The Scientists find the Answers, the Arts ask the better questions

In today's society scientists are hailed as being brilliant engineers of the future solving all of man's problems and leading us on and into the next generation of life and technology. It is true that scientists are a crucial backbone in man's present advancements, but they are not alone. Before any technological device is developed by a scientist, it is first dreamed of by a philosopher or an artist. In Mischa Peters' article Exit Meat he discusses how the ability and future of technology, more specifically man's integration with technology, has been dreamt of and conceived of in books such as Necromancer and Johnny Mnemonic but cannot yet be attained in reality. These books use the factual idea of technology to propel ideas of technological advancements in a fictional context towards audiences all over the world. These ideas in turn are picked up by scientists who strive to make them a reality. Peters article examines speculations on "what could become possible in the future if only the technology were more developed" (pg 49). The article gauges pieces of literature that delve into the notion of "uploading" technology to the human brain as seen in Johnny Mnemonic, or strengthening the muscles technologically, or replacing living organs with mechanical ones.
At the moment these are just fantasy and fiction writings that authors who are very interested in science write about to explore the possibilities and experiment with certain social and moral qualms. But this is the root of several technological ideas. The possibility that is explored in fiction literature becomes the seed that drives a technological development. Just look at William Bourne, the first person to conceive of an underwater vehicle that was capable of navigation. Though the term "Submarine" had not yet been established, many thought Bourne was drifting too far into the realm of fantasy and was neglecting his scientific responsibilities, even though the math was sound. Years later submarines came and the world, though impressed, were not overly surprised by this advancement.
Will this be the same case in the future when man is capable of walking on Mars, or transferring their mind from organic tissue to cyberspace. The Arts are just a vessel opening the minds to unlimited possibilities, and the scientists are the ones who come through and weed out the sound ideas. Technology is far behind the imagination (as it should be), and Peters demonstrates this through numerous examples in his article of literature that is closely tied into upcoming ideas in medical and technological magazines.
In short, science fiction literature has "the ability to confront us with some major philosophical and cultural questions" (pg 57) that offer not just insight into the human condition, but also into man's possibilities in regards to technology. Larry Niven is a physicist who wrote a ok series called Ringworld in which he applies his knowledge of the cosmos and science into literature to create a fictitious world that is alien made. Is math the idea of a ring-world is sound, and could actually be possible if the technology to build such a place were available. Maybe some day it will be and we will look back at authors like Niven and Peters and see that they envisioned the future, long before it arrived.