Heuristics as a cognitive function

The study conceptualizes science fiction as heuristics. To implement this conceptualization, a hybrid definition of science fiction is proposed: science fiction is a kind of fiction whose works can be characterized by secondary artistic conventionality, cognitive estrangement, and test of an intellectual idea or fantastic assumption. As an operational characterization of heuristics, V. Spiridonov’s concept of heuristics is used. Science fiction can be considered as a kind of heuristics under specific conditions, for example, when science fiction work contains the reflected-out heuristics or when heuristics are brought as science fiction work to stimulate the intuitive flash of the thought or insight. However, science fiction can only be regarded as heuristics with certain reservations: science fiction primarily solves artistic problems while heuristics primarily solve cognitive problems: and they can function independently of each other. But it shows that a heuristic function can be attributed to science fiction to solute a problem or to gain a piece of new knowledge (to make a discovery) in an intellectually and creative way.