Volume 18, Issue 4, December 1995
Anne Collins Smith
Pages 295-300
The Philosophy of Star Trek
Popular Culture as Hermeneutical Springboard
This paper focuses on salient features and benefits of the assimilation of popular culture into classroom discussions in philosophy courses with students of diverse backgrounds. Specifically, the author accounts for the pedagogical success of the incorporation of Star Trek episodes, as a hermeneutical tool, into the curriculum. Each episode provides a forum for students to comprehend the timeless character of philosophy and persistent problems in the history of philosophy. The varied philosophical themes explored in each episode also provide students with a general introduction to a wide variety of philosophical issues and topics ranging from metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, aesthetics and politics.