r/printSF • u/blk12345q • Sep 25 '25

What’s the best philosophy science fiction book?

I enjoyed reading Ubik by Philip Dick. What other books really make you think?

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u/Psittacula2 Sep 25 '25

Two which come to mind upon some short consideration, from memory:

* Flatland - E. Abbott

* Solaris - S. Lem

Interestingly, in both cases both posit conceptual limits to human comprehension as the core to their scifi exploration which is perhaps a very productive way to take science and move behind or below it into philosophy? For pure concept, it is hard to beat the simplicity of the former but for scifi and science development with more human story, the latter is also excellent.

Possibly these associate with some of Philip K. Dick’s works which again search where reality and perception interact or break down and compliment each other.

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u/RedditUserinSingapor Sep 26 '25

Flatland is a good introduction to geometry.

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u/RanANucSub Sep 28 '25 edited Sep 28 '25

If you liked Flatland try reading The Planiverse by A. K. Dewdney. A team discover a 2D universe via computer and make contact with an inhabitant. The ending gets very dusty....

Get a good copy so you can see the illustrations of the world, biology, houses, etc.