Procreation in Contemporary Mythology : A Matter of Science Fiction
Although anthropologists maintain that myths exist in all societies, whatever their level of technology, it remains that they tend to concern themselves with myths collected elsewhere and/or written in other time periods. The analysis of a representative sample of works of science fiction dealing with the theme of reproduction suggests that science fiction is, properly speaking, a mythological corpus. It reveals the underpinnings of contemporary Western thought regarding sexual and cultural difference, and underscores the persistence of an evolutionist ideology. As surprising as it may seem, taking contemporary popular imagery seriously, allows, among other things, for a further development of the perspective proposed by Jean-Paul Vernant regarding the functions of mythology.