Socio-philosophical and Socio-cultural Analysis in the "Star Diaries" Series by Stanisław Lem

Abstract

Objective: This research is devoted to exploring the artistic reality of "Star Diaries" by the renowned Polish science fiction writer Stanisław Lem, with a primary focus on the socio-philosophical aspect of this narrative series. The work aims to interpret the formal and substantive characteristics that define the author's perspective on anthropology, societal structures, history, bioethics, and futurology within the worlds depicted in the stories, as well as to examine the poetics of expressing the interrelationship between the individual and society.

Methods: The study employs a narratological approach to determine the narrative structure of the works and to identify differences between the positions of the author and the narrators. Philological analysis has been applied to ascertain the artistic features of "Star Diaries", particularly in terms of key images, tropes, and stylistic techniques. Hermeneutic methods have aided in the interpretation of the meanings within the texts. A sociological approach has facilitated the extraction of the socio-philosophical vectors in Stanisław Lem's creative output.

Results: The article identifies a series of issues crucial to human society that are explored in Stanisław Lem's stories from the "Star Diaries" series, detailing their artistic and science fictional interpretations. It thoroughly examines the use of irony and satire which unveil the philosophical perspectives on human and societal relationships. The values and ideals ingrained in the works are disclosed. Considerable attention is given to the narrative structure of the stories and the depiction of the main protagonist. The themes and principal challenges addressed in this collection of stories are identified. The author's view on public discourse is scrutinized, noting how the actual causes of conflicts and their solutions often remain overlooked behind formal resolutions and debates. Originality in conceptualizing social order, science, religion, and anthropology is highlighted. The author's assessment of the modern age and the prospects for human future are also critically evaluated.

Conclusions: The "Star Diaries" series exhibits Lem's multifaceted sociological imagination and a unique satirical-philosophical view of the world. Lem effectively uses the artistic technique of estrangement, enabling a detached view of humanity through the eyes of robots, aliens, and beings from different times and spaces. The stories offer a caution about threats to society caused by its inarticulateness, propensity for warfare, reckless technological and social experiments, ecological negligence, and tolerance of totalitarianism. The character of Ijon Tichy serves as an allegory for the boundless human quest for discovery, knowledge, and improvement.

Keywords: Science Fiction, Human, Society, Irony, Satire, Stanisław Lem, Star Diaries, Defamiliarization.