Countering the dystopic and the apocalyptic, Star Trek’s Philosophy of Peace and Justice introduces political philosophical reflections on peace, justice, and non-violence through dramatic plots in the utopian Star Trek Universe. Using key insights from a global array of philosophers, thinkers, and activists, including Martin Luther King Jr., Cesar Chavez, Angela Davis, Martha Nussbaum, Johan Galtung, and Desmond Tutu, José-Antonio Orosco guides readers through different Star Trek episodes, applying key concepts from peace and justice studies. In the Star Trek Universe, seemingly impossible realities, based on peace and justice exist indefinitely in a post-scarcity society marked by economic cooperation. Orosco continues its bold utopian mission and brings new challenges to the field of peace and justice studies that center anti-racism and intersectional theory to encourage the exploration, over conquest, of our own galaxy.
José-Antonio Orosco is Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Peace Studies Program at Oregon State University, USA.
Introduction: Star Trek and the Philosophy of PeaceChapter 1. Violence and Human Nature: The Enemy WithinChapter 2. The Multiple Dimensions of ViolenceChapter 3. The Nature of Peace and Human FlourishingChapter 4. The Ethics of War and WeaponryChapter 5. Identities in ConflictChapter 6. Mercy, Forgiveness, and JusticeChapter 7. Imagining a Better WorldIndex