4.09 avg rating — 199,933 ratings

"Contributed by Josh Dever (Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Texas at Austin); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
The opening of chapter 4 is a beautiful test case in whether a tiny datum can drive a massive theory change."

3.77 avg rating — 12,264 ratings

"Contributed by Josh Dever (Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Texas at Austin); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Explorations of just about every imaginable alternative sociological and political structure and theory."

3.70 avg rating — 2,319 ratings

"Contributed by Josh Dever (Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Texas at Austin); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Explorations of just about every imaginable alternative sociological and political structure and theory."

3.82 avg rating — 6,849 ratings

"Contributed by Josh Dever (Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Texas at Austin); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Time stopped in the first century AD, and restarted in 1945. Come up with a theory of time to make that consistent!"

4.02 avg rating — 8,683 ratings

"Contributed by Josh Dever (Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Texas at Austin); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
ike that Star Trek episode “Darmok”, except, you know, good. Also, best post-apocalyptic novel ever by a significant author of children’s literature.
Also contributed by Simon Evnine (Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Miami); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Hermeneutics: In the far future, a story about people trying to make sense of their distant past (us), told in an invented dialect that makes it equally a problem for us to make sense of them."

3.91 avg rating — 1,286 ratings

"Includes the short story "Quadraturin", contributed by Josh Dever (Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Texas at Austin); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
There’s a superabundance of science fiction about weird physics and metaphysics of time, but a disappointing dearth of the same with space. This is an exception."

4.18 avg rating — 1,928 ratings

"Includes the short stories “The Author of the Acacia Seeds, and Other Extracts from the Journal of the Association of Therolinguistics” and “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas”, contributed by Josh Dever (Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Texas at Austin); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
The first: always nice when science fiction remembers that linguistics is a science. The second: a powerful counterexample, but note only to certain forms of consequentialism. Think of it as an argument for good social choice theory.
“The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas” also contributed by Jonathan Weinberg (Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Arizona); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
The problem of evil; one aspect of it I particularly like is that it puts the problem in more human-sized terms, where the readers must ask themselves whether they would be the sort of person described by the title, or not."

3.90 avg rating — 78,531 ratings

"Contributed by Josh Dever (Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Texas at Austin); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
A particularly adventurous instance of exploratory metaphysics."

3.90 avg rating — 34,579 ratings

"Contributed by Josh Dever (Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Texas at Austin); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
A fun, if a bit clunky, bit of exploratory philosophy of language.
Also contributed by Lewis Powell (Assistant Professor of Philosophy at University at Buffalo, SUNY). See http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
A novel about people trying to interact with an alien race who think and communicate in a fundamentally different manner than us. A more sophisticated take on this concept than the TNG episode Darmok, and with considerably more interest for philosophers of language.
Also contributed by Jonathan Weinberg (Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Arizona); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
A member of a very small set of sci-fi books where the relevant science is linguistics. It centrally concerns the challenge of communicating with an alien race whose language, among other challenging properties, seems to be one in which one cannot knowingly express a falsehood. (Having learned about lying from the humans, the aliens have a kind of Olympic competition to see who can come as close to lying as possible.)"

4.14 avg rating — 12,559 ratings

"Episode 19 (a portion of the novel) contributed by Josh Dever (Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Texas at Austin); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
The story of the missing eleven days resulting from the transition from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar. More fun metaphysics of time, plus a bit of philosophies of language and gender."

4.25 avg rating — 101,344 ratings

"Contributed by Josh Dever (Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Texas at Austin); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Philosophy by virtue of mentioning “Montague Grammar and the Semantics of Physical Modality”, science fiction by virtue of being set in the Year of the Depend Adult Undergarmet, fun by virtue of including basically everything in between."

3.55 avg rating — 173 ratings

"Contributed by Josh Dever (Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Texas at Austin); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u....
he definitive counterexample to immunity to error through misidentification."

3.82 avg rating — 1,149 ratings

"Contributed by Lewis Powell (Assistant Professor of Philosophy at University at Buffalo, SUNY). See http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Aliens make first contact, and Ariel Blum’s first reaction is to hope that they’ll let us play their video games. They do. The novel is much better than this premise would lead you to expect. Examines issues in social/political philosophy concerning scarcity of resources (and post-scarcity societies), anarchism and social organization, the (dis)value of immortality, and the role of art and games in human life."

4.26 avg rating — 150,630 ratings

"Contributed by Lewis Powell (Assistant Professor of Philosophy at University at Buffalo, SUNY) See http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
A gripping story investigating a society that has embraced and internalized a full-blown communalism. Examines issues of privacy and property, and the individual’s relationship to society.
Contributed by Jonathan Kaplan (Associate Professor of Philosophy, Oregon State University); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Follows a physicist from an “anarchist” society. Reflections on political systems, morality, political organizing. Do all great dreams fail? Is it the nature of all political systems to decay into bureaucracies, or worse?"

4.10 avg rating — 219,820 ratings

"Contributed by Lewis Powell (Assistant Professor of Philosophy at University at Buffalo, SUNY) See http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
First contact story about someone encountering a society with radically different manifestations of gender roles, sexuality, and social norms. Examines issues of gender and sexuality, as well as love and friendship.
Also contributed by Simon Evnine (Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Miami); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
The meaning of gender is explored when a male protagonist comes to a planet inhabited by humans who change their gender naturally.
Also contributed by Helen De Cruz (Postdoc in Philosophy, University of Oxford, and blogger); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Explores a society where its inhabitants do not have a gender."

4.25 avg rating — 125,175 ratings

"Contributed by Lewis Powell (Assistant Professor of Philosophy at University at Buffalo, SUNY) See http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
These stories (“Story of Your Life” / “Evolution of Human Science”) are very different, but both raise fascinating questions about the nature of science, the role of humans in science, and the consequences of dealing with scientific progress that exceeds the understanding of individual humans."

4.02 avg rating — 2,717 ratings

"Contributed by Lewis Powell (Assistant Professor of Philosophy at University at Buffalo, SUNY) See http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Story set in a world where everyone has concrete evidence of the existence of God and an afterlife, but no better understanding of why there is suffering. Examines issues in philosophy of religion, epistemology, the problem of evil and divine hiddenness."

3.67 avg rating — 52,305 ratings

"Contributed by Lewis Powell (Assistant Professor of Philosophy at University at Buffalo, SUNY) See http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
While there are a number of plot differences between the film and the book, both do an excellent job of investigating reactions to an existential threat to humanity arising from total infertility.
Also contributed by Helen De Cruz (Postdoc in Philosophy, University of Oxford, and blogger); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Social criticism and theological reflection focusing on the results of mass infertility."

3.91 avg rating — 1,882,289 ratings

"Contributed by Lewis Powell (Assistant Professor of Philosophy at University at Buffalo, SUNY) See http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
It seems almost unnecessary to list this work, which is such a widely read classic. Shelley’s tale of the “modern Prometheus” does an exceptional job of raising questions about the nature of humanity and the ethics of creating life."

4.22 avg rating — 193 ratings

"Contributed by Amy Kind (Professor of Philosophy, Claremont McKenna College); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Probes the plausibility of the Turing Test."

4.11 avg rating — 808 ratings

"Contributed by Amy Kind (Professor of Philosophy, Claremont McKenna College); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
An intriguing exploration of why immortality may not be quite what we’d bargained for; pairs well with Bernard Williams’ “The Makropulos Case: Reflections on the Tedium of Immortality.”"

really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 7,086 ratings

"Contributed by Amy Kind (Professor of Philosophy, Claremont McKenna College); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Explores the nature of gender roles via a story about an alien race who need humans for procreative purposes."

4.05 avg rating — 8,837 ratings

"Contributed by Amy Kind (Professor of Philosophy, Claremont McKenna College); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Could God’s having a purpose for us provide our lives with meaningfulness?"

4.26 avg rating — 6,477 ratings

"Includes short story “The Infinite Assassin”, contributed by Amy Kind (Professor of Philosophy, Claremont McKenna College); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
How are we related to our counterparts throughout the multiverse?"

4.15 avg rating — 188 ratings

"Contributed by Amy Kind (Professor of Philosophy, Claremont McKenna College); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
What role does gender identity play in our lives? What would life be like without it?"

3.82 avg rating — 468 ratings

"Contributed by Amy Kind (Professor of Philosophy, Claremont McKenna College); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
What is it like to be a clone? And more specifically, what is it like to have one’s connection to other clones severed after having been raised together with them?"

3.64 avg rating — 162 ratings

"Includes short story by John Morressy, “Except My Life” contributed by Amy Kind (Professor of Philosophy, Claremont McKenna College); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Another story probing questions of identity via consideration of what life might be like when you’re one of a set of closely connected clones."

3.74 avg rating — 85 ratings

"Contributed by Amy Kind (Professor of Philosophy, Claremont McKenna College); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
What would it be like to experience time in a non-linear fashion?"

4.43 avg rating — 550 ratings

"Contributed by Amy Kind (Professor of Philosophy, Claremont McKenna College); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
A beautiful depiction of a machine’s quest to understand what it is like to be human. (See also Isaac Asimov’s novella, Bicentennial Man and Kurt Vonnegut’s “EPICAC”)"

4.19 avg rating — 12,096 ratings

"Contributed by Steven Horst (Chair of Philosophy, Wesleyan University); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Notable for using the sci-fi genre to explore Christian ideas of the fall, intelligent aliens, angels, celestial intelligences, magic, and the dangers of totalitarianism wrapped in the mantle of science."

4.53 avg rating — 782 ratings

"Contributed by Steven Horst (Chair of Philosophy, Wesleyan University); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Set as historical novels and developed around the core of interactions between Newton and Leibniz, explores the origins of modern systems of science and finance in counterpoint with alchemical memes."

4.17 avg rating — 75,531 ratings

"Contributed by Steven Horst (Chair of Philosophy, Wesleyan University); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
At the risk of a major spoiler, this book explores ideas of the quantum multiverse, with the added bonus that some characters are stand-ins for the views of people like Husserl, Gödel, and Bohr.
Also contributed by Jonathan Weinberg (Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Arizona); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
A sci-fi adventure book starring a philosopher-monk-hero, where major plot twists involve the manyworlds interpretation of QM, and debates over Platonism in metaphysics. No, really."

3.97 avg rating — 1,283,698 ratings

"Contributed by Steven Horst (Chair of Philosophy, Wesleyan University); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
This may have been my first introduction to science fiction as a child, and while it is not the most intellectually challenging series about time travel (and dimensional travel, in the case of the memorable Cherubim that is both singular and plural), it is perhaps still the most memorable and endearing."

3.98 avg rating — 132,119 ratings

"Contributed by Steven Horst (Chair of Philosophy, Wesleyan University); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
This may have been my first introduction to science fiction as a child, and while it is not the most intellectually challenging series about time travel (and dimensional travel, in the case of the memorable Cherubim that is both singular and plural), it is perhaps still the most memorable and endearing."

4.07 avg rating — 111,590 ratings

"Contributed by Steven Horst (Chair of Philosophy, Wesleyan University); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
This may have been my first introduction to science fiction as a child, and while it is not the most intellectually challenging series about time travel (and dimensional travel, in the case of the memorable Cherubim that is both singular and plural), it is perhaps still the most memorable and endearing."

3.94 avg rating — 128,773 ratings

"Contributed by Steven Horst (Chair of Philosophy, Wesleyan University); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
An enormous engineered world encircling a distant star provides a context for exploration of the variability of the human phenotype and contrasts with two alien species and a third that turns out to not be as alien as we first imagine."

3.88 avg rating — 33,854 ratings

"Contributed by Steven Horst (Chair of Philosophy, Wesleyan University); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
An enormous engineered world encircling a distant star provides a context for exploration of the variability of the human phenotype and contrasts with two alien species and a third that turns out to not be as alien as we first imagine."

3.55 avg rating — 11,734 ratings

"Contributed by Steven Horst (Chair of Philosophy, Wesleyan University); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
An enormous engineered world encircling a distant star provides a context for exploration of the variability of the human phenotype and contrasts with two alien species and a third that turns out to not be as alien as we first imagine."

3.77 avg rating — 9,584 ratings

"Contributed by Steven Horst (Chair of Philosophy, Wesleyan University); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
An enormous engineered world encircling a distant star provides a context for exploration of the variability of the human phenotype and contrasts with two alien species and a third that turns out to not be as alien as we first imagine."

3.90 avg rating — 5,327 ratings

"Contributed by Steven Horst (Chair of Philosophy, Wesleyan University); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
The late British astronomer’s novel starts out looking like a novel about a disaster from deep space, but takes a turn to explore the prospects of communication with an alien intelligence very different from ourselves."

4.03 avg rating — 335,043 ratings

"“Ainulindalë” (part of book) contributed by Steven Horst (Chair of Philosophy, Wesleyan University); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Tolkien’s Neo-Platonic creation myth puts the rest of the stories about Middle Earth in a distinctly different cosmic context, hints of which can be seen in the better-known works only after one has read the cosmic “backstory”."

4.05 avg rating — 5,424 ratings

"Contributed by Pete Mandik (Professor of Philosophy, William Paterson University, and co-host of SpaceTimeMind); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
virtual god, subservient to Asimov’s laws of robotics, emerges from the technological singularity, and the ensuing cosmic paternalism puts every human into a heaven they desperately want out of, despite (or because of) all the sex and ultraviolence."

4.01 avg rating — 53,900 ratings

"Contributed by Pete Mandik (Professor of Philosophy, William Paterson University, and co-host of SpaceTimeMind); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Cogsci savvy tale in which assorted transhumans and extraterrestrials get by just fine without phenomenal consciousness...or do they?"

4.12 avg rating — 2,287 ratings

"Contributed by Pete Mandik (Professor of Philosophy, William Paterson University, and co-host of SpaceTimeMind); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Thorough and convincing first-person phenomenology of human super intelligence--you’ll feel like you know what it’s like to get your IQ quadrupled overnight."

4.10 avg rating — 11,154 ratings

"Contributed by Pete Mandik (Professor of Philosophy, William Paterson University, and co-host of SpaceTimeMind); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Living indefinitely long as a godlike digital posthuman is all well and good, and when you run out of physical universe(s) to explore, there’s solace to be had in math."

3.93 avg rating — 5,103 ratings

"Contributed by Pete Mandik (Professor of Philosophy, William Paterson University, and co-host of SpaceTimeMind); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Deeply weird political and economic turmoil in a solar system infested by post human factions (genetically engineered vs cyborgs) and, eventually, extraterrestrial investors."

3.81 avg rating — 6,908 ratings

"Contributed by Pete Mandik (Professor of Philosophy, William Paterson University, and co-host of SpaceTimeMind); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Exhaustive exploration of time-travel enabled narcissistic self-indulgence: meet, greet and *expletive deleted* your temporal counterparts."

3.87 avg rating — 22,287 ratings

"Contributed by Pete Mandik (Professor of Philosophy, William Paterson University, and co-host of SpaceTimeMind); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Nothing else that I’ve read comes as close to this in depicting what living through the technological singularity would be like; "mind-bending future shock” is an insufficiently hyperbolic superlative."

4.34 avg rating — 18,238 ratings

"Episode “Another Cold Morning” contributed by Pete Mandik (Professor of Philosophy, William Paterson University, and co-host of SpaceTimeMind); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Harsh and grim fistful of future shock depicting waking up from cryo stasis into an overwhelming future that has zero use for you."

3.91 avg rating — 9,401 ratings

"Contributed by Eric Kaplan (TV writer and blogger who did philosophy grad work at U.C. Berkeley); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
What is the purpose of life and history?"

4.26 avg rating — 739 ratings

"Short story "The Hero as Werewolf" contributed by Eric Kaplan (TV writer and blogger who did philosophy grad work at U.C. Berkeley); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
What is evil? What is the role of universalizability in ethics?"

3.48 avg rating — 3,313 ratings

"Contributed by Eric Kaplan (TV writer and blogger who did philosophy grad work at U.C. Berkeley); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
What is personal identity?"

4.08 avg rating — 68,723 ratings

"Contributed by Eric Kaplan (TV writer and blogger who did philosophy grad work at U.C. Berkeley); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
What is personal identity?"

4.50 avg rating — 2 ratings

"Contributed by Eric Kaplan (TV writer and blogger who did philosophy grad work at U.C. Berkeley); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
What is the purpose of life? What is a well-lived life?"

4.14 avg rating — 230 ratings

"Contributed by Eric Kaplan (TV writer and blogger who did philosophy grad work at U.C. Berkeley); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Are other conceptual schemes possible?"

3.70 avg rating — 5,094 ratings

"Contributed by Eric Kaplan (TV writer and blogger who did philosophy grad work at U.C. Berkeley); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Nietzsche and the myth of the eternal return -- the heaviest thought."

3.83 avg rating — 46,225 ratings

"Contributed by Eric Kaplan (TV writer and blogger who did philosophy grad work at U.C. Berkeley); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Theodicy -- why would a good God allow evil?"

3.93 avg rating — 71 ratings

"Contributed by Eric Kaplan (TV writer and blogger who did philosophy grad work at U.C. Berkeley); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Biology and the purpose of life."

4.19 avg rating — 261,846 ratings

"Contributed by Simon Evnine (Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Miami); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Gender roles, and the significance of empathy in discharging our responsibilities for each other."

3.78 avg rating — 4,604 ratings

"Contributed by Simon Evnine (Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Miami); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Aliens appear in a medieval German village; a deep reflection on love and sacrifice."

3.47 avg rating — 2,470 ratings

"Contributed by Simon Evnine (Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Miami); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
The nature of the adult world, and its relation to children and the future."

3.99 avg rating — 118,788 ratings

"Contributed by Simon Evnine (Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Miami); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Having a divided mind, and the existence of social divisions, take on a whole new meaning when agents are composed of multiple people.
Also contributed by Jonathan Kaplan (Associate Professor of Philosophy, Oregon State University); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
An embodied fragment of an AI seeks revenge. How should we think about personal identity and responsibility in the case of distributed entities? Does this have any implications for thinking about ourselves?"

3.64 avg rating — 24,751 ratings

"Contributed by Simon Evnine (Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Miami); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
How do we deal with the intolerable when we have an obligation to care for it?"

4.13 avg rating — 66,585 ratings

"Contributed by Simon Evnine (Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Miami); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
A story involving a variety of kinds of minds, including transcendent minds, human minds infused by transcendent minds, and group minds."

3.57 avg rating — 59,602 ratings

"Contributed by Simon Evnine (Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Miami); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
How well do we know ourselves?"

4.24 avg rating — 4,711 ratings

"Contributed by Simon Evnine (Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Miami); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
A haunting work about the experience of finitude."

3.74 avg rating — 1,016 ratings

"Contributed by Helen De Cruz (Postdoc in Philosophy, University of Oxford, and blogger); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
What's it like to be blind, not just to be blind but to live in a world where everyone is blind and relies on echolocation?
Also contributed by Johan De Smedt (post-doc in philosophy, Ghent University); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
About perception in a post-apocalyptic underground world without light (some cultures use echolocation, others have adapted to infrared seeing)."

4.05 avg rating — 1,218 ratings

"Contributed by Helen De Cruz (Postdoc in Philosophy, University of Oxford, and blogger); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
There are several books and movies on the brains in a vat/deceiving demon theme (e.g., most famously, The Matrix), but if I had to pick a favorite, this would be it.
Also contributed by Johan De Smedt (post-doc in philosophy, Ghent University); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
The ultimate brains-in-a-vat/evil demon story, superior to and predating The Matrix."

4.05 avg rating — 35,515 ratings

"Contributed by Helen De Cruz (Postdoc in Philosophy, University of Oxford, and blogger); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Features naturalistic versions of Hindu gods and reincarnation. Can the status quo be challenged by introducing Buddhism?"

3.93 avg rating — 214 ratings

"Contributed by Helen De Cruz (Postdoc in Philosophy, University of Oxford, and blogger); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Ponders the issue of human rights for nonhuman animals and what it means for someone to be human, with the protagonist, a genetically-modified chimpanzee."

4.15 avg rating — 138,781 ratings

"Contributed by Helen De Cruz (Postdoc in Philosophy, University of Oxford, and blogger); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Heinlein's lunar society exhibits his libertarian ideas, as well as the view that there's no such thing as a free lunch (expressed in the awkward acronym TANSTAAFL)"

3.73 avg rating — 404 ratings

"Contributed by Helen De Cruz (Postdoc in Philosophy, University of Oxford, and blogger); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Assumes that ancient science describes accurately how the world works - so we have things like Aristotelian physics, spontaneous generation, taoist Chinese alchemy, and geocentrism with real spheres in space."

4.24 avg rating — 792,823 ratings

"Contributed by Helen De Cruz (Postdoc in Philosophy, University of Oxford, and blogger); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
On personal identity and mental disability."

4.05 avg rating — 152,773 ratings

"Contributed by Helen De Cruz (Postdoc in Philosophy, University of Oxford, and blogger); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
If you're the last surviving human in a vampire-apocalypse, does it make sense to want to survive? And who is the monster, to be feared, in a new world populated by vampires?"

3.77 avg rating — 1,476 ratings

"Contributed by Johan De Smedt (post-doc in philosophy, Ghent University); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Sketches a universe in which a strong version of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis is true."

3.67 avg rating — 157 ratings

"Contributed by Johan De Smedt (post-doc in philosophy, Ghent University); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Universal infertility and the fate of humanity/human cultures if there is no next generation, a trope that has been taken on by several other books (also P.D. James's Children of Men, Brian Aldiss's Greybeard)."

3.78 avg rating — 18,606 ratings

"Contributed by Johan De Smedt (post-doc in philosophy, Ghent University); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
C.S. Lewis meets David Lewis. A literalist interpretation of the Book of Job playing out across multiple actualized possible worlds."

3.76 avg rating — 1,870,587 ratings

"Contributed by Johan De Smedt (post-doc in philosophy, Ghent University); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Sketches the perfect postmortem human body as outlined in the hereafter of e.g., Aquinas."

4.09 avg rating — 505,327 ratings

"Contributed by Johan De Smedt (post-doc in philosophy, Ghent University); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Alien society at the bottom of the food chain (rabbits!), experiments in diverse political systems, and the role of religion (prophecy, adherence to culture hero) in political decision making."

4.14 avg rating — 180,259 ratings

"Contributed by Johan De Smedt (post-doc in philosophy, Ghent University); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Two species are sucked into an interstellar war against unknowable enemies with an incomprehensible psyche. Human veterans have to adapt to cultures with norms that are ever more remote from the society they originate from."

4.29 avg rating — 1,623,810 ratings

"Contributed by Scott Bakker (SF writer and blogger who did graduate work in philosophy at Vanderbilt); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Famed meditation on individual exceptionality, politics, and religion."

3.73 avg rating — 5,833 ratings

"Contributed by Scott Bakker (SF writer and blogger who did graduate work in philosophy at Vanderbilt); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
The real story of the real Pandora (as opposed to James Cameron’s imperialistic pastiche), pitting organic and technological intelligences at multiple levels."

3.89 avg rating — 363,729 ratings

"Contributed by Scott Bakker (SF writer and blogger who did graduate work in philosophy at Vanderbilt); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Watershed novel credited with euthanizing the Myth of Progess in science fiction."

3.51 avg rating — 1,751 ratings

"Contributed by Scott Bakker (SF writer and blogger who did graduate work in philosophy at Vanderbilt); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Because everybody’s gotta eat, Semantic Apocalypse or no!"

really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1,034,465 ratings

"Contributed by Scott Bakker (SF writer and blogger who did graduate work in philosophy at Vanderbilt); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
The culinary fate of intentionality après le Deluge."

3.67 avg rating — 126 ratings

"Contributed by Jonathan Kaplan (Associate Professor of Philosophy, Oregon State University); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
An adventure story in which various kinds of (post-)humans work together to achieve various ends, only some of which they understand. What is it to be human? to be a person? How should we think about choice and alternative possibilities?"

3.80 avg rating — 60 ratings

"Contributed by Jonathan Kaplan (Associate Professor of Philosophy, Oregon State University); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
An adventure story in which various kinds of (post-)humans work together to achieve various ends, only some of which they understand. What is it to be human? to be a person? How should we think about choice and alternative possibilities?"

4.03 avg rating — 110,189 ratings

"Contributed by Jonathan Kaplan (Associate Professor of Philosophy, Oregon State University); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
An undercover drug enforcement agent loses touch with reality. Who are we, when we pretend to be who we are not? To whom do we owe loyalty? (The 2006 movie adaptation is quite faithful to the book.)"

3.91 avg rating — 45,797 ratings

"Contributed by Jonathan Kaplan (Associate Professor of Philosophy, Oregon State University); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
In a police state, a TV star wakes up to find he is now a nobody. What is "reality," and whose reality matters?"

4.15 avg rating — 2,879 ratings

"Contributed by Jonathan Kaplan (Associate Professor of Philosophy, Oregon State University); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
A man discovers that he has split in two. What if there was another you? What if the other you was a better person? What is it to be decent human being, and why does it matter?"

4.05 avg rating — 42,639 ratings

"Contributed by Jonathan Kaplan (Associate Professor of Philosophy, Oregon State University); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
A producer works directly with artists' emotions. Does this imply anything about consciousness? About the nature of our experiences? What is art? Some reflection on the potential for immortality."

4.07 avg rating — 43,526 ratings

"Contributed by Jonathan Kaplan (Associate Professor of Philosophy, Oregon State University); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
A logging camp on another world uses the native species as slave labor. Reflections on colonialism and responsibility, as well as on social change. What is it to be a person? How do (and how should) societies change?"

3.64 avg rating — 573 ratings

"Contributed by Jonathan Kaplan (Associate Professor of Philosophy, Oregon State University); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
A scientific expedition comes to debunk to a local myth. Is there a value in leaving things unexplored? Should we want science to answer even the all the questions it can answer? Is there any value in remaining willfully ignorant of what we could easily learn?"

3.60 avg rating — 1,449 ratings

"Contributed by Jonathan Kaplan (Associate Professor of Philosophy, Oregon State University); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
The story follows an Apollo astronaut who walked on the moon, as he moves through a world that no longer seems to be moving forward. Where do we find meaning in our lives? How do we reconcile ourselves to the world we find ourselves in?"

3.85 avg rating — 6,127 ratings

"Contributed by Jonathan Weinberg (Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Arizona); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
What if you could temporarily put your consciousness into a disposable copy of yourself, which could then run various errands for you, and whose consciousness would be re-absorbed by yours after 24 hours? The copies are self-destructing: if they don't re-absorb by 24 hours, then they disintegrate, so in general, the copies strongly identify as the person they are copies of, expecting to live on via the re-absorption. But then again... what if you were such a copy, and you realized that you are now in a circumstance where you won't ever get to rejoin the original? Really interesting exploration of fusion/fission and personal identity; it's written in what one might call the first-person-singular-plural."

4.06 avg rating — 5,944 ratings

"Contributed by Jonathan Weinberg (Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Arizona); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
As Heaven enters into late stages of planning for the Creation, an angel is wakened to serve his purpose as Heaven's detective, to investigate the very first murder ever. It plays with both fantasy and noir genres, and is an examination of the problem of evil."

4.04 avg rating — 27 ratings

"Contributed by Jonathan Weinberg (Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Arizona); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
A man travels back to ancient Greece, to try to jump-start the scientific revolution by a millenium or so, with rather unintended consequences."

3.87 avg rating — 254,871 ratings

"Contributed by Jonathan Weinberg (Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Arizona); see http://schwitzsplinters.blogspot.co.u...
Set in a version of early 19th century England and Europe in which the English have (re?)discovered magic. Both an interesting exploration of genre (fantasy? alt-history? pastiche of 19th century novels), and an exploration of the philosophical conflict between Englightenment and Romantic takes on modernity, made manifest in the different styles of sorcery of the two title characters."