The Ethics of 2001: A Space Odyssey

In this paper the plot of the movie directed by Stanley Kubrick and the book written by Arthur C. Clarke are summarized with emphasis on the philosophical and ethical issues presented in the story. A more detailed analysis of the ethical issues, including man becoming god and Hal the computer, concludes the paper. The paper is written from a Christian perspective and relates the story to Biblical examples.

From the paper:

“2001: A Space Odyssey” was written by Arthur C. Clarke and published in 1968 at about the same time as the movie of the same title was released. It is interesting to note that the film and the book were being produced at the same time. Rather than to base one on the other, the movie and the book were made almost as one, with modifications being made to suit the needs of the writer and director.

Directed by Stanley Kubrick, the movie was left more open-ended than the book, and tended to draw either praise for its ingenuity or harsh judgment for its dullness and lack of imagination. Whether the first or the latter opinion is correct, one thing is for certain: 2001 is an epic that changed the face of science fiction and paved the way for a whole new way of thinking.”