Science Fiction as a Fairy Tale?

Reflections on Stanisław Lem’s Fables for Robots

Abstract

This paper deals with Lem’s Fables for Robots and sheds some light on the genological interplay between science fiction and fairy tale. Its aim is to show to what extent a key feature of fairy tales like magic is transformed within the framework of science fiction. Lem depicts peculiarities of technological civilisation (Gotthard Günther). By referring to the fairy tale Lem draws the attention to the non-technological background in this civilisation, namely the desires and aspirations on which technologies as well as social order are based on. In this interconnection of desire and technology lies the core of Lem’s literary synthesis of fairy tale and science fiction. This synthesis is contextualised on the basis of Lem’s own theoretical works, related discussions of magic in technology (Norbert Wiener, Arthur C. Clarke), and Max Horkheimer’s critical reassessment of modern rationality.