Publication Type
Working Paper
Publication Date
7-2002
Abstract
In this paper I compare the fictional world depicted by Orwell’s 1984 with that of Huxley’s Brave New World from the point of view of an analytic philosopher. Neither novel should be read as predictions, the accuracy of which can be used to judge them. Rather, both attempt to portray what humanity could conceivably become. The authenticity of this conceivability is a necessary condition of the power of both works to raise central philosophical questions about the human condition. What is ethically wrong with control? How far can Man go in recreating himself? In what sense are these worlds anti-utopian? Are they really possible worlds? How credible are they as political systems? In what ways do the different systems depict the end of humanity? What logical and moral objections could be made against their fictional apologists?
Discipline
Philosophy
Research Areas
Humanities
First Page
1
Last Page
22
Publisher
SMU Social Sciences and Humanities Working Paper Series, 1-2002
City or Country
Singapore
Citation
WILLIAMS, John N., "Orwell and Huxley: Making Dissent Unthinkable" (2002). Research Collection School of Social Sciences. Paper 7.
https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/7
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/7
Copyright Owner and License
Author
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.