You just don't 'get' Science Fiction

Mentioning my novel is going to be science fiction generates strange looks in my direction.

People don’t understand science fiction.

Robots, aliens and technology by itself is space adventure, not science fiction.

It is the idea behind the chrome that makes a story science fiction, and the SF setting is merely a vehicle upon which you can examine your philosophical “what if” questions.

So you’ve got your stone age setting – as soon as Ug the caveman realises he can see others desires in a bubble over their heads it opens up a whole new existence for Ug – does he develop an early form of ethics where he refuses to take advantage of his fellow man? Does he continue as before? Why him? Can’t anyone else see what he sees? And is he being controlled by a higher power?

As soon as you break the normal boundaries in any setting to explore any kind of philosophical and/or moral dilemma, it becomes science fiction.

And not a ray gun in sight.