"To my mind, the best SF addresses itself to problems of the here and now, or even to problems which have never been solved and never will be solved - I'm thinking of Philip K. Dick's work here, dealing with questions of reality, for example"

John Sladek is suggesting that the very best sci-fi (SF) need to pertain to today day, or perhaps to concerns that might never be addressed. He is specifically referring to the work of Philip K. Dick, which often deals with concerns of reality. Sladek thinks that SF needs to be used to check out the unidentified and to challenge the status quo. He believes that SF needs to be utilized to ask concerns that might never ever be responded to, and to explore the boundaries of reality. By doing so, SF can help us to much better understand our world and the possibilities that exist within it. Sladek's quote motivates us to believe outside the box and to check out the unidentified, which is a crucial element of SF. It likewise encourages us to believe critically about the world around us and to challenge the status quo.