Tony Stark’s Problem of Mortality

Tony Stark’s Problem of Mortality By Edwardo Pérez [NOTE: Major Spoilers ahead for Avengers: Infinity War.] Every character in Marvel Studio’s MCU film franchise (nineteen films and counting) is fascinating, not just in the awesome array of superpowers they possess (which makes the stories and special effects fun) but in the way each character has…

Black Mirror and Philosophy: Call for Abstracts

Call for Abstracts Black Mirror and Philosophy Edited by David Kyle Johnson The Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series Please circulate and post widely. Apologies for cross posting.   To propose ideas for future volumes in the Blackwell series please contact the Series Editor, William Irwin, at williamirwin@kings.edu   If you have comments or criticisms for the…

A Philosophical Review of The Last Jedi

A Philosophical Review of The Last Jedi Jason Eberl and Kevin Decker philosophize among the stars. WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS Read the full review at Philosophy Now. As all observers of a particular galaxy far, far away know, there has recently been another awakening in the Force: Star Wars: The Last Jedi. We reviewed Star Wars: The Force Awakens in Issue 115 of Philosophy…

Mario’s Philosophical Odyssey

Mario’s Philosophical Odyssey By Edwardo Pérez I must confess, I have no idea how to play Super Mario Odyssey – other games such as Mario Kart, New Super Mario Bros., and Super Mario 3D World fit my skill level, but Odyssey baffles me. My nine-year-old son, however, mastered it out of the box as if…

Review of Westworld and Philosophy

Review of Westworld and Philosophy Scott McLemee Philosophers and screenwriters follow the conundrum in different directions, of course, but Westworld displays a surprising awareness of where the philosophical discussion has already gone. The viewer may feel compelled to humanize the hosts — to imagine the androids as somehow, at some level of complexity, generating an interiority, a…

The Good Place and Philosophy 

The Good Place and Philosophy  The Good Place, the Bad Place, and Other People George A. Dunn   In 2016, NBC premiered The Good Place, surely one of the most unique half-hour sitcoms of all time. It’s unique not only due to its principle protagonists all being dead (except for one who’s an anthropomorphized vessel…

Life and Time in Doctor Strange

Life and Time in Doctor Strange Immortality in the Dark Dimension Joachim Lipski   The 2016 movie Doctor Strange tells us of Stephen Strange’s clash with his fellow sorcerer Kaecilius. According to Kaecilius’ dogma, time is life’s mortal enemy. This belief is what drives him into the servitude of Dormammu, the ruler (or quasi-deity) of…

Extended Deadline: Saturday Night Live and Philosophy

Extended Deadline: April 16, 2018 Call for Abstracts Saturday Night Live and Philosophy Edited by Ruth Tallman and Jason Southworth The Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series Please circulate and post widely. Apologies for cross posting.   To propose ideas for future volumes in the Blackwell series please contact the Series Editor, William Irwin, at williamirwin@kings.edu If…

Wonder Woman – feminine throwback or modern feminist icon?

Wonder Woman – feminine throwback or modern feminist icon? By Rachel Harris Overall, this collection provides an engaging set of arguments about the meaning of Wonder Woman in a philosophical, feminist and cultural context. Accessible both to academic and general readers, it offers a useful introduction to an array of philosophical theories ranging from Aristotle…