The essay below originally appears as Chapter 3 of Ted Lasso and Philosophy. Ted Talk, Precursive Faith, and the Ethics of Belief David Baggett Like a candy bar little Ronnie Fouch offers you on the playground, Ted Lasso is so much more than meets the eye. But in a good way. This is definitely a…
An accessible and engaging journey through the philosophical themes and concepts of Ted Lasso Ted Lasso and Philosophy explores the hidden depths beneath the vibrant veneer of AppleTV’s breakout, award-winning sitcom. Blending philosophical sophistication with winsome appreciation of this feel-good comedy, the collection features 20 original essays canvassing the breadth of the series and carefully considering the…
Is Our Fate Written? Understanding Choice in Mission Impossible Edwardo Pérez For all the death-defying stunts and impossible, action-packed scenarios, Paramount’s Mission Impossible film series starring Tom Cruise offers an interesting philosophical thought experiment: If you could save the world, would you? If you choose to accept, how far would you go to not just…
How Gorillaz Play with Self-Presentation Kyle York Gorillaz are not real. As we all know, Gorillaz’ band members—2-D, Murdoc, Noodle, and Russel—are animated characters. Their early video album Phase One: Celebrity Take Down shows the four as dark silhouettes wielding scythes, ready for a coup of celebrity culture. But what sort of coup is happening…
What does it mean to choose wisely? Can heroes seek fortune and glory? Why does Indy take a leap of faith? Do Indy’s adventures provide him evidence of the supernatural? Should we hide the Ark of the Covenant in a military-controlled warehouse? Why are museums so important to archaeology? If adventure has a name,…
Love Across Universes Kyle York There’s a scene near the end of Everything Everywhere All at Once (EEAAO) that tends to make me cry (or cry more). The scene’s between Evelyn and her daughter, Joy. Evelyn and Joy have both gained the ability to access different, parallel versions of their own lives across the multiverse.…
Ethics of Care through BTS’s Lyricism Courtney Lazore Over the last several years, BTS, the seven-member pop ensemble from South Korea, has achieved unprecedented success on the global pop scene. ARMY, the group’s fandom, has a lot to be proud of: several Grammy nominations, multiple chart-topping albums, and a history of sold-out stadiums, among other…
Should droids be free? Should clone troopers? What political and ethical ideas ground resistance and rebellion? What’s wrong with the way women are portrayed in Star Wars? Does Han Solo have a philosophical worldview? Was Galen Erso responsible for the destruction of Alderaan? Should you eat Baby Yoda? “This is the Way.” In Star Wars and Philosophy…
When Tech Meets Tradition How Wakandan Technology Transcends Anti-Blackness Timothy E. Brown *This essay appears as Chapter 16 in Black Panther and Philosophy. Black Panther was more empowering for me than I thought it would be. Here we had a mainstream film about an ultra-advanced African nation, set in Marvel’s mostly-white cinematic universe. And there…
Competing Ethical Systems in Ghost of Tsushima by Armond Boudreaux In its depiction of medieval Japanese culture, its astonishingly beautiful landscapes and imagery, and its hyper-realistic combat, Ghost of Tsushima is ground-breaking. One remarkable thing about the game that might have gone relatively unnoticed, however, is the way in which it invites a sophisticated…
The Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series 