Bringing together short stories by award-winning contemporary science fiction authors and philosophers, this book covers a wide range of philosophical ideas from ethics, philosophy of religion, political philosophy, and metaphysics. Alongside the introductory pieces by the editors that help readers to understand how philosophy can be done through science fiction, you will find end-of-story notes written by the authors that contextualize their stories within broader philosophical themes. Organised thematically, these stories address fundamental philosophical questions such as: What does it mean to be human? Is neural enhancement a good thing? What makes a life worthwhile? What political systems are best? By making complex ideas easily accessible, this unique book allows you to engage with philosophical ideas in entertaining new ways, and is an ideal entry point for anyone interested in using fiction to better understand philosophy.
Author(s): Helen De Cruz, Johan De Smedt, Eric Schwitzgebel
Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
Year: 2021
Language: English
Pages: 257
City: London
Contents
Acknowledgments
Introductory Dispute Concerning Science Fiction, Philosophy, and the Nutritional Content of Maraschino Cherries • Helen De Cruz, Johan De Smedt, and Eric Schwitzgebel
Part 1: Expanding the Human
Introduction to Part I Eric Schwitzgebel
1 Excerpt from Theuth, an Oral History of Work in the Age of Machine-Assisted Cognition • Ken Liu
2 Adjoiners • Lisa Schoenberg
3 The Intended David • John Baker
4 The New Book of the Dead • Sofia Samatar
Part 2: What We Owe to Ourselves and Others
Introduction to Part II • Johan De Smedt
5 Out of the Dragon’s Womb • Aliette de Bodard
6 Whale Fall • Wendy Nikel
7 Monsters and Soldiers • Mark Silcox
Part 3: Gods and Families
Introduction to Part III • Helen De Cruz
8 I, Player in a Demon Tale • Hud Hudson
9 The Eye of the Needle • Frances Howard-Snyder
10 God on a Bad Night • Christopher Mark Rose
11 Hell Is the Absence of God • Ted Chiang
Concluding Ventilation • Helen De Cruz, Johan De Smedt, and Eric Schwitzgebel
List of Contributors
Index
