{"product_id":"batman-and-philosophy-isbn-9780470270301","title":"Batman and Philosophy","description":"Why doesn't Batman just kill the Joker and end everyone's misery?\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Can we hold the Joker morally responsible for his actions?\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Is Batman better than Superman?\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e If everyone followed Batman's example,\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e would Gotham be a better place?\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e What is the Tao of the Bat?\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Batman is one of the most complex characters ever to appear in comic books, graphic novels, and on the big screen. What philosophical trials does this superhero confront in order to keep Gotham safe? Combing through seventy years of comic books, television shows, and movies, Batman and Philosophy explores how the Dark Knight grapples with ethical conundrums, moral responsibility, his identity crisis, the moral weight he carries to avenge his murdered parents, and much more. How does this caped crusader measure up against the teachings of Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Kierkegaard, and Lao Tzu? \u003cp\u003eACKNOWLEDGMENTS: The Oscar Speech George Clooney Never Got to Make ix\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIntroduction: Riddle Me This . . .  1\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePART ONE DOES THE DARK KNIGHT ALWAYS DO RIGHT?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1 Why Doesn’t Batman Kill the Joker? 5\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eMark D. White\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2 Is It Right to Make a Robin? 17\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eJames DiGiovanna\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e3 Batman’s Virtuous Hatred 28\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eStephen Kershnar\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePART TWO LAW, JUSTICE, AN D THE SOCIAL ORDER: WHERE DOES BATMAN FIT IN?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e4 \u003ci\u003eNo Man’s Land\u003c\/i\u003e: Social Order in Gotham City and New Orleans 41\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBrett Chandler Patterson\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e5 Governing Gotham 55\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eTony Spanakos\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e6 The Joker’s Wild: Can We Hold the Clown Prince Morally Responsible? 70\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eChristopher  Robichaud\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePART THREE ORIGINS AND ETHICS: BECOMING THE CAPED CRUSADER\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e7 Batman’s Promise 85\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eRandall M. Jensen\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e8 Should Bruce Wayne Have Become Batman? 101\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eMahesh Ananth and Ben Dixon\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e9 What Would Batman Do? Bruce Wayne as Moral Exemplar 114\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eRyan Indy Rhodes and David Kyle Johnson\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePART FOUR WHO IS THE BATMAN? (IS THAT A TRICK QUESTION?)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e10 Under the Mask: How Any Person Can Become Batman 129\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eSarah K. Donovan and Nicholas P. Richardson\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e11 Could Batman Have Been the Joker? 142\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eSam Cowling and Chris Ragg\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e12 Batman’s Identity Crisis and Wittgenstein’s Family Resemblance 156\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eJason Southworth\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e13 What Is It Like to Be a Batman? 167\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eRon Novy\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePART FIVE  BEING THE BAT: INSIGHTS FROM EXISTENTIALISM AND TAOISM\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e14 Alfred, the Dark Knight of Faith: Batman and Kierkegaard 183\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eChristopher M. Drohan\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e15 Dark Nights and the Call of Conscience 198\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eJason J. Howard\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e16 Batman’s Confrontation with Death, Angst, and Freedom 212\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eDavid M. Hart\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePART SIX FRIEND, FATHER, . . . RIVAL? TH E MANY ROLES OF THE BAT\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e17 Why Batman Is Better Than Superman 227\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eGalen Foresman\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e18 World’s Finest . . . Friends? Batman,Superman, and the Nature of Friendship 239\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eDaniel P. Malloy\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e19 Leaving the Shadow of the Bat: Aristotle, Kant, and Dick Grayson on Moral Education 254\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eCarsten Fogh Nielsen\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e20 The Tao of the Bat 267\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBat-Tzu\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCONTRIBUTORS : The Clown Princes (and Princess) of Casuistry and Categorical Imperatives 279\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eINDEX : From the Secret Files of Oracle, Master Indexer to the DCU 285\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e In this, the latest in Wiley’s Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture series (\u003ci\u003eSouth Park and Philosophy\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Office and…\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eMetallica and…\u003c\/i\u003e), editors White and Arp assert upfront, and without qualification (apparently, that’s the contributors’ job), their belief that Batman is “the most complex character ever to appear in comic books and graphic novels.” Exploring certain works that have broadened the philosophical undercurrents of the Batman mythos (Frank Miller’s \u003ci\u003eBatman: Year One\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Dark Knight Returns\u003c\/i\u003e are cited often, but rarely the new movies), a raft of professors, students and PhD candidates paint Bruce Wayne’s choices as, most often, either utilitarian or deontological, with basic descriptions of these systems helpfully provided for the novice. A few contributions broaden the discussion beyond the well-worn (origin stories of Batman and foes, etc.); casting butler Alfred as Kierkegaard’s “knight of faith” to Batman’s “knight of infinite resignation,” contributor Christopher M. Drohan actually gets close to the archetypal sources that keep the serialized exploits of Batman and other comic heroes from getting stale. Unfortunately, most of these essays get old fast. \u003ci\u003e(July)\u003c\/i\u003e (\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e, July 28, 2008)  \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMARK D. WHITE\u003c\/b\u003e is an associate professor in the Department of Political Science, Economics, and Philosophy at the College of Staten Island\/CUNY.  \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eROBERT ARP\u003c\/b\u003e is a postdoctoral research associate through the National Center for Biomedical Ontology at the University at Buffalo, and edited South Park and Philosophy.  \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWILLIAM IRWIN\u003c\/b\u003e is a professor of philosophy at King's College. He originated the philosophy and pop culture gentre of books as coeditor of the bestselling \u003ci\u003eThe Simpsons and Philosophy\u003c\/i\u003e and has overseen recent titles, including \u003ci\u003eWatchmen and Philosophy, House and Philosophy,\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eAlice in Wonderland and Philosophy.\u003c\/i\u003e   \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBLACKWELL PHILOSOPHY AND POP CULTURE SERIES\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This book has not been approved, licensed, or sponsored by any entity or person involved in creating or producing Batman, the comic, the film, or the TV series \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePHILOSOPHY\/POP CULTURE\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhy doesn't Batman just kill the Joker and end everyone's misery?\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCan we hold the Joker morally responsible for his actions?\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eIs Batman better than Superman?\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eIf everyone followed Batman's example, would Gotham be a better place?\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhat is the Tao of the Bat?\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBatman is one of the most complex characters ever to appear in comic books, graphic novels, and on the big screen. What philosophical trials does this superhero confront in order to keep Gotham safe? Combing through seventy years of comic books, television shows, and movies, \u003ci\u003eBatman and Philosophy\u003c\/i\u003e explores how the Dark Knight grapples with ethical conundrums, moral responsibility, his identity crisis, the moral weight he carries to avenge his murdered parents, and much more. How does this caped crusader measure up against the teachings of Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Kierkegaard, and Lao Tzu?\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wiley","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47988793311461,"sku":"NP9780470270301","price":20.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780470270301.jpg?v=1761781611","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/batman-and-philosophy-isbn-9780470270301","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}