Genres are formed by a set of conventions that change over time as new genres are invented, presenting itself as a fluid form, constantly being shaped and reshaped by context. This is particularly evident in the genre of 'intellect', Science fiction that initially was considered a 'b grade' genre but as it progressed became metaphoric of contextual issues and furthermore extrapolated on the possible consequences of human behaviour.
In 2001: A space Odyssey, Kubrick explores notions of human evolution, technology as a facet of destruction and both artificial and extraterrestrial life. 2001: A Space Odyssey presents a paradoxical attitude towards the advancement of technology as it explores both the advantages of this yet also reveals the possible destructive consequences if not controlled. Made in 1968, the year the cold war ended, the film clearly reflects the fearful yet inspired attitude of society during the rapid technological advancement and development. This is shown in the famous scene where the ape discovers that the bone can be used as a weapon metaphorically symbolising the destructive capacity of advance in technology. From that, the bone is then tossed into the air and the bone warps into a spaceship, this sudden jump of technology accentuates the extremely rapid development of technology of our world and our constant thirst to discover worlds apart from our own, yet again a contextual reference to the space race. This idea of human's thirst of technology