Philosophy and the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxyprovides an excellent way of looking at some intriguing issues in philosophy, from vegetarianism and Artificial Intelligence to God, space and time. This is an entertaining yet thought provoking volume for students, philosophers and fans ofThe Hitchhiker'sseries.

NICHOLAS JOLL has taught philosophy at several universities including the University of Hertfordshire, UK, where he is currently a Visiting Lecturer, and the Open University, UK. His publications include several papers on the philosophy of T.W. Adorno and two pieces on the philosophy of philosophy.

Preface
Acknowledgements ('thanks for all the fish')
Introduction Nicholas Joll
Notes on Contributors
PART I: ETHICS
'Eat Me': Vegetarianism and Consenting Animals; B.Saunders & E.Harding
Mostly Harmless? Hitchhiker's and the Ethics of Entertainment; N.Joll
PART II: THE MEANING OF LIFE
Life, the Universe, and Absurdity; A.Kind
The Wowbagger Case: Immortality and What Makes Life Meaningful; T.Chappell
PART III: METAPHYSICS AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
'I Think You Ought To Know I'm Feeling Very Depressed': Marvin and Artificial Intelligence; J.Goodenough
From Deep Thought to Digital Metaphysics; B.Dainton
PART IV: LOGIC, METHOD, AND SATIRE
'God . . Promptly Vanishes in a Puff of Logic'; M.Friend
The Judo Principle, Philosophical Method, and the Logic of Jokes; A.Aberdein
The Funniest of All Improbable Worlds - Hitchhiker's as Philosophical Satire; A.Pawlak & N.Joll
Glossary
Bibliography (of Adams, Philosophy, and Everything)
Indexes