Books : The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer (Popular Culture and Philosophy)
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In association with Amazon.com
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from: Open Court
List Price: $17.95Amazon.com's Price: $12.21 You Save: $5.74 (32%)Prices subject to change. Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 100
EAN: 9780812694338
ISBN: 0812694333
Label: Open Court
Manufacturer: Open Court
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 256
Publication Date: February 28, 2001
Publisher: Open Court
Sales Rank: 22484
Studio: Open Court
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Editorial Review:
Product Description:
The Simpsons is one of the most literary and intelligent comedies on television today-fertile ground for questions such as: Does Nietzsche justify Bart's bad behavior? Is hypocrisy always unethical? What is Lisa's conception of the Good? From the editor of the widely-praised Seinfeld and Philosophy, The Simpsons and Philosophy is an insightful and humorous look at the philosophical tenets of America's favorite animated family that will delight Simpsons fans and philosophy aficionados alike.
Twenty-one philosophers and academics discuss and debate the absurd, hyper-ironic, strangely familiar world that is Springfield, the town without a state. In exploring the thought of key philosophers including Aristotle, Marx, Camus, Sartre, Heidegger, and Kant through episode plots and the characters' antics, the contributors tackle issues like irony and the meaning of life, American anti-intellectualism, and existential rebellion. The volume also includes an episode guide and a chronology of philosophers which lists the names and dates of the major thinkers in the history of philosophy, accompanied by a representative quote from each.
Amazon.com Review:
No doubt Aristotle just rolled over in his grave. An essay called 'Homer and Aristotle' would appear to be a treatise on two ancient Greek thinkers; in this case, it's a depiction of Homer Simpson's Aristotelian virtues. Raja Halwani's 'Homeric' essay is amusing, though, and moreover, it actually ends up being enlightening, especially for those just learning Aristotle's ethics. Bart may be a Nietzschean without knowing it; Mr. Burns is a cipher for unhappiness (except when he eats 'so-called iced-cream'); and Ned Flanders raises questions about neighborly love. The Simpsons and Philosophy has a lot to say about The Simpsons, and even more to say about philosophy.
The book collects 18 essays into an unpretentious, tongue-in-cheek, and surprisingly intelligent look at philosophy through the lens of Matt Groening's vaunted animated series. The editors are quick to point out that they don't think The Simpsons 'is the equivalent of history's best works of literature ... but it nevertheless is just deep enough, and certainly funny enough, to warrant serious attention.' The writers of the book are mostly professional philosophers, and they are appropriately erudite. But what is truly astonishing, even for a confessed Simpsons addict, is their breadth of Simpsons knowledge, spanning all 12 seasons of the show's history. The Simpsons and Philosophy is obviously not intended to be a turning point in modern thought, but it is an excellent introduction to some core elements of philosophy. --Eric de Place
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - hmmm....simpsons! YUUUMMMM
This was in insightful read for the simpson's fan. I loved it and will be giving it as gifts for friends. HIGH reviews from me.
Rating:  - I only skimmed this book a little but....
To put it simply, this book takes all the amusing situations in Simpsons episodes and SUCKS the funny right out of it to make a "philosophical" point.
Rating: - Terrible ... save your money
After all the good reviews, including from Publisher's Weekly, I was expecting a thought-provoking and interesting read. Instead, "The Simpsons and Philosophy" is an uneven, but mostly poor, collection of essays that do not do the television show or the Popular Culture and Philosophy book series justice. Some of the more bizarre entries:
In the essay "Thus Spake Bart: On Nietzsche and the Virtues of Being Bad," the author spends many pages describing the Nietzchean hero only to conclude ... Read More
Rating:  - Great for lovers of both the Simpsons and philosophy!!
I am a huge fan of the Simpsons but found this book to be slightly boring and some chapters read more like a text book for a college class. I LOVED the book "The Gospel According to the Simpsons" which I read straight through without putting down. I guess religion just interests me more (hence why I gave this book only three stars). If you love the Simpsons, philosophy, and can follow what the authors are talking about you will love this book.
Rating: - A Brainwave On Cable T.V.
It's been said by many great men that everything everywhere has the capacity to teach us something. Even fools can be instructive. We may not like the teacher, but that doesn't devalue the lesson.
Well, The Simpsons is a teacher that virtually anyone could love. One of America's most subversive and enduring shows, it has long been recognized that The Simpsons is much more than a child's playground of primary colors. This is a show that marries incisive wit with low-brow sight gags, obscure ... Read More
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