The Metaphysics of Star Trek

Using examples from the shows, this witty and absorbing volume looks at the “Star Trek” series and explores a broad spectrum of philosophical ideas and theories, such as “personhood” the nature of a person, of minds, of consciousness and of the emotions; the nature and extent of knowledge and of free will; the nature of personal survival; the issue of what does or should matter to persons in their continued survival; and the question of the proper treatment of nonhumans, whether persons or not. For example, the author analyzes the android Data and asks: Is Data a person? This question launches the reader into a philosophical discussion about ourselves and our knowledge of others. Another topic examined is the transporter, a device that dematerializes objects and rematerializes them in another location. Can someone really survive this process? And how does this experience affect personal identity?