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.

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.

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!

Was the whole movie just a dream?

Is it possible for us to know what is truly real?

When should we take our own leap of faith?

Is paradox possible?

In the complex world of Christopher Nolan’s four-time Academy Award–winning metaphysical heist film Inception, Dom Cobb has the ability to infiltrate people’s dreams to steal and even alter their beliefs and thoughts. Lurking behind these acts of extraction and inception are profound moral and philosophical issues. From Plato to Aristotle, from Descartes to Hume, Inception and Philosophy draws from the greatest philosophical minds to shed new light on the movie’s key questions and captivating themes. Can we tell whether we are dreaming or awake? Is inception possible? Can sense be made of paradox? And the one that everyone still talks about: did the top fall—or does it even matter? You’ll also deepen your understanding of the movie’s multilayered plot and dream-crashing characters, examine different interpretations of the film, and discover whether or not philosophy can help determine which interpretation is the “right” one. You’ll even find a list of hidden secrets in the movie that you missed!

Is death something to be feared… or “mastered”?

What can Severus Snape teach us about the possibility of redemption?

Is love the most powerful magic of all?

J. K. Rowling’s wildly popular Harry Potter books may appear to be simple children’s tales on the surface, but like Hogwarts, they conceal many hidden chambers, trapdoors, and perplexing secrets. Drawing on all seven books in the Harry Potter series, The Ultimate Harry Potter and Philosophy offers a powerful brew of insights about good and evil, love, death, power, sacrifice, and hope. Is it true, as Dumbledore says, that our choices reveal far more about us than our abilities do? Is there an afterlife, and what might it be like? Here’s a Pensieve for your thoughts. So take a healthy slug of Baruffio’s Brain Elixir and join Bassham’s Army of talented philosophers in exploring the mind-stretching deeper questions of the Potter books and films.

How can Hurley exist in two places at the same time?

What does it mean for something to be possibly true in the flash-sideways universe?

Does Jack have a moral obligation to his father?

What is the Tao of John Locke?

Dude. So there’s, like, this island? And a bunch of us were on Oceanic flight 815 and we crashed on it. I kinda thought it was my fault, because of those numbers. I thought they were bad luck. We’ve seen the craziest things here, like a polar bear and a Smoke Monster, and we traveled through time back to the 1970s. And we met the Dharma dudes. Arzt even blew himself up. For a long time, I thought I was crazy. But now, I think it might have been destiny. The island’s made me question a lot of things. Like, why is it that Locke and Desmond have the same names as real philosophers? Why do so many of us have trouble with our dads? Did Jack have a choice in becoming our leader? And what’s up with Vincent? I mean, he’s gotta be more than just a dog, right? I dunno. We’ve all felt pretty lost. I just hope we can trust Jacob, otherwise . . . whoa.

With its sixth-season series finale, Lost did more than end its run as one of the most talked-about TV programs of all time; it left in its wake a complex labyrinth of philosophical questions and issues to be explored. Revenge, redemption, love, loss, identity, morality—all of Lost’s key themes are examined in this fully updated guide, which reveals the deeper meaning behind every twist and turn in this historic, one-of-a-kind show.

Is Sam still Sam when he turns into a collie?

Is coming out of the coffin the same as coming out of the closet?

Are all vampires created evil?

Vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, fairies, telepaths—True Blood has it all. In a world where supernatural creatures coexist with human beings, Sookie Stackhouse and Bill Compton wrestle with powerful desires while facing complex issues concerning sex, romance, bigotry, violence, death, and immortality. Now, True Blood and Philosophy calls on the minds of some of history’s great thinkers to perform some philosophical bloodletting on this thought-provoking series. From the metaphysics of mind reading to Maryann Forrester’s cult of Dionysus, from vampire politics to the nature of personal identity, and from contemporary feminism to the rights of nonhuman species, True Blood and Philosophy mines the thinking of philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas, John Locke, Immanuel Kant, Friedrich Nietzsche, and John Rawls to enlighten us on the intriguing themes that surround this supernatural world. You’ll find no shortage of juicy metaphysical morsels to sink your teeth into!

Is immoral behavior no laughing matter?

Can Devon Banks choose his sexual orientation?

Is that a dealbreaker?

Hello, dummy. Wait! Don’t stop reading. This is really important. I’m dying. Okay, that was a lie. It’s about this TV show I love. I recently discovered that I’m a 30 Rock addict. From Jack Donaghy’s management advice to the things Liz Lemon has to do just to get a show on the air every week, 30 Rock raises all kinds of ethical dilemmas and philosophical issues. Okay, it’s not like reading Wittgenstein, but it makes you wise. Like a genetically manipulated shark. Every essay in 30 Rock and Philosophy takes some of my favorite scenes from the show and uses them to explain important philosophical issues. Even the most esoteric ideas become understandable when Kenneth is involved. So if you watch the show for Tracy’s antics, Dr. Spaceman’s medical advice, or just to look at Tina Fey, read this book and you’ll walk away knowing about the Frankfurt School, Aristotle, and Jack Donaghy’s sordid love life. Now that we have that out of the way, I have an idea for a business that could make us both millionaires. One word: floppy disks.

What do Peggy, Betty, and Joan teach us about gender equality?

What are the ethics of advertising—or is that a contradiction in terms?

Is Roger Sterling an existential hero?

We’re better people than we were in the sixties, right?

With its swirling cigarette smoke, martini lunches, skinny ties, and tight pencil skirts, Mad Men is unquestionably one of the most stylish, sexy, and irresistible shows on television. But the series becomes even more absorbing once you dig deeper into its portrayal of the changing social and political mores of 1960s America and explore the philosophical complexities of its key characters and themes. From Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle to John Kenneth Galbraith, Milton Friedman, and Ayn Rand, Mad Men and Philosophy brings the thinking of some of history’s most powerful minds to bear on the world of Don Draper and the Sterling Cooper ad agency. You’ll gain insights into a host of compelling Mad Men questions and issues, including happiness, freedom, authenticity, feminism, Don Draper’s identity, and more—and have lots to talk about the next time you find yourself around the watercooler.

Is mind-reading an invasion of privacy?

What’s wrong with genetic experimentation?

How many identities can one person have?

Are the X-Men advocates of civil rights and social change?

X-Men is one of the most popular comic-book franchises ever, captivating millions with its teeming X-Verse of genetic mutants who have been unleashing their unique special powers in the service of both good and evil since 1963. Focusing on identity and personal conflict as much as action and adventure, this bestselling series is full of complex characters and storylines that are deeply influenced by important philosophical questions. Through philosophical greats like Aristotle, Sartre, Camus, Levinas, and others, X-Men and Philosophy shows how this remarkable series speaks not only to generations of pop culture audiences, but to the very heart of the human condition.