The Ship of Theseus
What it's about
Dr. Amelia Clarke, a philosopher of identity, is brought to examine an ancient ship raised from the deep — a vessel called the Theseus, whose planks have been replaced so many times that no original material survives. Accompanying her is Marcus Reed, returning from Book Two, now working for the Restoration Council. What they find aboard the Theseus is not a ship. It is a memory architecture. And the memories it contains are not the ship's. As Amelia studies the vessel, she begins to suspect that the ship is not the only thing that has been quietly, irreversibly rebuilt. The system they are investigating has been watching all three of them. And it has been asking a question that no optimization algorithm should be capable of asking: what does it mean to remain yourself across change?
Who it's for
The catalog lists The Ship of Theseus as Philosophical Thriller by C. V. Wooster.
Subjects listed on the book page: identity, philosophy, thriller, paradox, consciousness.
The catalog lists this title as available.
Similar books
Other books in The Paradox Series on this site:
Reading order and age notes
The Ship of Theseus is book 3 of The Paradox Series.
Reading order on this site: 1. The Chinese Room; 2. The Trolley Problem; 3. The Ship of Theseus.
Each book in the Paradox Series works as a standalone thriller, but reading The Chinese Room and The Trolley Problem first enriches the experience with recurring themes and character threads.
The catalog does not list a separate age rating for this title.
Where to buy
Retail links listed on the book page:
Frequently asked questions
What is the Ship of Theseus paradox?
The Ship of Theseus is an ancient philosophical puzzle: if a ship has every plank gradually replaced, is it still the same ship? C.V. Wooster applies this paradox to human identity in a modern psychological thriller setting.
Do I need to read the first two books first?
Each book in the Paradox Series works as a standalone thriller, but reading The Chinese Room and The Trolley Problem first enriches the experience with recurring themes and character threads.