Philosophical Science Fiction / Speculative Fiction: Recommendations from 48 Philosophers

Since September 2014, I have been gathering recommendations of "philosophically interesting" science fiction - or "speculative fiction" (SF), more broadly construed - from professional philosophers. So far, 48 philosophers have contributed (plus one co-contributor). Each contributor has recommended ten works of speculative fiction and has written a brief "pitch" gesturing toward the interest of the work.

Below are links to the almost 500 recommendations, organized in two different ways.  By following any of the links below, you are requesting a copy for personal use only, in accord with "fair use" laws.

By author: This list is organized by author (or film director / TV shows), with the most frequently recommended authors listed first.

• Philosophical SF by author (pdf, August 15, 2016).
• Philosophical SF by author (htm, August 15, 2016).

By contributor: This list is organized by contributor, so that if you find you share taste with one contributor, you can easily see what other works that contributor has recommended.

• Philosophical SF by contributor (pdf, August 15, 2016).
• Philosophical SF by contributor (htm, August 15, 2016).

Earlier, abbreviated lists:

• Abbreviated list for Susan Schneider, ed., Science Fiction and Philosophy, 2nd ed. (pdf, May 7, 2015).  (Also includes a brief theoretical introduction.)
• Abbreviated list of movies only, for The Philosophers' Magazine (pdf September 2, 2015).

Related links:

• Midwest Studies in Philosophy, special issue on Science Fiction and Philosophy (ed. Howard K. Wettstein and Eric Schwitzgebel).
• Short story competition: Philosophy Through Fiction, funded by the American Philosophical Association (deadline Feb. 1, 2017).

Or email eschwitz at domain: ucr.edu for copies of the lists.

Return to Eric Schwitzgebel's homepage.