CfP: P.O.I. (Points of Interest) - 1/2025: Philosophy and the sci-fi imaginary: new declinations of the subject

The six-month journal “P.O.I. – Points of Interest” invites you to contribute to the issue I/2025, developing the theme presented according to the following terms, and considering the reflections proposed here as a starting point.

The genre of narrative fiction has long been a fertile field for exploring the transformative potential of the human condition, inspiring advances in philosophical reflection and often anticipating breakthroughs in science. In an era marked by rapid technological change and the increasing complexity of the human condition, reflection on the transformation of the status of the subject has become more topical than ever, and has spread to the diverse fields of philosophy, literature and biotechnology. The themes of cloning, genetic duplication and the ‘double’ in science fiction have indeed influenced human perceptions of individual and collective identity, not only within the limits of a purely physical perspective, but also questioning their metaphysical and philosophical implications. The central theme of human duplication that recurs in this macro-genre raises central questions about the nature of personal identity and its possible replicability. What are the implications of such phenomena for the understanding of human existence and reality itself? How does the figure of the doppelganger, a recurring archetype in the science fiction genre and in psychoanalytic studies, affect the notion of subject unity and prefigure a possible fragmentation of identity? What metaphysical and phenomenological considerations can be drawn from such representations? Authors are encouraged to explore these questions rigorously, drawing on the rich tapestry of speculative narratives and the most recent avenues of contemporary philosophical thought. We expect contributions that can grasp the complexity of the relationship between science, technology and the human condition, and offer new perspectives that can stimulate a stimulating and interdisciplinary dialogue.
Among the possible topics to be covered in this issue are:

  • the impact of cloning and genetic duplication on the perception of individual and collective identity;
  • philosophical and metaphysical reflections on the transformative potential of biotechnology and the post-human condition;
  • the concept of the ‘double’ in science fiction literature and its influence on the understanding of human existence and reality.;
  • the Doppelganger as a metaphor for the fragmentation of identity and the metaphysical and phenomenological impact of the figure of the ‘double’ on the perception of the unity of the self.;
  • the changing concepts of identity, consciousness and the boundaries of the self in the age of technology;
  • ethical considerations surrounding the manipulation of the human genome and the redefinition of ‘humanity’;
  • intersections between phenomenology, metaphysics and representations of human duplicity in speculative fiction;
  • the influence of science fiction on philosophical conceptions of the subject and the nature of reality.

Contributions that address these issues from a variety of methodological approaches will be welcomed. Diverse approaches such as philosophical analysis, interdisciplinary research and critical examinations of works of fiction are therefore welcome. Authors are encouraged to offer innovative perspectives that challenge and expand our understanding of the transformation of the subject, drawing on the rich texture of science fiction, philosophy and the evolutionary landscape of biotechnology.

The response to this CFP must be preceded by the submission of an abstract, which will be submitted to prior evaluation by the editorial staff, on the basis of its relevance to the theme, as it has been listed in the Call.

Final deadline for sending the abstract (approximately 2000 characters, spaces included): 15th March 2024. The outcome of the assessment will be transmitted after the expiry of the time limit.
Final deadline for sending the full paper (20,000 – 60,000 characters, spaces included): 15th May 2024.
Contributions should be unpublished and must not be simultaneously undergoing evaluation on the behalf of other journals.

Languages accepted: Italian, English, French, German, Spanish.

The journal uses a double blind peer-review system; therefore, the author’s name and membership, if any, must appear only once, under the title of the article. Papers, in full, must be complete with an abstract in English (max. 1500 characters, including spaces) and 5 keywords in English.

Editorial rules can be found here: https://poireview.com/norme-editoriali/.

Submissions should be sent to the email address: redazione@poireview.com