Morality, Science Fiction, and Enabling Form

Abstract

Philosophy can be understood as a reasoned inquiry into deep and perennial questions, including questions about the existence or otherwise of a divine being, whether or not we possess free will, and how much knowledge of the world we genuinely possess. Moral philosophy considers such issues as the nature of a good life for human beings, the true or best form of morality or ethics, and whether any form of morality is objectively justifiable across cultures. Works of narrative fiction frequently engage with philosophical questions, including questions examined in moral philosophy, and the store of icons and tropes available to science fiction writers allows them to engage creatively with these questions. Science fiction narratives often ask us whether we can unreservedly admire or condemn entire societies, cultures, or even species imagined by their authors.