Doctor Who and Philosophy : Bigger on the Inside

Famous throughout the world, the "Doctor Who" series is the longest-running sci-fi TV show in history. Now it's making its U.S. transition from dedicated cult following to mass viewership, with the new series starring Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor breaking all records. In "Doctor Who and Philosophy", a team of mostly human philosophers (who are also fans) looks at the deeper issues raised by the Doctor's mind-blowing adventures. Among the topics covered are the Doctor's philosophy of science, the ethics of a universe with millions of intelligent species, what makes one life-form more important than another, whether time travellers can change history, and how the "Doctor Who" TV show is changing the world we live in. The chapters draw freely on both the classic series (1963-1989) and the new series.

Courtland Lewis is a lifelong Doctor Who fan and a doctoral candidate in philosophy at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Paula Smithka is the coeditor of Community, Diversity, and Difference: Implications for Peace. She is also an associate professor of philosophy at The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg.