William Irwin

Jason T. Eberl

Kevin S. Decker

A collection of essays that address the philosophical questions associated with the "Star Wars" films.

More Powerful Than You Can Possibly Imagine

Star Wars and Philosophy

Explore the universe of Frank Herbert’s Dune in all its philosophical richness “He who controls the spice controls the universe.” Frank Herbert’s Dune saga is the epic story of Paul, son of Duke Leto Atreides, and heir to the massive fortune promised by the desert planet Arrakis and its vast reservoirs of a drug called “spice.” To control the spice, Paul and his mother Jessica, a devotee of the pseudo-religious Bene Gesserit order, must find their place in the culture of the desert-dwelling Fremen of Arrakis. Paul must contend with both the devious rival House Harkonnen and the gargantuan desert sandworms—the source of the spice. The future of the Imperium depends upon one young man who will need to lead a new jihad to control the universe. Dune and Philosophy recruits 23 philosophers to sift wisdom from Frank Herbert’s Duniverse, including the first of an expected series of films following Paul “Muad’Dib” Atreides and his descendants, captivatingly brought to the big screen by Denis Villeneuve in 2021. Part of the New Wave of science fiction of the 60s and 70s, Dune is characterized by literary experimentation with shifting styles, differing narrative points of view, and with the “psychedelic” culture of the period. In Dune, the long-term strategies and intricate plots of warring Great Houses are driven not just by Heighliner spacecraft and lasguns, but also by mind-expanding drugs, psychic powers, dystopian themes, race memories, and martial arts allowing control of the mind and the body. Substantial yet accessible chapters address philosophical questions including: Is it morally right to create a savior? Would interplanetary travel change human nature? What is the deeper meaning of desert ecologies? In conflict, how can you stay light years ahead of your opponents? Are there some drugs we would want to be addicted to? Does history repeat itself? Tens of thousands of years into an intergalactic future, can humans endure or will we sacrifice what is most important in our humanity for power, glory, religion and of course, the control of the spice? Dune and Philosophy sets an intellectual course through sand and stars to find out.

Minds, Monads, and Muad'Dib

Dune and Philosophy

Jason Eberl

Atenção: Você deve esquecer tudo o que aprendeu até agora. Abra sua mente para uma nova galáxia. E que a força esteja com você. Star Wars e a Filosofia é um livro escrito por algumas das mentes mais brilhantes da galáxia, explorando o lado mais profundo de Star Wars e de seu universo expandido. Há um novo olhar sobre temas familiares, como a natureza da Força — é preciso existir um lado negro? — e uma reflexão acerca da representação das mulheres. Examinamos a importância filosófica por trás do impacto de Star Wars no mundo real como um artefato importante da cultura pop, o legado de Joseph Campbell sobre o alicerce mítico da saga, e oferecemos uma estrutura para a compreensão de todo o universo de Star Wars. Com o livro que você tem em mãos, o círculo está agora completo, e aqueles que um dia já foram alunos podem iniciar o caminho para se tornarem mestres jedis.

Star Wars e a Filosofia

Star Wars y la filosofía presenta una recopilación de originales artículos firmados por las mentes más brillantes de la galaxia, explorando el lado más oscuro y profundo de Star Wars y de todos sus universos expandidos, ofreciendo nuevas...

Star Wars y la filosofía

"Essays address philosophical aspects of the five television series and ten feature films that make up the Star Trek fictional universe"--Provided by publisher.

The Wrath of Kant

Star Trek and Philosophy

Matthew Brake

Embark on a revealing philosophical journey through the universe of The Witcher “If I'm to choose between one evil and another, I'd rather not choose at all,” growls the mutant “witcher,” Geralt of Rivia. Andrzej Sapkowski's Witcher books lay bare the adventures of monster hunters like Geralt, who seek to avoid humanity's conflicts and live only for the next kill and the coin that comes with it. But Geralt's destiny is complicated by his relationship with a powerful sorceress, Yennefer of Vengerberg. When he connects with a displaced princess, Ciri, Geralt lands right in the middle of the political conflicts of the Continent, which is endangered by Nilfgaard, a domineering southern kingdom that threatens to conquer the world. Part of the Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture series, The Witcher and Philosophy brings on twenty-seven philosophers to test their mettle against werewolves, the bruxa, strigas, vodyanoi, and kikimora; their work addresses the phenomenally popular books, three standalone Witcher video games, and the hit Netflix streaming show. These authors pass on their fascination with all manner of horror and sorcery: the mutations that make Geralt and others witchers, the commonalities between the Continent and post-apocalyptic settings, the intricacies of political power and scandal in the world of The Witcher, and reflections of our own world's changing views on race and gender that might offer hope—or portend a grim future. Engaging and accessible, The Witcher and Philosophy considers key themes and questions such as: Who is human, and who is a monster? Can Geralt afford to stay neutral? What kind of politics do sorceresses engage in? How many universes converge on the Continent? If we stare long enough into the abyss, does it stare back into us? Silver or steel? “Destiny is just the embodiment of the soul's desire to grow,” says Jaskier the bard, proving himself to be a natural philosopher. The tales of The Witcher remind us that our lives are a play written by both choice and destiny. And it is your destiny to read and be inspired by The Witcher and Philosophy.

Toss a Coin to Your Philosopher

The Witcher and Philosophy

When you have been wandering the cosmos from one end of eternity to another for nearly a thousand years, what's your philosophy of life, the universe, and everything? Doctor Who is 50 years' old in 2013. Through its long life on television and beyond it has inspired much debate due to the richness and complexity of the metaphysical and moral issues that it poses. This is the first in-depth philosophical investigation of Doctor Who in popular culture. From 1963's An Unearthly Child through the latest series, it considers continuity and change in the pictures that the programme paints of the nature of truth and knowledge, science and religion, space and time, good and evil, including the uncanny, the problem of evil, the Doctor's complex ethical motivations, questions of persisting personal identity in the Time Lord processes of regeneration, the nature of time travel through 'wibbley-wobbley, timey-wimey stuff, how quantum theory affects our understanding of time; and the nature of the mysterious and irrational in the Doctor's universe.

The Philosophy of Doctor Who

Who is Who?

Richard Brown

Are cyborgs our friends or our enemies? Was it morally right for Skynet to nuke us? Is John Connor free to choose to defend humanity, or not? Is Judgment Day inevitable? The Terminator series is one of the most popular sci-fi franchises ever created, captivating millions with its edgy depiction of the struggle of humankind for survival against its own creations. This book draws on some of history’s philosophical heavy hitters: Descartes, Kant, Karl Marx, and many more. Nineteen leather-clad chapters target with extreme prejudice the mysteries surrounding intriguing philosophical issues raised by the series, including the morality of terminating other people for the sake of peace, whether we can really use time travel to protect our future resistance leaders in the past, and if Arnold’s famous T-101 is a real person or not. You’ll say “Hasta la vista, baby” to philosophical confusion as you develop a new appreciation for the complexities of John and Sarah Connor and the battles between Skynet and the human race.

I'll Be Back, Therefore I Am

Terminator and Philosophy

Should droids be free? Should clone troopers? What political and ethical ideas ground resistance and rebellion? What’s wrong with the way women are portrayed in Star Wars? Does Han Solo have a philosophical worldview? Was Galen Erso responsible for the destruction of Alderaan? Should you eat Baby Yoda? “This is the Way.” In Star Wars and Philosophy Strikes Back, the Way wends through entirely new adventures in the Star Wars galaxy far, far away: not only the films of the Skywalker saga, but also Rebels, The Bad Batch, Rogue One, Solo, and The Mandalorian. Like the creators of these films and television series, the authors in this book harness the magical mix of humor, action, empathy, characterization, adventure, and fan service that constitutes Star Wars. In addition to thorny metaphysical questions about the nature of time and free will, this volume highlights the staggering cultural impact of George Lucas’s universe. The newest Star Wars narratives tackle ethnicity on alien worlds and how love and sex with a droid like L3-37 would work (“It works”). The connections between the Separatist Freedom Movement and the struggle for social justice in the USA in the 21st century are brought to light. And philosophical second looks at Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi prove there is much more to this controversial entry in the Skywalker saga. Thirty-six philosophers, both sages and scoundrels among them, examine the full range of deep questions throughout the Star Wars chronology—from The Phantom Menace to The Rise of Skywalker and beyond. “They have spoken.”

This Is the Way

Star Wars and Philosophy Strikes Back

Philosophy and space travel are characterized by the same fundamental purpose: exploration. An essential guide for both philosophers and Trekkers, Star Trek and Philosophy combines a philosophical spirit of inquiry with the beloved television and film series to consider questions not only about the scientific prospects of interstellar travel but also the inward journey to examine the human condition. The expansive topics range from the possibilities for communication among different cultural backgrounds to questions about the stoic temperament exhibited by Vulcans to Ferengi business practices. Specifically chosen to break new ground in exploring the philosophical dimensions of Star Trek, these articles boldly go where no philosopher has gone before.

Robert Arp

Previous edition published as: South Park and philosophy: you know, I learned something today; Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing, 2007.

Respect My Philosophah!

The Ultimate South Park and Philosophy

A timely book that uses science fiction to provoke reflection and discussion on philosophical issues From the nature of mind to the ethics of AI and neural enhancement, science fiction thought experiments fire the philosophical imagination, encouraging us to think outside of the box about classic philosophical problems and even to envision new ones. Science Fiction and Philosophy explores puzzles about virtual reality, transhumanism, whether time travel is possible, the nature of artificial intelligence, and topics in neuroethics, among other timely issues. This thought-provoking volume is suitable for students and general readers but also examines new and more advanced topics of interest to seasoned philosophers and scientists. Susan Schneider (Hometown TK) is Assistant Professor in the department of philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania and an Affiliated Faculty Member at the Institutes for Research in Cognitive Science and Center for Cognitive Neuroscience.

Sensed a disturbance in The Force lately? This is whats been setting your midi-chlorians tingling. Seventeen Jedi adepts got together to probe the deeper reaches of the Star Wars epic. A hazardous quest philosophy is more risky than not letting a ...

Jeffrey A. Ewing

Alien and Philosophy: I Infest, Therefore I Am presents a philosophical exploration of the world of Alien, the simultaneously horrifying and thought-provoking sci-fi horror masterpiece, and the film franchise it spawned. The first book dedicated to exploring the philosophy raised by one of the most successful and influential sci-fi franchises of modern times Features contributions from an acclaimed team of scholars of philosophy and pop culture, led by highly experienced volume editors Explores a huge range of topics that include the philosophy of fear, Just Wars, bio-weaponry, feminism and matriarchs, perfect killers, contagion, violation, employee rights and Artificial Intelligence Includes coverage of H.R. Giger’s aesthetics, the literary influences of H.P. Lovecraft, sci-fi and the legacy of Vietnam, and much more!

I Infest, Therefore I Am

Alien and Philosophy

The Star Wars films continue to revolutionize science fiction, creating new standards for cinematographic excellence, and permeating popular culture around the world. The films feature many complex themes ranging from good versus evil and moral development and corruption to religious faith and pragmatism, forgiveness and redemption, and many others. The essays in this volume tackle the philosophical questions from these blockbuster films including: Was Anakin predestined to fall to the Dark Side? Are the Jedi truly role models of moral virtue? Why would the citizens and protectors of a democratic Republic allow it to descend into a tyrannical empire? Is Yoda a peaceful Zen master or a great warrior, or both? Why is there both a light and a dark side of the Force? Star Wars and Philosophy ponders the depths of these subjects and asks what it truly means to be mindful of the "living force."

More Powerful than You Can Possibly Imagine

Explores philosophical questions raised by the well-known novel about young geniuses who are trained to fight a race of invading aliens, covering such issues as the morality of war, the meaning of freedom, and the misuses of power.

Kevin S. Decker

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