Supernatural and Philosophy E-Book

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

Seitenzahl: 321

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2013

Beschreibung

No doubt the years hunting monsters and saving the universe have had their toll on the Winchesters, but their toughest and most gruesome battles are contained in this book. Think Lucifer was diabolically clever? Think again. No son is more wayward than the one who squanders his intellect and academic career pursuing questions as poignant as “Half-awesome? That’s full-on good, right?” Gathered here for the first time since the formation of Purgatory, a collection of research so arcane and horrific that it would make even the late, great Bobby Singer blush.

Supernatural and Philosophy tackles all the big ideas in the long-running hit show Supernatural, covering thorny issues in a fun and accessible way. Even those unfamiliar with the show will find fascinating insights into Heaven, Hell, Angels, Demons, God, and Lucifer.

• A unique collection of insights into the many philosophical, religious, and paranormal topics in the hit TV show, Supernatural
• Accessible treatment of thorny issues for a general audience
• Written by philosophical fans of the show, for philosophical fans of the show
• Those unfamiliar with the show will still find fascinating insights into Heaven, Hell, Angels, Demons, God, Lucifer, and Good and Evil
• Contributors tackle issues ranging from the biological classifications of monsters, to the epistemological problems of ghost hunting

Leseprobe

Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction: Codename: GhostPhacers

Part One: OF MONSTERS AND MORALS

Chapter 1: Are Monsters Members of the Moral Community?

Moral Community? Is That Like a Coven?

Monsters and the Moral Community: Group 1—Low-Functioning Monsters

Group 2—Antisocial Monsters

Group 3—The Moral Monsters

Good Guys?

Note

Chapter 2: Aristotle’s Metaphysics of Monsters and Why We Love Supernatural

Moving Backward to Move Forward

Sam, I Am

A Monster by Another Name

Out with the Old

The Monster at the End of This Chapter

Chapter 3: Hunters, Warriors, Monsters

Eat it, Twilight!

The Sanctity of Life and All That Crap

Nobody Kill Any Virgins!

There’s an Innocent Girl Trapped Somewhere in There?

We’re Not Just Hunting Anymore: We’re at War!

I Might Be a Freak, But That’s Not the Same as Dangerous

Notes

Chapter 4: Team Free Will

The Family Business

Free Will and Bad Faith

Family Matters in Moral Responsibility

How Free Can a Will Be and Still Be Free?

Moral Responsibility and Anguish

Go Team!

Notes

Part Two: LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE APOCALYPSE

Chapter 5: What the Hell Is Going On?

The Road to Hell

I Saw Hellraiser, I Get the Gist

Who the Hell Do You Think You Are?

To Hell with You

Hell in a Hand Basket

Not a Chance in Hell

What the Hell?

Notes

Chapter 6: Try Hell, It’s a Democracy and the Weather Is Warm

The Angels Are Coming, the Angels Are Coming

For Thine Is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory

Absolute Power

Escaping the State of War: or Why God Makes a Lousy King

Hell Is a Democracy

The Leviathan

Crowley for President!

Notes

Chapter 7: Hunting the American Dream

The Specter of Marx and Supernatural Capitalism

Why It’s a Terrible Life

The Devil You Now Know

Can You Handle the Truth?

Notes

Chapter 8: Mothers, Lovers, and Other Monsters

Kant and Objectification

The Winchesters and Women

The Warrior Mother

Lovers, Utilitarianism, and the Mission

Sam and Dean Self-Esteem

But Sam and Dean Are So Pretty

The Conduct of War

And Other Monsters

No Rest for the Wicked

Notes

Chapter 9: Night of the Living Dead Demons and a Life Worth Living

A Night to Remember

When Is a Choice Not a Choice?

All’s Well That Ends Well

Dénouement: Teaching a Dead Dog, New Tricks

Notes

Part Three: EVIL BY DESIGN

Chapter 10: Dean Winchester and the Supernatural Problem of Evil

God’s Not With Us, Not Anymore

I Got to Believe That I Can Choose What I Do With My Unimportant Little Life

A Theory With a Little Less Fairy Dust

Just Random Horrible Evil

No, He’s Not on Any Flatbread

Please Give Me a Chance …

Notes

Chapter 11: Angels and Atheists

Good God Y’all

Clap Your Hands if You Believe

In the Beginning …

Wishful Thinking

Are You There, God? It’s Me, Dean Winchester

Out With the Old

Note

Chapter 12: Oh God, You Devil

Ruby’s Lesson

Forgetting What You Are

Love and Redemption and Every Damn Demon

Notes

Part Four: IT’S SUPERNATURAL

Chapter 13: Naturally Supernatural

Fiction, Myth, and Weirdness

Isn’t This What Dictionaries Are For?

Small Comforts from the Causal Nexus

Getting Literally Too Literal

Being Two With Nature5

A Science of the Supernatural

Notes

Chapter 14: Masculinity and Supernatural Love

The Warrior

The Sovereign

Cosmic Battle of Ideals

The Dirty Word in Supernatural, the L-Word

Supernatural on Femininity: Less Than Admiration

Erotically Co-Dependent?

The Paradox of Love in Supernatural

Notes

Chapter 15: Naturalizing Supernatural

What Do a Naturalist and a Supernaturalist Have in Common?

The War in Heaven and Naturally Averting God’s Plan

The Soul: Supernatural Genetic Code

Naturally All Part of the Plan

Contributors: Bona Fide, Card Carrying Wisdom Lovers and GhostPhacers

Index

The Blackwell Philosophy and PopCulture Series

Series editor William Irwin

A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, and a healthy helping of popular culture clears the cobwebs from Kant. Philosophy has had a public relations problem for a few centuries now. This series aims to change that, showing that philosophy is relevant to your life—and not just for answering the big questions like “To be or not to be?” but for answering the little questions: “To watch or not to watch South Park?” Thinking deeply about TV, movies, and music doesn’t make you a “complete idiot.” In fact it might make you a philosopher, someone who believes the unexamined life is not worth living and the unexamined cartoon is not worth watching.

Already published in the series:

24 and Philosophy: The World According to JackEdited by Jennifer Hart Weed, Richard Brian Davis, and Ronald Weed

30 Rock and Philosophy: We Want to Go to ThereEdited by J. Jeremy Wisnewski

Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy: Curiouser and CuriouserEdited by Richard Brian Davis

Arrested Development and Philosophy: They’ve Made a Huge MistakeEdited by Kristopher Phillips and J. Jeremy Wisnewski

The Avengers and Philosophy: Earth’s Mightiest ThinkersEdited by Mark D. White

Batman and Philosophy: The Dark Knight of the SoulEdited by Mark D. White and Robert Arp

Battlestar Galactica and Philosophy: Knowledge Here Begins Out ThereEdited by Jason T. Eberl

The Big Bang Theory and Philosophy: Rock, Paper, Scissors, Aristotle, LockeEdited by Dean Kowalski

The Big Lebowski and Philosophy: Keeping Your Mind Limber with Abiding WisdomEdited by Peter S. Fosl

Black Sabbath and Philosophy: Mastering RealityEdited by William Irwin

The Daily Show and Philosophy: Moments of Zen in the Art of Fake NewsEdited by Jason Holt

Downton Abbey and Philosophy: The Truth Is Neither Here Nor ThereEdited by Mark D. White

Ender’s Game and Philosophy: The Logic Gate is DownEdited by Kevin S. Decker

Family Guy and Philosophy: A Cure for the PetardedEdited by J. Jeremy Wisnewski

Final Fantasy and Philosophy: The Ultimate WalkthroughEdited by Jason P. Blahuta and Michel S. Beaulieu

Game of Thrones and Philosophy: Logic Cuts Deeper Than SwordsEdited by Henry Jacoby

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and Philosophy: Everything is FireEdited by Eric Bronson

Green Lantern and Philosophy: No Evil Shall Escape this BookEdited by Jane Dryden and Mark D. White

Heroes and Philosophy: Buy the Book, Save the WorldEdited by David Kyle Johnson

The Hobbit and Philosophy: For When You’ve Lost Your Dwarves, Your Wizard, and Your WayEdited by Gregory Bassham and Eric Bronson

House and Philosophy: Everybody LiesEdited by Henry Jacoby

The Hunger Games and Philosophy: A Critique of Pure TreasonEdited by George Dunn and Nicolas Michaud

Inception and Philosophy: Because It’s Never Just a DreamEdited by David Johnson

Iron Man and Philosophy: Facing the Stark RealityEdited by Mark D. White

Lost and Philosophy: The Island Has Its ReasonsEdited by Sharon M. Kaye

Mad Men and Philosophy: Nothing Is as It SeemsEdited by James South and Rod Carveth

Metallica and Philosophy: A Crash Course in Brain SurgeryEdited by William Irwin

The Office and Philosophy: Scenes from the Unfinished LifeEdited by J. Jeremy Wisnewski

Sons of Anarchy and PhilosophyEdited by George A. Dunn and Jason T. Eberl

South Park and Philosophy: You Know, I Learned Something TodayEdited by Robert Arp

Spider-Man and Philosophy: The Web of InquiryEdited by Jonathan Sanford

Superman and Philosophy: What Would the Man of Steel Do?Edited by Mark D. White

Supernatural and Philosophy: Metaphysics and Monsters … for IdjitsEdited by Galen A. Foresman

Terminator and Philosophy: I’ll Be Back, Therefore I AmEdited by Richard Brown and Kevin S. Decker

True Blood and Philosophy: We Wanna Think Bad Things with YouEdited by George Dunn and Rebecca Housel

Twilight and Philosophy: Vampires, Vegetarians, and the Pursuit of ImmortalityEdited by Rebecca Housel and J. Jeremy Wisnewski

The Ultimate Daily Show and Philosophy: More Moments of Zen, More Moments of Indecision TheoryEdited by Jason Holt

The Ultimate Harry Potter and Philosophy: Hogwarts for MugglesEdited by Gregory Bassham

The Ultimate Lost and Philosophy: Think Together, Die AloneEdited by Sharon Kaye

The Ultimate South Park and Philosophy: Respect My Philosophah!Edited by Robert Arp and Kevin S. Decker

The Walking Dead and Philosophy: Shotgun. Machete. Reason.Edited by Christopher Robichaud

Watchmen and Philosophy: A Rorschach TestEdited by Mark D. White

X-Men and Philosophy: Astonishing Insight and Uncanny Argument in the Mutant X-VerseEdited by Rebecca Housel and J. Jeremy Wisnewski

This edition first published 2013© 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Supernatural and philosophy : metaphysics and monsters for idjits / edited by Galen A. Foresman. pages cm. – (The Blackwell philosophy and pop culture series) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-118-61595-9 (pbk. : alk. paper)

1. Supernatural (Television program : 2005– ) I. Foresman, Galen A., editor of compilation. PN1992.77.S84S87 2013 791.45′72–dc23

2013017489

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Cover image: Sky and lightning © sankai/iStockphoto; House © Shaun Lowe/Getty Images; Chevrolet Impala 1969 © schlol/iStockphoto.Cover design by www.simonlevy.co.uk

Acknowledgments

I would be remiss if I didn’t begin the acknowledgments by recognizing the dedicated fans of the show, many of whom began their stalwart fandom during an ancient time when people watched shows on large boxy televisions at specific times during the week to the exclusion of other programming. These fans made true sacrifices with their time and attention, helping to make Supernatural the success it is today. For all those fans, as well as those who have joined them along the way, I am very grateful.

Many thanks are owed to Jeff Dean for helping get this book off the ground and for his steady oversight in keeping it there. However, much of the thanks for guidance and timeliness belong to Bill Irwin, whose remarkably short correspondences always gave me several hours of material to think upon, not unlike the late great Bobby Singer. Additionally, Robert Arp was instrumental in putting this book together, providing Castiel-like guidance and moral support whenever he was summoned. Thanks to Lindsay Bourgeois for cheerfully responding to all my inane questions and requests, as well as to Jennifer Bray for her help wading through arcane rules from ancient tombs of U.S. law and other clearance-related mystical rituals. Thanks also to Louise Spencely for swiftly copy-editing and laying waste to my many double-spaces.

My dear friend and colleague, Karen Hornsby, was enormously helpful in keeping extra work off my plate during much of the editing of this book. She’s a tireless Dean Winchester.

Most importantly, none of the work I put into this book would have been remotely possible without the loving patience and encouragement of my wife, Amy. I’d be just another JohnWinchester without her, and I thank her especially for working tirelessly to care for our brood, so that I could geek out on my favorite show for hours and hours at a time.

Introduction

Codename: GhostPhacers

[From a drive adjacent the myriad of external drives of Ed Zeddmore and Harry Spengler …]

When Alan J. Corbett died courageously seeking truth, we knew our quest was only just beginning. Spurred by the loss of our brave intern and cook, we GhostFacers have rededicated our lives to fulfilling the mission Corbett was slain so admirably pursuing, opening “people’s eyes to the truth: that ghosts do, in fact, exist,” along with many other things that do, in fact, also exist along with ghosts.