The final project will take the form of a fan fiction piece accompanied by a philosophical analysis of a key philosophical question that arises from the fan fiction composed by the student. It should be between 2000 and 2500 words total. It will have three parts:
- Fan fiction (500-750 words): MUST choose one of the assigned science fiction works from the course. Briefly describe the scenario derived from the work. Then, make a philosophically interesting alteration to the work. For instance, perhaps you are writing about Moon. You might introduce a condition that alters our understanding of whether Sam Bell survives his accident (i.e., whether the Sam Bell before the accident and the Sam Bell after the accident are the same person). Perhaps some of the memories are corrupted in a specific way. Be precise! What exactly is happening differently in the scenario?
Philosophical question (1-2 sentences): state a question that arises naturally from the fan fiction that you have composed. For instance, you might simply ask: “Given the fact that XYZ happened after his accident, is Sam Bell really the same person after the accident that he was before?”
Analysis and argument (1500 words): respond directly to the question. Provide a clear thesis statement at the beginning of your essay that answers the question and briefly states the reason for your answer. In your analysis, you are required to engage with the course material in a substantive way. Moreover, you should respond to one or two objections to your analysis (i.e., what might other people say in response to your fan fiction that is inconsistent with your analysis?). Your objection might also incorporate course readings.
Topics to choose from that have the fan fiction piece/film & philosophical question related to them (will provide pdf’s later but attach the book now):
- Reality: The Matrix (1999 film), Nozick- “The Experience Machine”, Chalmers- “The Matrix as Metaphysics” (chapter 5 in book given)
- Cognition and Consciousness: Memento (2000 film), Clark & Chalmers (1998)- “The Extended Mind”, Fodor (2009)- “Where is My Mind?” , Clark’s very short response to Fodor printed as a “letter” underneath Fodor’s review
- Alien Minds: Arrival (2016 film), Schneider – “Alien Minds” (chapter 17 in book given), Boroditsky v. Liberman Economist Debate on language and thought (web page), Cole- “The Chinese Room Argument”
- Personal Identity: Moon (2009 film), Parfit- “Divided Minds: The Nature of Persons” (chapter 8 in book), Kurzweil-“Who Am I? What Am I?” (chapter 9 in book), Shields- “Personal Identity” (Philosophy Bites podcast) (stream)
- Free Will: Minority Report (2002 film), Michael Huemer: “Free Will and Determinism in the World of Minority Report” (chapter 10 in book), Daniel Dennett – “I Could Not Have Done Otherwise–So What?”
- Colonialism, Relativism, Cosmopolitanism: Star Trek, “The Apple” (Season 2, Episode 5), Star Trek: Enterprise, “Dear Doctor” (season 1, episode 12), Nussbaum – “Judging Other Cultures”, Prinz-“Morality is a Culturally Conditioned Response”, Appiah – “Cosmopolitanism”
- Sex and Gender: Butler- “Bloodchild” (online), X Gould: A Fabulous Child’s Story (pdf), Star Trek: The Next Generation “The Outcast” (season 5, episode 17), Ferguson- “Androgeny as an Ideal for Human Development” , Halwani- “Sexual Orientation, Sex, and Gender” (1000-Word Philosophy entry) (link)