Downton Abbey and Philosophy E-Book

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Serie: The Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 106

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2012

Beschreibung

A unique philosophical look at the hit television series Downton Abbey Who can resist the lure of Downton Abbey and the triumphs and travails of the Crawley family and its servants? We admire Bates's sense of honor, envy Carson's steadfastness, and thrill to Violet's caustic wit. Downton Abbey and Philosophy draws on some of history's most profound philosophical minds to delve deeply into the dilemmas that confront our favorite characters. Was Matthew right to push Mary away after his injury in the war? Would Lord Grantham have been justified in blocking Lady Sybil's marriage to Tom Branson? And is Thomas really such a bad person? * Offers fresh and intriguing insights into your favorite Downton Abbey characters, plot lines, and ideas * Addresses many of your most pressing questions about Downton Abbey's story and characters, such as: Should Daisy have lied to William about her feelings toward him--especially to the point of marrying him? Should Mr. Bates have been upfront with Anna from the beginning about his past? * Views Downton Abbey through the lens of some of the most influential philosophical thinkers, from Saint Augustine and David Hume to Immanuel Kant and John Stuart Mill * Ventures upstairs and downstairs to examine key themes involving ethics, virtue, morality, class, feminism, the human condition, and more Philosophical speculation awaits on every page of this essential Downton Abbey companion. So take a seat in your personal library, have the butler pour a cup of tea, and start reading!

Leseprobe

Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: “The Cat that Walks by Himself”

Wait a Minute—Kant? Really?

Matthew Keeps a Stiff Upper Lip

The Trials and Tribulations of Mr. Bates

Me Lord Grantham, you Jane

Like the Dowager Countess, Kant is So Very Misunderstood

Chapter 2: “But It’s a Lie!”

“A Great Kindness” or Just Plain Wrong?

Lying is Always Wrong

Lying for Good Reasons

Lying as Betrayal

Should Daisy Have Told William the Truth?

Oh, the Web We Weave . . .

Chapter 3: “Put that in Your Pipe and Smoke It”

“Fragile Feminine Sensibilities,” Indeed

The Performativity of the Crawleys

Cora and O’Brien: Two of a Kind

Isobel Crawley and the Dowager Countess—Oh My!

In Defense of Mary

“I Underestimated Your Enthusiasm”

Chapter 4: Hume’s Moral Philosophy and Thomas’s Moral Corruption

An Enquiry Concerning Thomas

As Thomas’s World Turns

When Thomas is Good—and Denies it

A Change in Position?

Chapter 5: Marriages, Miscarriages, and Morality at Downton

My Dear Lord Grantham, What is Moral Realism?

There’s No Place for Skepticism at Downton

Daisy May Not Have Book Smarts, But She Has Moral Knowledge

Daisy Can Cook, but is She Reliable?

Moral Life Goes on at Downton

Chapter 6: “Why Would She Want to Be a Secretary?”

Inviting Philosophers for Tea

Just Normal Dinner Conversation

“Not If it Isn’t in Their Best Interests,” Indeed!

Do you Take Your Paternalism Hard or Soft, Sir?

The Dowager Countess Will Love This Section

Oh, the Hubris!

Contributors

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