Philosophical themes in works of Stanislaw Lem

The purpose of this thesis was to examine two works of science fiction by the Polish writer and satirist, Stanislaw Lem, which exemplify two broad philosophical themes central to his writings; viz., cosmology and personhood. In "The New Cosmogony," Lem focuses on the central problem of the philosophy of scientific cosmology, namely, what kind of explanation is-applicable to that science. Lem synthesizes religious and scientific views of the creation of the universe in his model of the cosmos as a Game of Civilizations with advanced technologies. Central to this work is the philosophical notion of intentionality. In "The Mask," Lem raises questions about personhood, consciousness, freedom, determinism, and responsibility by embedding them in the autobiographical narrative of a conscious, female machine. Lem's views on cosmology and his views on personhood both involve intentionality - the intentions of civilizations, on the one hand, and the intentions of a King and of the machine he created, on the other. Both works challenge all preconceptions about philosophy through the use of paradox, irony, and sometimes ridicule. Lem provides no answers, however. He is interested in setting up futuristic technological situations that are capable of undermining our basic assumptions about the world.Thesis (M.A.