Heroes and Philosophy: Buy the Book, Save the World

by Series Editor: William Irwin (Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania ); Editor: David K. Johnson (University of South Florida)

• ISBN13: 9780470730393
• ISBN10: 0470730390
• Format: eBook
• Copyright: 2009-07-01
• Publisher: Wiley

Summary

The first unauthorized look at the philosophy behind Heroes, one of TV's most popular showsWhen 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 gameWhether 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.

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Wonder of Heroes

Heroic Obligations

Above the Social Contract? How Superheroes Break Society

Heroes, Obligations, and The Ethics of Saving the World

Corporate Capers: The Moral Dimensions of Working for The Company

With Great Creativity Comes Great Imitation: Problems of Plagiarism and Knowledge

Supermen, Samurai, And Invisible Men

Time and the Meaning of Life in Heroes and Nietzsche

Hiro Nakamura, Bushido, and Hero-Archetypes

Plato on Gyges' Ring of Invisibility: The Power of Heroes and the Value of Virtue

Metaphysics, Regular-Physics, And Heroic Time Travel

The Foreknowledge of a Painter, The Fate of a Hero

Time to be a Hero: Branching Time and Changing the Future

Heroes and the Ethics of Time Travel: Does the Present Matter

The Physics of Heroes: Immortal Samurais, Flying Men, and Destroying the Space-Time Continuum

Pseudoscience, Scientific Revolutions, and Chandra Suresh

The Minds Of Heroes

Peter Petrelli, The Haitian and the Philosophical Implications of Memory Loss

Understanding Other Minds: Philosophical Foundations of Heroes Mindreading Powers

Peter Petrelli: The Power of Empathy

Villains, Family And Lying

Are the Heroes Really Good

Heroes and Family Obligations

Concealment and Lying: Is this any way for a Hero to act

Contributors: Our Heroes

Chandra Suresh's List: a catalogue of powers, both natural and synthetic

Index: the power of omniscience (about this book).?

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.