Ender's Game and Philosophy: Genocide is Child's Play
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Description
Ender’s Game, Orson Scott Card’s award-winning 1985 novel, has been discovered and rediscovered by generations of science fiction fans, even being adopted as reading by the U.S. Marine Corps. Ender's Game and its sequels explore rich themes — the violence and cruelty of children, the role of empathy in war, and the balance of individual dignity and the social good — with compelling elements of a coming-of-age story. Ender’s Game and Philosophy brings together over 30 philosophers to engage in wide-ranging discussion on issues such as: the justifiability of pre-emptive strikes; how Ender’s disconnected and dispassionate violence is mirrored in today’s drone warfare; whether the end of saving the species can justify the most brutal means; the justifiability of lies and deception in wartime, and how military schools produce training in virtue. The authors of Ender’s Game and Philosophy challenge readers to confront the challenges that Ender’s Game presents, bringing new insights to the idea of a just war, the virtues of the soldier, the nature of childhood, and the serious work of playing games. [From the publisher]
ISBN
978-0812698343
Publication Date
9-17-2013
Publisher
Open Court
City
Chicago
Keywords
Orson Scott Card, Ender Wiggin, literature, popular culture, remote warfare, ethics
Disciplines
Arts and Humanities | Ethics and Political Philosophy | Philosophy
Comments
Volume 80 in the "Popular Culture and Philosophy" series.
Kelly Sorensen and Thomas Sorensen contributed the chapter entitled "Is Ender a Murderer?"