The first unauthorized look at the philosophy behind Heroes, one of TV’s most popular shows
When ordinary individuals from around the world inexplicably develop superhuman abilities, they question who they are, struggle to cope with new responsibilities, and decide whether to use their new power for good or for evil. Every episode of Tim Kring’s hit TV show Heroes is a philosophical quandary. Heroes and Philosophy is the first book to analyze how philosophy makes this show so compelling. It lets you examine questions crucial to our existence as thinking, rational beings. Is the Company evil, or good? Does Hiro really have a destiny? Do we? Is it okay to lie in order to hide your powers or save the world? Heroes and Philosophy offers answers to these and other intriguing questions.
- Brings the insight of history’s philosophical heavyweights such as Plato and Nietzche to Heroes characters and settings
- Adds a fun and fascinating dimension to your understanding of the show
- Expands your thinking about Heroes as the series expands from graphic and text novels to action figures and a video game
Whether you’re new to Heroes or have been a fan since day one, this book will take your enjoyment of the show to the next level.
Tabela de Conteúdo
Acknowledgments: Godsends ix
Introduction: The Wonder of Heroes 1
Part One Heroic Obligations
1 Above the Social Contract? How Superheroes Break Society 6
Robert Sharp
2 Heroes, Obligations, and the Ethics of Saving the World 22
J. K. Miles
3 Corporate Capers: The Moral Dimensions of Working for the Company 35
Christopher Robichaud
4 With Great Creativity Comes Great Imitation: Problems of Plagiarism and Knowledge 49
Jason Southworth Copyrighted Material
Part Two Supermen, Samurai, and Invisible Men
5 Time and the Meaning of Life in Heroes and Nietzsche 66
Tyler Shores
6 Hiro Nakamura, Bushido, and Hero Archetypes 79
Erik Daniel Baldwin
7 Plato on Gyges’ Ring of Invisibility: The Power of Heroes and the Value of Virtue 93
Don Adams
Part Three Metaphysics, Regular Physics, And Heroic Time Travel
8 The Foreknowledge of a Painter, the Fate of a Hiro 110
David Kyle Johnson
9 Time to Be a Hero: Branching Time and Changing the Future 123
Morgan Luck
10 Heroes and the Ethics of Time Travel: Does the Present Matter? 140
David Faraci
11 The Science of Heroes: Flying Men, Immortal Samurai, and Destroying the Space-Time Continuum 155
Andrew Zimmerman Jones
12 Pseudoscience, Scientific Revolutions, and Dr. Chandra Suresh 174
David Kyle Johnson and Andrew Zimmerman Jones
Part Four The Minds of Heroes
13 Peter Petrelli, the Haitian, and the Philosophical Implications of Memory Loss 184
Peter Kirwan
14 Understanding Other Minds: Philosophical Foundations of Heroes ’ Mind-Reading Powers 200
Fabio Paglieri
15 Peter Petrelli: The Power of Empathy 222
Andrew Terjesen
Part Five Villains, Family, and Lying
16 Are the Heroes Really Good? 240
Peter S. Fosl
17 Heroes and Family Obligations 254
Ruth Tallman and Jason Southworth
18 Concealment and Lying: Is That Any Way for a Hero to Act? 268
Michael R. Berry
Contributors: Our Heroes 281
Chandra Suresh’s List: A Catalogue Of Powers, Both Natural And Synthetic 287
Index: The Power Of Omniscience 301
Sobre o autor
David Kyle Johnson is an assistant professor of philosophy at King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He has contributed to several books in the Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture series, including Family Guy and Philosophy and The Office and Philosophy.
William Irwin is a professor of philosophy at King’s College. 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, House and Philosophy, and Watchmen and Philosophy.
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