May 15, 2010

The Morality of Iron Man

Iron Man and Philosophy editor Mark D. White’s essay “Can Iron Man Be a Hero if Tony Stark Is a Womanizer?” appeared on Psychology Today on May 7th.

In earlier days, this behavior may have been laughed off (among men and women alike) as charmingly roguish. But with the recent surge of news reports of sex addiction and adultery among celebrities and politicians, Stark’s promiscuity takes on a new life. (Never mind the fact that if a female character acted like Stark has, no one would be laughing.) To be fair, Stark is not married, nor even seriously dating anyone (in the film, much less the present comics); nonetheless, his behavior may be read as displaying a lack of respect for women as valuable persons, and is therefore problematic—especially for a hero.

Read the full article at Psychology Today.

Mark also participated in a podcast for A Welcome Invasion of Privacy on the subject of Iron Man. Listen to part one and part two of his interview.

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May 14, 2010

Review of True Blood and Philosophy on True-Blood.net

Philosophy not your strong suit? It’s not mine, either. I took a philosophy class as an undergrad and another literature-based theory class in grad school, but Kant and Nietzsche and Descartes aren’t my BFFs. Fortunately, you don’t need a PhD in philosophy to enjoy these essays and begin considering the deeper themes running through True Blood.

Read the full article at True-Blood.net. Also, enter to win a copy of the book!

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May 6, 2010

Review of Iron Man and Philosophy on All Headline News

The Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series takes aim at the modern day knight in shining armor in their latest discussion of all things philosophical. The topics could not be more appropriate with the subject, as contributors throw out their thoughts regarding the questions of personal responsibility and the wavering of virtuous behavior from Iron Man and billionaire alter ego Tony Stark, as well as what classic thinkers like Aristotle and business geniuses like Andrew Carnegie would think. The blend of man and machine, an ongoing theme throughout the run of the “Iron Man” comic book, also comes together as philosophers focus on the advancements of the Iron Man armor, the endless potential of technology and what kind of disaster this could spell for mankind. And not just in the Marvel Comics world.

Read the full article at All Headline News.