And Philosophy » Ellen

Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Philosophy

Ellen — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 17:42:42 +0000

Can Lisbeth Salander be our guide to a postgender world?

To catch a criminal, can Lisbeth and Mikael be criminals themselves?

Would Aristotle read Larsson’s mystery books on a beach?

Can revenge be ethical?

What’s the deal with all that coffee?

Drawing a thin moral line between their own actions and the criminal schemes they seek to unravel in the international bestselling Millennium Trilogy, tattooed and troubled computer hacker Lisbeth Salander and disgraced middle-aged journalist Mikael Blomkvist form the most unlikely pairing of heroes in popular fiction history—and one of the most compelling. Drawing on some of history’s greatest philosophical minds, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Philosophy gives fresh insight into the complex ethical framework of this sleuthing odd couple and the key epistemological themes driving Stieg Larsson’s ingeniously plotted tales of crime and corruption in Sweden’s dark underbelly. Topics such as the Aristotelian arguments for why we love revenge, Kantian theories explaining why so many women sleep with Mikael Blomkvist, feminist readings of Lisbeth Salander, and Larsson’s views on skepticism offer a huge helping of metaphysical morsels that will more than satisfy the intellectual appetite of devoted Larsson fans everywhere.

House and Psychology

Ellen — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 16:53:47 +0000

Arrested Development and Philosophy

Ellen — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 20:27:27 +0000

Is George Michael’s crush on his cousin unnatural?

Is it immoral for Lindsay to lie about stealing clothes to hide her job?

Is Gob better off living his life in bad faith?

What inferences can we draw from Tobias’s double entendres?

Are the pictures really of bunkers or balls?

The Bluth family’s faults, foibles, and character flaws are so excruciatingly familiar that we squirm in painful recognition of the outrageous impulses that we all have but would never act on. The Bluths seem utterly unaware of the gaping distance between their behavior and accepted social norms. Lurking behind this craziness are large moral and philosophical issues to be explored. From Plato to Aristotle, from Descartes to Marx, Arrested Development and Philosophy draws from great philosophical minds to shed new light on the show’s key questions and captivating themes, including the nature of self-knowledge and happiness, business ethics and capitalist alienation, social class, the role of error in character development, and much more.

The Wheel of Time and Philosophy

Ellen — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 17:16:44 +0000

Two and a Half Men and Philosophy

Ellen — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 19:41:48 +0000

Harry Potter and History

Ellen — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 15:36:35 +0000

Wonder Woman and Philosophy

Ellen — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 16:25:28 +0000

Avengers and Philosophy

Ellen — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 16:25:06 +0000

Burn Notice and Philosophy

Ellen — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 16:24:41 +0000

Green Lantern and Philosophy

Ellen — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 15:11:44 +0000

Is Hal Jordan a murderer?

What kind of strength is willpower?

Do emotions help or hurt a Green Lantern?

Can a Green Lantern power ring do anything imaginable—and should we worry if it can?

How can insects, mathematical equations, and planets be Green Lanterns?

Green Lanterns and their awesome power rings inspire a sense of possibility and wonder that can last a lifetime. Anyone who dreams of how to make the world a better place can imagine ways to make that dream come true with a Green Lantern ring. Green Lantern and Philosophy shines an emerald light on the many philosophical questions raised in the comics, the films, and the animated series, tackling issues from Aristotle’s view of the effect of emotions on virtue, to what Plato’s tale of the Ring of Gyges tells us about Green Lanterns and the lust for power, to deciding who is the greatest Green Lantern of all time. So whether you’re a fan of Hal Jordan, John Stewart, Guy Gardner, Kyle Rayner, or Alan Scott—and let’s not forget Soranik Natu, Kilowog, Katma Tui, Salaak, Mogo, and even Sinestro—Green Lantern and Philosophy will bring enlightenment to help turn the blackest night into the brightest day!