Superheroes and Philosophy: Truth, Justice, and the Socratic Way

by Tom Morris, Matt Morris, William Irwin (Editor)

Overview

The comic book naratives of superheroes wrestle with profound and disturbing issues in original ways: the definitions of good and evil, the limits of violence as an effective means, the perils of enforcing justice outside the law, the metaphysics of personal identity, and the definition of humanity.
Superheroes and Philosophy tackles these and other philosophical questions in an intellectual yet engaging way suitable for any comic book fan.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780812696967
Publisher:	Open Court Publishing Company
Publication date:	06/01/2001
Series:	Popular Culture and Philosophy , #13
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	300
File size:	486 KB

About the Author

Tom Morris and Matt Morris
Contributor residences (city, state or country if outside the US or Canada):Tom Morris was for fifteen years professor of philosophy at the University of Notre Dame. His twelfth published book, True Success, became a best seller and launched him into a new career as philosophical advisor to the corporate world: his executive audiences have included General Motors, Merrill Lynch, Verizon, IBM, Coca-Cola, Goldman Sachs, and Taco Bell. His recent books include True Success, If Aristotle Ran General Motors, Philosophy for Dummies, and The Stoic Art of Living.

Matt Morris, son of Tom Morris, is a philosopher, film-maker, comics expert, and boy wonder.

Tim Sale, who drew the cover art for this volume, is currently the leading comic book artist.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

Superman's costume always bugged me when I was a kid… So you need a secret identity – cool. But what’s the deal with all the rainbow-hued Spandex masks and costumes?... I found the answer to this great metaphysical dilemma in the book Superheroes and Philosophy, edited by Tom Morris and Matt Morris. In various essays, college philosophy professors and others ruminate on profound issues raised by the superhero lifestyle, such as how Batgirl reflects Nietzsche’s moral perfectionism." – Rick de Yampert, Daytona Beach News-Journal, December 15, 2006

Editorial Reviews

As every serious comic book reader can tell, superheroes aren't tackling just brutish villains; they're grappling with Big Questions. In every adventure, Superman, Batman, the X-Men, and other extraordinarily empowered individuals are wrestling with problems of good and evil; ethical questions about violence in a good cause; the metaphysics of personal identity; and the perils of enforcing justice outside the law. In this brain-tickling book, a host of hip thinkers and graphic arts savants discuss the philosophical implications of superhuman achievers.

"Superman's costume always bugged me when I was a kid… So you need a secret identity – cool. But what’s the deal with all the rainbow-hued Spandex masks and costumes?... I found the answer to this great metaphysical dilemma in the book Superheroes and Philosophy, edited by Tom Morris and Matt Morris. In various essays, college philosophy professors and others ruminate on profound issues raised by the superhero lifestyle, such as how Batgirl reflects Nietzsche’s moral perfectionism." – Rick de Yampert, Daytona Beach News-Journal, December 15, 2006

From the Publisher