Science fiction in general, looks to the future—near or far. Clarke's visions of the future in prose sometimes build from present-day technology and theory into a not-too-distant tomorrow within Earth's known solar system and sometimes range millennia into the future in settings far outside the galaxy which contains Earth and its sun. Clarke's novels and stories offer good possibilities for discussion because the author conventionally works from known fact and technology to project logical developments in human endeavors in space. This satisfies those readers who prefer "science-based" fiction to more speculative fantasy. In describing the effects of technological advances on human society, however, Clarke may quickly summarize social changes across centuries or millennia, giving little or no detail of the intricate and serious cause-and-effect relationships which would necessarily function in any significant social movement. As author, he assumes the luxury of skipping many possible...