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Sci-Phi: Science Fiction as Philosophy

Imagine Socrates with a lightsaber, and you have an idea of what to expect from this mind-blowing mashup of philosophy and science fiction.
Sci-Phi: Science Fiction as Philosophy is rated 4.2 out of 5 by 97.
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Rated 5 out of 5 by from One of my favorite courses! My wife and I streamed this series, and dutifully watched each recommended SciFi episode or movie before each chapter. It was an absolute pleasure. The professor is an excellent speaker, with good sense of humor. He takes on some very serious subjects, just like great SciFi. We were very sorry to get to the end.
Date published: 2023-12-18
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Film & Philosophy This was an excellent and fun introduction to Philosophy. I watched all the recommended movies before the lectures, and I watched every lecture. PLEASE, LET DR. JOHNSON MAKE A COURSE ON MORAL PHILOSOPHY & FILM. Dean Kowalski has written a book on this topic. Also, Michael Schur's recent bestseller "How to be Perfec" (Ethics & the TV series the Good Place) deals with the same topic. I'd love to see Johnson's thorough approach to the same content. Especially, Moral Realism. At any rate, I have watched this course at least a dozen times and it's fun entre into some abuse material. Perhaps his commitment to naturalism, determinism, and eliminative materialism is a little too confident for my taste. But I love his confident, cogent reasoning even when I do disagree, because it forces me to revise my thinking or think very hard about the fundamental reasons I don't wish to do so. Very Stimulating!!!
Date published: 2022-10-28
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Thoughtful and insightful Covers a wide range of feature films and television from a philosophical perspective. The lectures are informative and thought provoking by not shying away from positing an intellectual position and debating it. Highly recommended.
Date published: 2022-07-17
Rated 5 out of 5 by from A Great Adventure through the Biggest Questions While I thought this course looked interesting -- since I have been a life-long fan of great science-fiction -- I was bowled over by how much I thoroughly enjoyed this course, finding myself repeatedly returning to some of the questions raised in each lecture even hours after concluding a session. I confess to being somewhat wary, also, because of how so much of what passes for "science fiction" in recent decades seems overly fixated on hi-tech weaponry and, essentially, on variations either of the Old West TV movies of the '50s or on the more recent deplorable genre of super-heroes with super-powers. Happily, this course explores what has always denoted truly great science fiction: exploring both what we are doing to ourselves and our world as well as how we react to those developments. The best science fiction essentially asks 1) Who are we, really, and 2) What depths (or heights) are we capable of? Using numerous science fiction films and/or TV episodes -- backed up by references to outstanding printed works as well -- Professor Johnson explores key themes and/or arguments found in these works to probe deeper into the questions asked or issues raise in them, topics which continue to have currency and importance in the 21st century. In examining the question of the possible future existence of thinking beings that humans have created, for instance, we are given not only an sound overview of the current scientific thinking on the likelihood of such creations, but also treated to a wonderful survey of how both humans in the past have treated those thought "different" or "inferior" to ourselves as well as to the possibilities -- and ethical consequences -- of how we would regard beings of our own creation. Would we, for example, truly acknowledge them as "sentient," and upon what evidence would we base our conclusion? Would we acknowledge that they had "rights" just like us, or would we believe that any such would be limited? Would they be treated as servants -- or, worse, as slaves -- or as equals? As another example in which Star Trek's famous "Prime Directive" was examined -- aided by the examples provided by several films and TV series episodes -- we are invited to explore the ethical strengths -- and potential weaknesses -- of strictly adhering to such a doctrine, especially (as is always the case with real-world issues) with how we might INTERPRET the intent behind the doctrine. This course is one of the most enjoyable and fascinating of the roughly 120 that I have taken from the Teaching Company so far, and I found each lecture stimulating and intriguing, so much so that I am looking into other courses offered by the Teaching Company conducted by Professor Johnson. Please note that for EVERY lecture we are invited to download and watch in advance of viewing that lecture either a specific movie or TV episode! I did this about half the time, especially since many of those recommended were either unfamiliar to me or about which my memory had faded since I first viewed them. Accordingly, I ended up renting (for a modest fee) several more movies during the time I spent on this course than I otherwise would have done so. But I am glad that I did, for they did enrich the subsequent discussion of them in the next lecture. Highest praise for a wonderful mind-adventure, and for powerfully illustrating how the best science fiction is less about machines and "the future" than about ourselves now.
Date published: 2022-07-09
Rated 5 out of 5 by from "Live Long and Prosper" is an apt ending It has taken me some time to work through this course as I decided I wanted to also read the Course Guidebook/Transcript and digest what Dr Johnson's lectures put forth. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience.This is fascinating stuff and reading the transcripts after each lecture has been a good way of bringing the material back to mind. There are also extra questions in the transcript which serve to challenge continued thought processes and stimulate further exploration. Both the course and the guidebook are excellent. Many excursions into philosophy which used science fiction as resource material, and it meant using 'mental gymnastics' as a method to explore along the way. So much more to delve into as I'm fascinated by how we think, how we reason and how we arrive at our understanding of the great questions of life, which are never fully understood before our bodies meet their demise, but we continue to explore anyway. That's what makes us human - the desire and capacity to use our minds to ponder the great questions of existence, both our own and that of all living creatures (including the probability of extraterrestrial beings), in our quest to understand why we're here and if there's a higher purpose to having the 'gift of life', what that purpose entails. I'm not a 'professional philosopher' but this type of material has always interested me, and I have undertaken courses on metaphysics and related disciplines. This course is not for total beginners, I'll admit, as some of the concepts take a lot of thinking to work them out in the mind and grasp. Watching Dr Johnson, with his engaging style and firm grasp on the subject matter, compelled me onward. I was hooked! :-) Sometimes the material might be deemed to NOT be strictly philosophy, as we're taken through scientific stuff which might be off-putting for the non-scientific person, especially material relating to quantum mechanics, the nature of Time and the exploration of what it means to be conscious as a human being in an apparently physical world. But - as Dr Johnson points out - science is simply 'natural philosophy'. One also needs some understanding of human psychology, history, comparative religion and a bit of anthropology. Oh, and maybe some interest in exploring spiritual or metaphysical stuff too. I came to this course having watched most of the film/TV material we were asked to explore - sometimes numerous times, in order to go deeper - and continue to marvel at those who conceive of their subject matter and put their philosophical understanding into the popular arena - which can either be taken at face value or explored in greater depth, as they are in this course. Way back, I used some of it in a classroom setting on a basic level with 14-15 year old students in order to get them thinking beyond the proverbial boxes. I made a few notes in the guidebook for my own use to engender further exploration. I've also bought Dr Johnson's other course, 'Big Questions of Philosophy', which I will do later this year. More mental gymnastics! Yay! Way back when, I was used to doing essays based on coursework but I'm pleased this isn't required for The Great Courses. At my time of life, I can ponder material without the need to explore in writing. My own notes suffice to jog my memory. As a side note, the wording of one aspect in this course was a tad misleading IMO, as it seemed that it was unnecessarily contentious or ambiguous, this being 'Science VERSUS Religion'. A different word would give a better inroad to exploring how Science and Religion relate to one another in human history and as part of our psyche. 'Versus' gives the impression that the two areas of thought and/or belief are mostly contrarily pitted against one another, as in a competition, whereras - to my way of thinking - they can peacefully occupy parallel trains of thought. To me, this means that sometimes both lines of thinking/belief come close together, sometimes intersect before parting ways and moving back to their parallel paths, and - of course - they sometimes clash. But the 'versus' word gives one the impression that they are always mutually exclusive, which they're not. Some will disagree - especially if they're committed to their own set of (learned) beliefs - and will say that Science and Religion are in opposition. Those who think this way will likely believe that philosophy (including natural philosophy) is in contention with their religion as it's a human exploration of the meaning of life and everything, rather than a broader quest for understanding, or a religious one. Conversely, some scientists, who have made it science their belief system and say that religion has no part in the discussion of human existence, would probably prefer to say we are simply human beings - carbon-based entities/bodies with a mind (whatever that means to them) which don't need any spiritual or religious explanations. My view is that we need to suspend our belief systems (whatever they are) and explore open-mindedly in order to get a comprehensive idea of what makes us human. I have come to understand that, as is often said, we are 'spiritual beings having a human experience' - although even THAT concept will not resonate with people who don't subscribe to any religious or spiritual stuff. On the other hand, the lecture on that topic was perfectly balanced. It was the wording of the title that jarred with me, as a person who is a spiritual, but no longer religious person. I have studied and taught on comparative religions and am a student of the human sciences (philosophy, psychology, history, anthropology, science [biology, physics, including basic quantum mechanics] etc). There's only so much that one course can include. I will continue to read and ponder and pursue my lifelong learning until my time in this mortal frame on this plane is over. Other books and courses beckon. Onward.
Date published: 2022-01-21
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great Fun I love science fiction and philosophy. Professor brought out many points that I did not consider when I originally saw the movies. I very much enjoyed this course. Well done.
Date published: 2022-01-16
Rated 2 out of 5 by from Hard course to enjoy. I have two advanced degrees in applied sciences and missed a broad liberal arts education. The Great Courses have helped fill in the gaps. Very much enjoyed professor Gabiner's course in Mathematic and Philosophy and since nerds like science fiction, thought this course would advance my education. I tried to watch this course from beginning to end and then picking lectures that I thought would be most interesting. Overall viewed about 60% of course. In some cases re-watched movie to try to gain greater appreciation of professor's viewpoint. What a waste of time (except for re-watching movies). The "philosophy" seemed to be Dr. Johnson's opinions about selected topics. Very little discussion of historical concepts of philosophy applied to current literature. Boring, rambling, discussion of profound ideas with little logical structure. I probably do not have background for this course. Do not recommend
Date published: 2021-12-04
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Great fun and enlightening I'm not going to ramble on except to say that I wish the BA in Philosophy that I studied for was a bit more like this course. It was a love of popular science fiction which got me interested in philosophy as a a child, and I do hope the professor returns with another course featuring all the shows he lists at the end of the last lecture. I for one would welcome it.
Date published: 2021-12-03
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Overview

Join an award-winning philosopher on an intellectual journey through time and space as you experience dozens of intriguing science fiction stories in film and TV.

About

David K. Johnson

We can always take comfort in the fact that we can find and do embrace answers to metaphysical questions.

INSTITUTION

King's College

Dr. David Kyle Johnson is Associate Professor of Philosophy at King's College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He earned a master's degree and doctorate in philosophy from the University of Oklahoma.

At Oklahoma, he won the coveted Kenneth Merrill Graduate Teaching Award. In 2011, the American Philosophical Association's committee on public philosophy gave him an award for his ability to make philosophy accessible to the general public.

Professor Johnson regularly teaches classes on metaphysics, philosophy of religion, philosophy of mind, and logic, as well as courses on critical thinking and scientific reasoning. He has published papers on human freedom, the problem of natural evil, the multiverse, the existence of souls, and many related topics in such journals as Religious Studies, Sophia, Philo, Philosophy and Literature, and Think. He also maintains two blogs for Psychology Today.

Professor Johnson also publishes prolifically on the intersection of pop culture and philosophy. One of his books, Inception and Philosophy: Because It's Never Just a Dream, inspired an authors@Google talk with more than half-a-million YouTube views. He also has written numerous articles that explore the relationship between philosophical questions and such pop cultural phenomena as The Hobbit, Doctor Who, Batman, South Park, Johnny Cash, Quentin Tarantino, and Christmas.

By This Professor

The Big Questions of Philosophy
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Sci-Phi: Science Fiction as Philosophy
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Sci-Phi: Science Fiction as Philosophy

Trailer

Inception and the Interpretation of Art

01: Inception and the Interpretation of Art

Begin your journey with a look at why science fiction is one of the primary ways contemporary society engages with philosophical issues. Get an overview of the kinds of sci-fi media you will explore throughout the course and explore how you will address the interpretation of art with a look at the film Inception.

34 min
The Matrix and the Value of Knowledge

02: The Matrix and the Value of Knowledge

Which will you choose, the red pill or the blue? Look at different ideas concerning truth, knowledge, and reality through the film The Matrix, from Plato’s definition of knowledge to the theories of Jean Baudrillard. Also, grasp the important distinctions between epistemology and metaphysics.

33 min
The Matrix Sequels and Human Free Will

03: The Matrix Sequels and Human Free Will

Though panned by critics and science fiction fans alike, upon first release, the two sequels that followed The Matrix—Reloaded and Revolutions, respectively—provide surprisingly fertile ground for philosophical investigation surrounding the existence of free will. Compare multiple theories and see whether these oft-derided films can offer any answers.

34 min
The Adjustment Bureau, the Force, and Fate

04: The Adjustment Bureau, the Force, and Fate

Explore the concept of individual fate through the film The Adjustment Bureau and the larger concept of universal fate in Star Wars. Along the way, take a look at the ways conspiracy theories and supernatural claims invoke “fate” to explain real-world happenings and how philosophers handle these “explanations.”

32 min
Contact: Science versus Religion

05: Contact: Science versus Religion

Science communicator Carl Sagan believed science and religion could be compatible. But does Contact, the film based on his novel, prove his point or undermine it? Probe the many ways humans use personal experience to justify belief and whether or not such experiences can justify belief in the face of contrary scientific evidence.

34 min
Arrival: Aliens and Radical Translation

06: Arrival: Aliens and Radical Translation

See how the 2016 film Arrival can help you examine the three questions that arise when discussing the possibility of alien life in the universe: How likely would a visitation be? What effect on society would it have? And, particularly pertinent to the film, would we be able to communicate with them once they’re here?

34 min
Interstellar: Is Time Travel Possible?

07: Interstellar: Is Time Travel Possible?

This lecture will take a look at what metaphysics has to say about the possibility of time travel, focusing primarily on the film Interstellar. Along the way, you will also look at other influential time travel stories and the various theories they represent, like Back to the Future, Quantum Leap, Star Trek, Doctor Who, and Planet of the Apes.

34 min
Doctor Who and Time Travel Paradoxes

08: Doctor Who and Time Travel Paradoxes

Open with a look at a fan-favorite episode of Doctor Who and explore the nature of paradoxes in time travel. You will also see that science fiction doesn’t always have to take itself seriously to tell a great story—or to explore fascinating philosophical questions—when you turn your attention to the Futurama episode “Roswell That Ends Well.”

35 min
Star Trek: TNG and Alternate Worlds

09: Star Trek: TNG and Alternate Worlds

What can quantum mechanics tell us about the likelihood of alternate worlds? Explore the multiverse theory with Lieutenant Worf in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “Parallels” and see how science could support the idea of multiple worlds, while also grappling with the seeming untestable nature of such a theory.

33 min
Dark City, Dollhouse, and Personal Identity

10: Dark City, Dollhouse, and Personal Identity

The nature of personal identity is tied to numerous philosophical concerns: memory, consciousness, even the possibility of an afterlife. With films like Dark City and Moon and TV shows like Dollhouse, Professor Johnson guides you through the theories of great thinkers like Descartes, Locke, Leibniz, and their intellectual descendants.

36 min
Westworld and A.I. Artificial Intelligence

11: Westworld and A.I. Artificial Intelligence

Sentient machines have been a staple of sci-fi for decades. Although here you will focus on a few key stories, you will also take a look at the long history of intelligent machines in film and TV—as well as get a glimpse into our very possible future—examining the ways we conceive of the mind and the implications of artificial intelligence. Machines can calculate, but could they one day be sentient?

36 min
Transcendence and the Dangers of AI

12: Transcendence and the Dangers of AI

Science fiction has always been fascinated by the possibilities of artificial intelligence, with many storytellers focusing on the dangers of sentient machines. But human predictions of the future are often inaccurate, so here you will explore arguments both for and against the creation of AI through the film Transcendence, as well as through other iconic stories.

35 min
The Thirteenth Floor: Are We Simulated?

13: The Thirteenth Floor: Are We Simulated?

What is the likelihood that we are living in a simulated world right now? Some philosophers, using laws of subjective probability, would say it may actually be much higher than you might think. Examine the film The Thirteenth Floor and understand how creating a convincing simulated world could alter our conception of reality itself.

33 min
The Orville, Orwell, and the

14: The Orville, Orwell, and the "Black Mirror"

The pervasive influence of social media makes life feel more performative than ever, yet it really just demonstrates an old dilemma heightened by new technology. Here, see how the anthology show Black Mirror and the Star Trek-influenced series The Orville offer episodes that examine extreme cases of objectification and mob mentality. Also, look back on a pre-internet example in George Orwell’s much-adapted Nineteen Eighty-Four.

34 min
Star Wars: Good versus Evil

15: Star Wars: Good versus Evil

The original Star Wars trilogy is not morally ambiguous, but many other entries in the franchise present complicated gray areas when it comes to good versus evil. Professor Johnson demonstrates how the 21st-century films in the series, especially Rogue One, create a more complicated view of morality—and what Nietzsche can tell us about space politics.

33 min
Firefly, Blake’s 7, and Political Rebellion

16: Firefly, Blake’s 7, and Political Rebellion

Many science fiction stories revolve around scrappy, sympathetic rebels and the overthrow of oppressive government powers. Here, look at how two series—Blake’s 7 and Firefly—take similar approaches to the experience of political oppression and individual defiance. Consider the implications of dissent within society and contemplate the perpetual dilemma of balancing freedom and social order.

34 min
Starship Troopers, Doctor Who, and Just War

17: Starship Troopers, Doctor Who, and Just War

From the overt (though satirical) militarism of Starship Troopers to the pacifism of the Doctor, examine how societies view war and the ways we are (or are not) able to justify it. As you compare and contrast two very different ways of confronting violence, you will also look at the middle ground via Just War Theory and ponder the difficulties of preserving life while sometimes having to cause harm.

35 min
The Prime Directive and Postcolonialism

18: The Prime Directive and Postcolonialism

What can science fiction tell us about the dangers of colonialism and moral relativism? Take a look at the Prime Directive—the rules that are supposed to prevent interference in other cultures—and the ethical ramifications of imposing one society’s values on another, as you plunge into several episodes from different iterations of Star Trek, including the classic series of the 1960s, The Next Generation, and Enterprise.

33 min
Capitalism in Metropolis, Elysium, and Panem

19: Capitalism in Metropolis, Elysium, and Panem

Capitalism is an economic philosophy as much as it is a practical system and, while it has many benefits, the capitalist system also has its share of pitfalls and ethical quandaries. Looking at the dystopian visions of the sci-fi films Metropolis, Elysium, and The Hunger Games, you will dive into the issue of balance and understand why an unregulated free market is a recipe for inequality.

34 min
Snowpiercer and Climate Change

20: Snowpiercer and Climate Change

Open this lecture with a look at how and why we get scientific information from experts (or don’t) and why what we should conclude about climate change is as much of a philosophical issue as it is a scientific one. Then, through the film Snowpiercer, take a look at how a lukewarm approach to pressing issues can create narratives of false security and cast doubt on real dangers that will have consequences for the fate of humanity.

36 min
Soylent Green: Overpopulation and Euthanasia

21: Soylent Green: Overpopulation and Euthanasia

When is it acceptable to end your own life? With the rising threat of overpopulation on Earth in the future, see what the 1970s film Soylent Green offers as a solution to dwindling space and resources. Also, consider other ways societies, in both science fiction and the real world, tackle the moral issues of euthanasia (both self-chosen and coerced) and population control.

34 min
Gattaca and the Ethics of Reproduction

22: Gattaca and the Ethics of Reproduction

Dive into the ethical questions of “designer babies,” genetic manipulation, and human evolution at the heart of the movie Gattaca, a film which NASA once considered one of the most plausible sci-fi films ever made. Then, turn your attention to a similar issue as you explore the philosophical and scientific ins and outs of cloning, via the Canadian TV show Orphan Black.

32 min
The Handmaid’s Tale: Feminism and Religion

23: The Handmaid’s Tale: Feminism and Religion

The television adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s novel The Handmaid’s Tale offers a grim vision of a future in which religious fanaticism reshapes the United States into a misogynist totalitarian state. Professor Johnson provides a brief overview of the meaning(s) and different stages of feminism in the 20th century and examines what the disenfranchisement of women says about the uses and abuses of power.

36 min
Kubrick’s 2001 and Nietzsche’s Ubermensch

24: Kubrick’s 2001 and Nietzsche’s Ubermensch

Analyze one of the most famous—and possibly weirdest—sci-fi films of all time: 2001: A Space Odyssey. Consider the imagery and ideas of Kubrick’s vision and determine whether, as some suggest, it reflects the concept of Friedrich Nietzsche’s Übermensch. Close with a brief glimpse of the science fiction worlds still waiting for you to explore them.

38 min