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Sci-Fi films/books to write philosophy paper on?

ravenvii

ravenvii

macrumors 604
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Mar 17, 2004
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Melenkurion Skyweir
I gotta write up a 6-8 page paper on one or two sci-fi film(s) or book(s). It has to have a philosophy issue and showed their own take on said philosophy issue. In particular, it has to have something substantial enough so I can rattle off for 6 pages about it. Maybe two works so I can compare and stuff? Any suggestions?
 
2001: A Space Odyssey
Stanley Kubrick
I think many people has written quite a lot of stuff about this movie
 
You can write about Foundation. I read those books when I was a tweenie. The philosophical underpinnings completely washed over me at the time but I'm sure it's in there somewhere you can rattle 6 pages on -- doublespaced -- in 14 point type. Avoid the last book in the series though, I hated it.

Here's to the Crazy Ones ​
 
Lacero said:
You can write about Foundation. I read those books when I was a tweenie. The philosophical underpinnings completely washed over me at the time but I'm sure it's in there somewhere you can rattle 6 pages on -- doublespaced -- in 14 point type. Avoid the last book in the series though, I hated it.
Click to expand...

If you're referring to Fountation and Earth, I couldn't agree more. I don't know what Asimov was thinking when he wrote it.

*Back on topic*

The Stone Canal by Kevin Macleod night be worth your time. It's definitely an interesting read.
 
These are all great books and you can't go wrong with any of them.


Blue Velvet said:
How about some Philip K. Dick?

That'll provide plenty for 6 pages... paranoia, reality, identity.

The Man in the High Castle
The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch
Counter-Clock World

http://www.philipkdick.com/works_novels.html
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But you might also try Stormship Troopers by Robert Heinlein (it's nothing like the movie - thank god). Under all of the Sci-Fi Heinlein lays out his philosophy on goverment and citizenship. Rather interesting considering today's troubles. Also, it's a short-ish novel.

Enjoy
 
How about Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land?

Or C.S. Lewis' trilogy Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, That Hideous Strength.
You wouldn't have to do all 3, the first one is quite interesting in and of itself.

Woof, Woof – Dawg
pawprint.gif
 
Philosopher - Lyotard ( not the pants)
Movie - I Robot (or Blade Runner)

Really it would be pretty easy to string together just about any sci fi movie and postmodern philosophy.

Lyotard was a "posthumanist" like the dude 110 mentioned. Very fertile ground! Also-

Philosopher -Descartes
Movie- Aliens

And of course the Matrix, but I would bet most TA's and profs are sick of reading papers about that !
 
You could try some of the Culture series of books by Iain M Banks

  • Consider Phlebas
  • The Player of Games
  • Use of Weapons
  • Excession
  • Look to Windward

These contain a lot of thought around social and political philosophy and also around consciousness and sentience - the central society, called the Culture, is a symbiotic human/AI society with no concept of laws, money etc. Many of the books deal with comparisons of how this interacts with other, more hierarchical societies.

Or you could do what we did in school and compare a utopia and a dystopia, in Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and 1984 by George Orwell
 
There is of course Starship Troopers (the book, not the movie!). The author writes a layout about an "ideal" society. Quite intriguing and frightening.

And there is a book about "The Matrix and Philosophy" where six Philosophers analyze the movie The Matrix (Part 1).
 
2001 a space odessy is a great one but if you want to do something more recent i would suggest the matrix trilogy. It's a little shallow but for a 6-8 pager it should suffice.
 
Contact, by Carl Sagan. I suppose you could do the movie, too, but the book has much more.

I also agree on Dune and Stranger and a Strange Land. Wrote 10 pages on each in high school.
 
Another Philip K Dick suggestion: "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" which the movie "Blade Runner" is based on and "Ubik".

Another writer, Marge Piercy "Woman on the Edge of Time".

Any of these are truly enjoyable reads and one can easily write a six to eight page paper on any of them. The tie in for "Blade Runner" and "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" would be a great pick because you could compare and contrast the book and movie. Both are a little different but address the same topics.

Just my $.02.
 
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