Feminist Philosophy & Science Fiction

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

The science fiction genre is rich with stories that explore classic philosophical questions, exploit timeless philosophical puzzles and paradoxes, or thematically engage large-scale philosophical movements and worldviews. In this class, we will examine the way in which several core problems of philosophy are raised in contemporary works of science fiction, and we will look carefully at more systematic discussions of those problems by well-known historical and contemporary philosophers. We will focus mainly on questions about human persons--for example, questions about the nature of the self and personal identity over time, the possibility of free action, artificial intelligence, the nature and significance of gender differences, etc. Course Requirements: Three or four short papers (4 pages max), a final exam, and class participation. Texts: Readings posted on Sakai, and maybe some films to be watched outside of class. SF readings will include authors such as Philip K. Dick, Robert Heinlein, Ursula K. LeGuin, Cordwainer Smith, Roger Zelazny, Ted Chiang, and Greg Egan. In this course we will examine some central feminist themes and issues by way of a philosophical examination of science fiction texts. Readings will include short science fiction stories, two or more science fiction novels, and a variety of texts in feminist philosophy and philosophy of gender.