Science Fiction and Philosophy - From Time Travel to Superintelligence

A timely volume that uses science fiction as a springboard to meaningful philosophical discussions, especially at points of contact between science fiction and new scientific developments.§Raises questions and examines timely themes concerning the nature of the mind, time travel, artificial intelligence, neural enhancement, free will, the nature of persons, transhumanism, virtual reality, and neuroethics§Draws on a broad range of books, films and television series, including The Matrix, Star Trek, Blade Runner, Frankenstein, Brave New World, The Time Machine, and Back to the Future§Considers the classic philosophical puzzles that appeal to the general reader, while also exploring new topics of interest to the more seasoned academicScience fiction is more than mere entertainment. Historian H. Bruce Franklin defines it as "the literature which, growing with science and technology, evaluates it and relates it meaningfully to the rest of human existence." Indeed, science fiction is increasingly converging with science fact. 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. For in certain cases, future technologies invite their own distinctive philosophical puzzles.§Science Fiction and Philosophy explores timely philosophical issues such as the nature of persons and their minds, puzzles about virtual reality, transhumanism, whether time travel is possible, the nature of artificial intelligence, and topics in neuroethics. This thought-provoking volume is suitable for students and general readers and at the same time examines new and more advanced topics of interest to seasoned philosophers and scientists.