Philosophical Models of Immortality in Science Fiction (transl. Sylwia Wilczewska, Marcin Iwanicki) Cover Image

Filozoficzne modele nieśmiertelności w fantastyce naukowej (przeł. Sylwia Wilczewska, Marcin Iwanicki)
Philosophical Models of Immortality in Science Fiction (transl. Sylwia Wilczewska, Marcin Iwanicki)

Author(s): Curl Ruth, John Martin Fischer
Contributor(s): Sylwia Wilczewska (Translator), Marcin Iwanicki (Translator)
Subject(s): Ethics / Practical Philosophy
Published by: Towarzystwo Naukowe KUL & Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski Jana Pawła II
Keywords: immortality; philosophical models of immortality; science fiction

Summary/Abstract: Science fiction is often described as a literary genre well suited to philosophical speculation. SF and philosophy share a common interest in the question of immortality, and comparisons and contrasts can be made regarding their respective treatments of the theme. We propose here a sketch of a taxonomy of different models or pictures of immortality offered by philosophers and SF writers. After noting important difference in these models, we suggest that some problems and concerns expressed by philosophers and SF writers alike are the result of conflating different models. It is our hope that these comparisons provide a preliminary sense of the way SF can be said to function as philosophical discourse.

  • Issue Year: 64/2016
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 141-153
  • Page Count: 13
  • Language: Polish