I am interested in any novels that include some sort of conflict regarding one or more ethical theories. I am mostly thinking of normative ethical theories, i.e., utilitarianism vs. deontology vs. virtue ethics, etc.
Preferably, I would like a novel where the debate is between the protagonist(s), supporting characters, or their environment, rather than a debate with the antagonist. I also would like a conflict that goes beyond the common question “do the ends justify the means?” Even if the question is an aspect of the conflict, I am looking for a work that provides more complexity.
Those Who Walk Away from Omelas appears to be a good example, as a work that criticizes utilitarianism.
Thank you!
by Bricklayer2021
2 Comments
If you liked Those Who Walk Away from Omelas, you may like:
* Short story: [The Passenger by Julie E. Czerneda](http://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fiction/the-passenger/) that explores the same idea but in a different way.
* Short story: [Between the Dark and the Dark](https://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fiction/between-the-dark-and-the-dark/)
* [The Dispossessed](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13651.The_Dispossessed) by Ursula K. Le Guin
Books I’ve read that involve the characters presenting different ethical theories:
* The [Wess’har Wars series](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/124841.City_of_Pearl__Wess_Har__Book_1_) by Karen Traviss. I have really conflicted feelings about this series. I read the whole thing, but to truly enjoy it, you’d *need* to share a critical mass of beliefs with the author, which I do not. Those beliefs are: veganism is good, big corporations are bad, military is good, police are good, police brutality is good, and pervasive heteronormativity is how things should be. It’s a strange combination of political beliefs that I think are quite unlikely to all coincide in any one person.
* [Succession](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/267022.The_Risen_Empire) by Scott Westerfeld. Features a space empire with multiple political parties whose philosophy we see a bit of. However, I have only read the first part, The Risen Empire. I don’t know if we see any more of this in The Killing of Worlds.
* [The Algebraist](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12009.The_Algebraist) by Iain M. Banks. Features a religious group and different alien societies all with their own values. [Player of Games](https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/18630) by Iain M Banks. In a literal sense, it is about two different political systems being put to the test.
* Books by Becky Chambers. Every single one of them that I’ve read so far includes at least some scene of characters discussing moral dilemmas or ethical systems. [The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22733729-the-long-way-to-a-small-angry-planet?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=1mU5k77y3X&rank=1) and [The Galaxy and the Ground Within](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50209317-the-galaxy-and-the-ground-within?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=1mU5k77y3X&rank=8) are probably the best two in terms of exploring ethical questions. The other books tend to introduce questions or concepts but not really test them.
Books that explore an ethical position through the story, but *not* by having the characters talk about it:
* [Never Let Me Go](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6334.Never_Let_Me_Go) by Kazuo Ishiguro
* [The House of the Scorpion](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13376.The_House_of_the_Scorpion) by Nancy Farmer
* [Relic](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36960178-relic) by Alan Dean Foster
* [The Moon is a Harsh Mistress](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16690.The_Moon_Is_a_Harsh_Mistress) by Robert A. Heinlein
‘The Plague’ by Albert Camus could interest you. It was written after WWIi after Camus’observations of French society during the Nazi occupation of France.
His characters are confronting a plague epidemic and their attitudes reflect their philosophical point of view.
It is quite short, well written, the characters and the situation are easy to connect with and give you food for tought.