X-Men and Philosophy Astonishing Insight and Uncanny Argument in the Mutant X-Verse

by Irwin, William; Housel, Rebecca; Wisnewski, J. Jeremy

• ISBN13: 9780470413401
• ISBN10: 0470413409
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-03-23
• Publisher: Wiley

Summary

X-Men is one of the most popular comic book franchises ever, with successful spin-offs that include several feature films, cartoon series, bestselling video games, and merchandise. This is the first look at the deeper issues of the X-Men universe and the choices facing its powerful "mutants," such as identity, human ethics versus mutant morality, and self-sacrifice.J. Jeremy Wisnewski (Oneonta, NY) is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Hartwick College and the editor of Family Guy and Philosophy (978-1-4051-6316-3) and The Office and Philosophy (978-1-4051-7555-5). Rebecca Housel (Rochester, NY) is a professor at Rochester Institute of Technology, where she teaches about writing and pop culture. For William Irwin's biography, please see below.

Author Biography

Rebecca Housel is a professor of pop culture, creative writing, and medical humanities at Rochester Institute of Technology and contributed to Monty Python and Philosophy.

J. JEREMY WISNEWSKI is an assistant professor of philosophy at Hartwick College and the editor of 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.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments: Superheroic Thanks to X-tra Special Humans and Mutants Alike!	p. xi
Introduction: You Are About to Embark on an X-perience with "the Strangest Heroes of All"	p. 1
Origins: The X-Factor in the Existential
The Lure of the Normal: Who Wouldn't Want to Be a Mutant?	p. 5
Amnesia, Personal Identity, and the Many Lives of Wolverine	p. 17
Is Suicide Always Immoral? Jean Grey, Immanuel Kant, and The Dark Phoenix Saga	p. 27
X-istential X-Men: Jews, Supermen, and the Literature of Struggle	p. 38
Evolution: Consciousness, Conscience, and Cure
Mad Genetics: The Sinister Side of Biological Mastery	p. 53
Layla Miller Knows Stuff: How a Butterfly Can Shoulder the World	p. 66
X-Women and X-istence	p. 85
Mutant Rights, Torture, and X-perimentation	p. 99
When You Know You're just a Comic Book Character: Deadpool	p. 107
United: Human Ethics and Mutant Morality in the X-Verse
Magneto, Mutation, and Morality	p. 125
Professor X Wants You	p. 140
Dirty Hands and Dirty Minds: The Ethics of Mind Reading and Mindwriting	p. 153
The Mutant Cure or Social Change: Debating Disability	p. 170
Mutants and the Metaphysics of Race	p. 183
The Last Stand: War, Technology, Death, and Mutantkind
Mutant Phenomenology	p. 197
War and Peace, Power and Faith	p. 209
High-Tech Mythology in X-Men	p. 223
Contributors: And Now, We'd Like to Introduce the X-Perts: Ladies and Gentlemen, the Amazing, Astonishing, Uncanny, Ultimate Authors from Xavier's School for Gifted Philosophers!	p. 236
Index	p. 241
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