determination and a large fish raised for the thwacking of the Moses...
Shortly thereafter Moses said, "Good, I can feel your anger. I am defenseless. Take your weapon. Strike me down with all of your hatred and your journey towards the dark side will be complete!"
Shortly thereafter Moses said, "Good, I can feel your anger. I am defenseless. Take your weapon. Strike me down with all of your hatred and your journey towards the dark side will be complete!"
Hey, I don't have anything to prove concerning which of us is master here.
Is it better to serve in Heaven or to rule in Hell?
Is it better to serve in Heaven or to rule in Hell?
Neither. It's best to be kickass on Earth.
Interesting.
So are Heaven and Hell strictly constructs of Earth and Human souls?
Do other "species" (alien races) have their own heaven and hell?
What about Cross Species Breeds? do they get their own afterlife?
You're starting to get into territory where folks arch their backs, bristle their fur and bare their fangs.
Is it better to serve in Heaven or to rule in Hell?
You're starting to get into territory where folks arch their backs, bristle their fur and bare their fangs.
Your absolutely right.
But what you don't know about me is I kind of like to debate religion just to get people all stirred up. Same goes for politics.
I don't really care either way, but getting a rise out of someone is worth it.
Not here, it isn't. Here, it's worth a short, enforced vacation from the boards.
Let's talk about the Economy instead. ;D
The reason I don't care is: Does winning an argument about religion actually accomplish anything? other than self satisfaction for winning an argument.
Speaking as someone who has actually converted people, yes it does.
Speaking as someone who has actually converted people, yes itdoescan on rare occasion.
FIFY. ;D
"What do a hundred failures matter, when one success can change the world ?"
"What do a hundred failures matter, when one success can change the world ?"
This is sort of an ambiguous statment. (or reversible or something)
You could easily argue. (if your a pessimist)
"What do a hundred successes matter, when one failure can change the world?"
But I think the point he is making is that you can't do something unless you try.
"If at first you don't succeed, try and try again"
But I think the point he is making is that you can't do something unless you try.
Also, not a "he".
I really thought.........but............you wrote like.............nevermind
My gender is something I generally consider the business of my doctors and such of my partners as it makes a difference to. (Which is not always all of them when one falls for people online.)
Is this statement suppose to be cryptic, or is it just me?
But gender also matters to the auto insurance companies too. :P
if at first you don't succeed DESTROY ALL EVIDENCE THAT YOU EVER TRIED!! ;D ;D
Never trust anyone who can be bought as there is always a higher price.