--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My briefest ever definition of science…" description: "\"My briefest ever definition of science fiction is 'Hubris clobbered by Nemesis.'\" — Brian Aldiss" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26f/brian-aldiss-13847_definitions_my-briefest-ever-definition-of-science-f_13775.jpg" --- # My briefest ever definition of science fiction is 'Hubris… ![“My briefest ever definition of science fiction is 'Hubris clobbered by Nemesis.'” quote by Brian Aldiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26f/brian-aldiss-13847_definitions_my-briefest-ever-definition-of-science-f_13775.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26f/brian-aldiss-13847_definitions_my-briefest-ever-definition-of-science-f_13775.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26f/brian-aldiss-13847_definitions_my-briefest-ever-definition-of-science-f_13775.jpg) > “My briefest ever definition of science fiction is 'Hubris clobbered by Nemesis.'” [Brian Aldiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-aldiss/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Science fiction explores humanity's overreaching ambition and the inevitable consequences when hubris meets an equalizing force. **In simple terms:** Pride confronts its downfall. Key Takeaway Beware overconfidence. Themes hubris nemesis consequence human ambition balance Mood thoughtful cautious Type maxim observation When to use this quote - writing speculative fiction - analyzing technological optimism - discussing AI ethics Key Concepts overreach reversal ethical limits Practical Applications - story development - cautionary scenario planning Questions to Reflect On - When does ambition become hubris? - What forces act as nemesis in modern tech? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Hubris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hubris/) [Nemesis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nemesis/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Science fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-fiction/) ## Related quotes > [Hubris calls for nemesis, and in one form or another it's going to get it, not as a punishment from outside but as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-midgley/hubris-calls-for-nemesis-and-in-one-form-or-another-it-s-going-to-get/) [Mary Midgley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-midgley/) > [In a lot of Western science fiction, you need some form of conflict, whether it's aliens or robots. I think in Western culture, being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-breazeal/in-a-lot-of-western-science-fiction-you-need-some-form-of-conflict/) [Cynthia Breazeal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-breazeal/) > [I was hardly fit for human society. Thus destiny shaped me to be a science fiction writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-aldiss/i-was-hardly-fit-for-human-society-thus-destiny-shaped-me-to-be-a/) [Brian Aldiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-aldiss/) > [“I'm a new man, Giovanni. If you want to imitate me, you'll have to abandon the mask and get a face like this one."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadie-montgomery/i-m-a-new-man-giovanni-if-you-want-to-imitate-me-you-ll-have-to/) [Sadie Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadie-montgomery/) > [Did I hear it's going to be someone's birthday?" a familiar male's voice said from behind me. I didnt even bother turning around and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-schreiber/did-i-hear-it-s-going-to-be-someone-s-birthday-a-familiar-male-s/) [Ellen Schreiber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-schreiber/) > [“He may well be my nemesis. And my antithesis! How about that?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-buzo/he-may-well-be-my-nemesis-and-my-antithesis-how-about-that/) [Laura Buzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-buzo/) > [Cancer is the ultimate nemesis that hangs in the balance for one in three women and one in two men in their lifetime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-agus/cancer-is-the-ultimate-nemesis-that-hangs-in-the-balance-for-one-in/) [David Agus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-agus/) > [“During its timeless hours of movement and inspection, as it floated on the number-winds and learned from their shape and force, it had become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tad-williams/during-its-timeless-hours-of-movement-and-inspection-as-it-floated-on/) [Tad Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tad-williams/) > [“Does it not sometimes happen in life that our actions are solely for an enemy, so as to stand up to him, to confound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-rodenbach/does-it-not-sometimes-happen-in-life-that-our-actions-are-solely-for/) [Georges Rodenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-rodenbach/) > [There is good Karma, there is bad Karma, and as the wheel of life moves on, old Karma is exhausted and again fresh Karma…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-quan-judge/there-is-good-karma-there-is-bad-karma-and-as-the-wheel-of-life-moves/) William Quan Judge > [I really cannot understand the point of what you're saying. Really,' said Clotilde, looking at her. 'What a very extraordinary person you are. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/i-really-cannot-understand-the-point-of-what-you-re-saying-really/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [The limit is the sky, and I live on cloud. And I recognize my nemesis gon try, to put a finish in my shine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendrick-lamar/the-limit-is-the-sky-and-i-live-on-cloud-and-i-recognize-my-nemesis/) [Kendrick Lamar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendrick-lamar/) > [Things every person should have: •A nemesis. •An evil twin. •A secret headquarters. •An escape hatch. •A partner in crime. •A secret identity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wil-wheaton/things-every-person-should-have-a-nemesis-an-evil-twin-a-secret/) [Wil Wheaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wil-wheaton/) > [Nemesis is one of God's handmaids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-rounseville-alger/nemesis-is-one-of-god-s-handmaids/) [William Rounseville Alger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-rounseville-alger/) > [And though circuitous and obscureThe feet of Nemesis how sure!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-watson/and-though-circuitous-and-obscurethe-feet-of-nemesis-how-sure/) [William Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-watson/) ## More by Brian Aldiss > [Man was an accident on this world or it would have been made better for him!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-aldiss/man-was-an-accident-on-this-world-or-it-would-have-been-made-better/) [Brian Aldiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-aldiss/) > [We belong to an age where apocalypse is our daily bread, coffee's black, and we know we're part of the abyss. Red Spider White…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-aldiss/we-belong-to-an-age-where-apocalypse-is-our-daily-bread-coffee-s/) [Brian Aldiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-aldiss/) > [Whatever creativity is, it is in part a solution to a problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-aldiss/whatever-creativity-is-it-is-in-part-a-solution-to-a-problem/) [Brian Aldiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-aldiss/) > [Its at night, when perhaps we should be dreaming, that the mind is most clear, that we are most able to hold all our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-aldiss/its-at-night-when-perhaps-we-should-be-dreaming-that-the-mind-is-most/) [Brian Aldiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-aldiss/) > [The day of the android has dawned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-aldiss/the-day-of-the-android-has-dawned/) [Brian Aldiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-aldiss/) > [When childhood dies, its corpses are called adults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-aldiss/when-childhood-dies-its-corpses-are-called-adults/) [Brian Aldiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-aldiss/) > [I was hardly fit for human society. Thus destiny shaped me to be a science fiction writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-aldiss/i-was-hardly-fit-for-human-society-thus-destiny-shaped-me-to-be-a/) [Brian Aldiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-aldiss/) > [I am a writer and always was; being a writer is an integral part of my identity. Being published, being well regarded, is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-aldiss/i-am-a-writer-and-always-was-being-a-writer-is-an-integral-part-of-my/) [Brian Aldiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-aldiss/) > [However you envisage your role in life, all you can do is perform it as best you can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-aldiss/however-you-envisage-your-role-in-life-all-you-can-do-is-perform-it/) [Brian Aldiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-aldiss/) > [There are two kinds of writer: those that make you think, and those that make you wonder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-aldiss/there-are-two-kinds-of-writer-those-that-make-you-think-and-those/) [Brian Aldiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-aldiss/) > [Science fiction is the search for a definition of mankind and his status in the universe which will stand in our advanced but confused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-aldiss/science-fiction-is-the-search-for-a-definition-of-mankind-and-his/) [Brian Aldiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-aldiss/) > [Civilization is the distance man has placed between himself and his excreta.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-aldiss/civilization-is-the-distance-man-has-placed-between-himself-and-his/) [Brian Aldiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-aldiss/) > [I can't help believing that these things that come from the subconscious mind have a sort of truth to them. It may not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-aldiss/i-can-t-help-believing-that-these-things-that-come-from-the/) [Brian Aldiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-aldiss/) > [The fatal error of much science fiction has been to subscribe to an optimism based on the idea that revolution, or a new gimmick,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-aldiss/the-fatal-error-of-much-science-fiction-has-been-to-subscribe-to-an/) [Brian Aldiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-aldiss/) > [Relax, enjoy yourself. Have another drink. It's patriotic to overconsume.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-aldiss/relax-enjoy-yourself-have-another-drink-it-s-patriotic-to-overconsume/) [Brian Aldiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-aldiss/) [Explore all 49 Brian Aldiss quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-aldiss/) ## More Definitions quotes > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [The poet reminds men of their uniqueness and it is not necessary to possess the ultimate definition of this uniqueness. Even to speculate is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-cousins/the-poet-reminds-men-of-their-uniqueness-and-it-is-not-necessary-to/) [Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-cousins/) > [Bruce Katz is a spectacular talent! He's a brilliant composer and arranger who uses uncommon and unique musical intelligence to redefine jazz and blues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-coryell/bruce-katz-is-a-spectacular-talent-he-s-a-brilliant-composer-and/) [Larry Coryell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-coryell/) > [But when you have to deal with notes, and to be able to make a full definition of what a sound is - if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-brown/but-when-you-have-to-deal-with-notes-and-to-be-able-to-make-a-full/) [Dennis Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-brown/) > [ The self is defined psychologically as the psychic totality of the individual. Anything that a \[person\] postulates as being a greater totality than \[oneself\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/the-self-is-defined-psychologically-as-the-psychic-totality-of-the/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [Before I had kids, I thought you should never lie to a kid. But now I've had them, I realize you almost lie to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/before-i-had-kids-i-thought-you-should-never-lie-to-a-kid-but-now-i/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [my definition of the ideal man is 'that particular man with whom a woman happens to be in love at that particular time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-boothe-luce/my-definition-of-the-ideal-man-is-that-particular-man-with-whom-a/) [Clare Boothe Luce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-boothe-luce/) > [He emphasised basic truths: you are not dying yet, you have to live your life until you are. Underpinning them was the belief that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/he-emphasised-basic-truths-you-are-not-dying-yet-you-have-to-live/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [Was man made stupid to see his own stupidity? Is God by definition indifferent, beyond us all? Is the eternal truth man's fighting soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-eberhart/was-man-made-stupid-to-see-his-own-stupidity-is-god-by-definition/) [Richard Eberhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-eberhart/) > [Science manipulates things and gives up living in them. It makes its own limited models of things; operating upon these indices or variables to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-merleau-ponty/science-manipulates-things-and-gives-up-living-in-them-it-makes-its/) [Maurice Merleau-Ponty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-merleau-ponty/) > [The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, selfappointed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-accumulation-of-all-powers-legislative-executive-and-judiciary-in/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [“I'm going to use them to track him down and thwart him." "Thwart?" Sarissa asked. "Thwart." I said. "To prevent someone from accomplishing something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/i-m-going-to-use-them-to-track-him-down-and-thwart-him-thwart-sarissa/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [A design may be called organic when there is an harmonious organization of the parts within the whole, according to structure, material, and purpose.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliot-noyes/a-design-may-be-called-organic-when-there-is-an-harmonious/) Eliot Noyes > [Of Rhetoric various definitions have been given by different writers; who, however, seem not so much to have disagreed in their conceptions of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/of-rhetoric-various-definitions-have-been-given-by-different-writers/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [A son or daughter in any human family is either born to or adopted by the parents. By definition, a child can't be both.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/a-son-or-daughter-in-any-human-family-is-either-born-to-or-adopted-by/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) Browse all 2,047 Definitions quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My briefest ever definition of science fiction is 'Hubris clobbered by Nemesis.'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Brian Aldiss" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-aldiss/my-briefest-ever-definition-of-science-fiction-is-hubris-clobbered-by/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Definitions" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-aldiss/my-briefest-ever-definition-of-science-fiction-is-hubris-clobbered-by/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26f/brian-aldiss-13847_definitions_my-briefest-ever-definition-of-science-f_13775.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26f/brian-aldiss-13847_definitions_my-briefest-ever-definition-of-science-f_13775.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26f/brian-aldiss-13847_definitions_my-briefest-ever-definition-of-science-f_13775.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My briefest ever definition of science fiction is 'Hubris clobbered by Nemesis.'” — Brian Aldiss", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Brian Aldiss", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-aldiss/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "My briefest ever definition of science...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-aldiss/my-briefest-ever-definition-of-science-fiction-is-hubris-clobbered-by/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-aldiss/my-briefest-ever-definition-of-science-fiction-is-hubris-clobbered-by/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```