Spider-Man and Philosophy: The Web of Inquiry Author: Jonathan J. Sanford | Language: English | ISBN:
0470575603 | Format: EPUB
Spider-Man and Philosophy: The Web of Inquiry Description
From the Back Cover
Is Peter Parker to blame for the death of Uncle Ben?
What does spider-sense reveal about the nature of perception?
Does great power really bring great responsibility?
How should Spider-Man fight villains who are former friends?
Can Spidey champion justice and be with Mary Jane at the same time?
Through decades of web-slinging adventures in comics, television shows, movies, and even on Broadway, Spider-Man has become one of our most beloved and enduring superheroes. Peter's the classic underdog, and like many of us, he's learned to combat the evils in his life with abilities he didn't realize he had. Spider-Man and Philosophy untangles the complex web of philosophical dilemmas of Spidey and his world with the help of some of history's most powerful thinkers, including Plato, Aristotle, Hegel, and Kierkegaard. From the morality of the wall-crawler's jokes to whether he can maintain both of his lives as Peter and as a costumed crusader, from Spider-Man's struggle with infinite debt and guilt to what it takes to live a good life, you'll gain fascinating insights that are as compelling as the Webbed Wonder's ability to climb walls, swing down boulevards, and shoot web bullets at the bad guys.
About the Author
Jonathan J. Sanford is a professor of philosophy and Chair of the Department of Philosophy at Franciscan University of Steubenville.
William Irwin is a professor of philosophy at King's College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He originated the philosophy and popular culture genre of books as coeditor of the bestselling The Simpsons and Philosophy and has overseen recent titles including Batman and Philosophy, Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy, and Watchmen and Philosophy.
- Paperback: 288 pages
- Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (May 15, 2012)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0470575603
- ISBN-13: 978-0470575604
- Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.8 inches
- Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Okay, so I was at a suburban Barnes & Noble last Sunday, which is how most independently wealthy gentlemen spend their Sunday mornings (young ladies, please take note), aiming straight for the Philosophy section. My goal: Sartre's "Being and Nothingness". (Don't ask.) As I approached the appropriate stack, I espied, at just above eye level, in bright red and silver on a black background, Wiley-Blackwell's latest entry in their Philosophy and Pop Culture series, "Spider-Man and Philosophy".
WHAT?!?! There's a HYPHEN in "Spider-Man"??? When did THAT happen??? In a few moments, after my shock had subsided, I knew that I would be taking this book home with me. Undeterred (but slightly peeved) that I would (a) have to pay FULL PRICE for this (ha-rumph!), and (b) have to deal with the snooty, petulant and officious Barnes & Noble cashier, who would make it his BUSINESS to make me aware that I could have saved 10 percent if I had a Barnes & Noble card (GOD HOW I HATE THAT! WILL YOU PEOPLE JUST STOP THAT ALREADY!!!), I girded my loins and sallied forth. Today, I am ready to share with you, gentle reader, my thoughts about this latest entry in the Wiley-Blackwell series.
All in all, this is a decent entry in the series. It's not spectacular by any stretch of the imagination, but it hews without hesitation to the tried-and-true Wiley-Blackwell formula. There are six sections, with typically three essays per section. Each essay is about a dozen or so pages in length, and ends with a Notes section. The editor of this book, Jonathon J. Sanford, has done yeoman's work in setting the direction and designing the structure of this collection. Mr.
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