Dean A. Kowalski

Sheds light on the philosophical mysteries of the television show "The X-Files". With sections devoted to the show's credos, such as "The Truth Is Out There," individual characters, and specific episodes, this work presents discussions through the show to help the reader better understand philosophy and philosophical inquiry.

The Philosophy of The X-files

Kimberly S. Engels

Chris Lay

Much philosophical work on pop culture apologises for its use; using popular culture is a necessary evil, something merely useful for reaching the masses with important philosophical arguments. But works of pop culture are important in their own right--they shape worldviews, inspire ideas, change minds. We wouldn't baulk at a book dedicated to examining the philosophy of The Great Gatsby or 1984--why aren't Star Trek and Superman fair game as well? After all, when produced, the former were considered pop culture just as much as the latter. This will be the first major reference work to right that wrong, gathering together entries on film, television, games, graphic novels and comedy, and officially recognizing the importance of the field. It will be the go-to resource for students and researchers in philosophy, culture, media and communications, English and history and will act as a springboard to introduce the reader to the other key literature inthe field.

The Palgrave Handbook of Popular Culture as Philosophy

Featuring significant revisions and updates, Classic Questions and Contemporary Film: An Introduction to Philosophy, 2nd Edition uses popular movies as a highly accessible framework for introducing key philosophical concepts Explores 28 films with 18 new to this edition, including Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Hotel Rwanda, V for Vendetta, and Memento Discusses numerous philosophical issues not covered in the first edition, including a new chapter covering issues of personal identity, the meaningfulness of life and death, and existentialism Offers a rich pedagogical framework comprised of key classic readings, chapter learning outcomes, jargon-free argument analysis, critical thinking and trivia questions, a glossary of terms, and textboxes with notes on the movies discussed Revised to be even more accessible to beginning philosophers

An Introduction to Philosophy

Classic Questions and Contemporary Film

From its first appearance in 1993, The X-Files has attracted millions of viewers interested in the paranormal investigations of intuitionist and belief-driven Fox Mulder and his partner, Dana Scully, the “consummate scientist” and skeptic. Addressing questions of trust and authority that plague our information-addled society, the series acquired a large fan base of individuals interested in debating and interpreting the philosophical themes that underlie the symbiotic partnership between Mulder and Scully. The Philosophy of The X-Files concentrates not only on the philosophical assumptions and presuppositions of the show but also on how the episodes portray the process of philosophical inquiry. Editor Dean A. Kowalski argues that both philosophy and The X-Files center around a determination to search for truth despite a frequent lack of information and proper tools. It is no surprise, then, to find the series riddled with common philosophical themes, including metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, political philosophy, aesthetics, and existentialism, among others. The first section of the book addresses the credos put forth by the series and examines the philosophical significance of its three popular slogans: “The truth is out there,” “Trust no one,” and “I want to believe.” In the second section, contributors analyze the philosophical underpinnings of the characters of Mulder, Scully, the Cigarette Smoking Man, and Assistant Director Walter Skinner. A final section is devoted to individual episodes and engages with the philosophical issues raised by “Clyde Bruckman’s Final Repose” and “Jose Chung’s ‘From Outer Space,’” in addition to the 1998 film The X-Files: Fight the Future. Two appendixes offer a summary of the main storyline and brief plot summaries of each television episode together with the philosophical issues it raises. The first collection of philosophical essays devoted exclusively to the show, The Philosophy of The X-Files shows a television series successfully engaged with the philosophical quandaries of the modern world and explores how Mulder and Scully’s personalities and actions invite inquiry into patterns of human belief and behavior.

The Philosophy of the X-files

Dean A. Kowalski and contributors consider Spielberg's movies using philosophical cornerstones: metaphysics, ethics, axiology, aesthetics, and political philosophy, among others. Using Spielberg's films as a platform for discussing these concepts, the authors ponder larger issues embedded in film and ask fundamental questions about the nature of cinema and how meanings are negotiated. --

We're Gonna Need a Bigger Book

Steven Spielberg and Philosophy

Al trazar cuán delgados son los confines que separan al fundamentalismo del cientificismo, los obstáculos que impiden relaciones de respeto y tolerancia, y la manera en que los apegos inadecuados de las madres impiden a nuestros cuatro geniales personajes alcanzar la madurez, La filosofía de The Big Bang Theory examina importantes temas relacionados con ética y virtud, semiótica y lenguaje, ciencia y religión, con un humorístico análisis de la condición humana. Los fans de The Big Bang Theory encontrarán en este libro una manera divertida de acercarse al pensamiento de los grandes filósofos, y descubrirán por qué, pese a todo el conocimiento científico, no será posible «arrancar la máscara a la naturaleza y mirar fijamente al rostro de Dios».

La filosofía de The Big Bang Theory

Moral Theory at the Movies provides students with a wonderfully approachable introduction to ethics. The book incorporates film summaries and study questions to draw students into ethical theory and then pairs them with classical philosophical texts. The students see how moral theories, dilemmas, and questions are represented in the given films and learn to apply these theories to the world they live in. There are 36 films and a dozen readings including: Thank you for Smoking, Plato s Gorgias, John Start Mill s Utilitarianism, Hotel Rwanda, Plato s Republic, and Horton Hears a Who. Topics cover a wide variety of ethical theories including, ethical subjectivism, moral relativism, ethical theory, and virtue ethics. Moral Theory at the Movies will appeal to students and help them think about how philosophy is relevant today."

An Introduction to Ethics

Moral Theory at the Movies

William Irwin

Stein, Papier, Schere, Aristoteles, Locke

The Big Bang Theory und die Philosophie

S. Evan Kreider

Every generation produces a counterculture icon. Joss Whedon, creator of the long-running television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, is famed for his subversive wit, rich characters, and extraordinary plotlines. His renown has only grown with subsequent creations, including Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse, and the innovative online series Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. Through premises as unusual as a supernatural detective agency run by a vampire and a Western set in outer space, Whedon weaves stories about characters forced to make commonplace moral decisions under the most bizarre of circumstances. The Philosophy of Joss Whedon examines Whedon's plots and characterizations to reveal their philosophical takes on the limits of personal freedom, sexual morality, radical evil, and Daoism.

The Philosophy of Joss Whedon

Cometer um assassinato com a finalidade de se autopreservar pode ser considerado moral? É possível que algo tão simples quanto uma música dê início a uma revolução? A filosofia pode ajudar Katniss a escolher entre Peeta e Gale? Tocando em temas profundos, como lealdade e moralidade, Jogos Vorazes e a filosofia nos ajuda a analisar uma das mais famosas distopias de nosso tempo.

Jogos Vorazes e a filosofia

Without question, few directors have had such a powerful influence on the film industry and the moviegoing public as Steven Spielberg. Often referred to as the most successful American filmmaker of all time, Spielberg has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director six times, winning twice -- for Schindler's List in 1994 and Saving Private Ryan in 1999. Seven of his films have received the Best Picture Oscar nomination. He has brought to life some of the most popular heroes of all time, such as Indiana Jones, as well as some of the most despised villains, including Amon Goeth from Schindler's List and the killer shark from Jaws. Whatever the subject -- dinosaurs, war, extra-terrestrials, slavery, the Holocaust, or terrorism -- one clear and consistent touchstone is present in all of Spielberg's films: an interest in the human condition. In Steven Spielberg and Philosophy, Dean A. Kowalski and some of the nation's most respected philosophers investigate Spielberg's art to illuminate the nature of humanity. The book explores rich themes such as cinematic realism, fictional belief, terrorism, family ethics, consciousness, virtue and moral character, human rights, and religion in Spielberg's work. Avid moviegoers and deep thinkers will discover plenty of common ground in this collection.

A lighthearted meditation on the philosophical quandaries of the hit television show The Big Bang Theory Ever wonder what Aristotle might say about the life Sheldon Cooper leads? Why Thomas Hobbes would applaud the roommate agreement? Who Immanuel Kant would treat with "haughty derision" for weaving "un-unravelable webs?" And—most importantly—whether Wil Wheaton is truly evil? Of course you have. Bazinga! This book mines the deep thinking of some of history's most potent philosophical minds to explore your most pressing questions about The Big Bang Theory and its nerdy genius characters. You might find other philosophy books on science and cosmology, but only this one refers to Darth Vader Force-chokes, cloning Leonard Nimoy, and oompa-loompa-like engineers. Fo-shizzle. Gives you irresistibly geek-worthy insights on your favorite Big Bang Theory characters, story lines, and ideas Examines important themes involving ethics and virtue, science, semiotics, religion, and the human condition Brings the thinking of some of the world's greatest philosophers to bear on The Big Bang Theory, from Aristotle and Plato to Nietzsche, Wittgenstein, Simone de Beauvoir, and more Essential reading for every Big Bang Theory fan, this book explores whether comic-book-wielding geeks can lead the good life, and whether they can know enough science to "tear the mask off nature and stare at the face of God."

Dean A. Kowalski

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