Batman and Philosophy: The Dark Knight of the Soul (The Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series) | 
 enlarge | Creators: Mark D. White, Robert Arp, William Irwin
Publisher: Wiley
Category: Book
List Price: $17.95
Buy New: $9.32
You Save: $8.63 (48%)
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Rating:  8 reviews
Sales Rank: 40499
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 304
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 9 x 6 x 0.9
ISBN: 0470270306
Dewey Decimal Number: 741.5973
EAN: 9780470270301
ASIN: 0470270306
Publication Date: June 23, 2008
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Product Description
Why doesn't Batman just kill the Joker and end everyone's misery?
Can we hold the Joker morally responsible for his actions?
Is Batman better than Superman?
If everyone followed Batman's example,
would Gotham be a better place?
What is the Tao of the Bat?
Batman is one of the most complex characters ever to appear in comic books, graphic novels, and on the big screen. What philosophical trials does this superhero confront in order to keep Gotham safe? Combing through seventy years of comic books, television shows, and movies, Batman and Philosophy explores how the Dark Knight grapples with ethical conundrums, moral responsibility, his identity crisis, the moral weight he carries to avenge his murdered parents, and much more. How does this caped crusader measure up against the teachings of Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Kierkegaard, and Lao Tzu?
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| Customer Reviews: Read 3 more reviews...
An interesting combination of topics January 6, 2009
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
As a casual fan of Batman and someone who, before reading the book, had little to no knowledge of philosophy, I must say the book was quite an interesting read, albeit one that drags a bit in the middle.
The premise of the book is to explore philosophical concepts, which to the uninitiated can be a bit overwhelming, through one of the best-known characters ever created. Using classical concepts with neoclassical works like "The Killing Joke," "Batman: Year One" and "The Dark Knight Returns," the authors take well-known stories and use them to illustrate the concepts of philosophy.
The book does get a little too technical for me in the middle, especially in the sections talking about conscience and identity. While a philosophy buff will probably find that kid stuff, it was a bit of a challenge for me.
Two great sections sandwich the so-so middle. The beginning especially is strong, tackling the oft-considered question "Why doesn't Batman kill the Joker?" as well as looking at exactly why Bruce Wayne became the Dark Knight. There is also a good chapter on whether or not it is ethical to train a Robin. The end deals with the Superman-Batman dynamic, using it as an example to explore the nature of friendship and the argue (philosophically, of course) why Batman is better than Superman.
This book is definitely not light reading - it deals with some pretty heady stuff. But, with the exception of a few sections in the middle, it does it in a distinctly down-to-earth way. An interesting read for both Batman fans and philosophy buffs, and a must for those who are both.
Thought-provoking, albeit self-indulgent at times October 23, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Overall, a very good book for those who like to ponder on pop-culture. However, some chapters are much more interesting than others. For instance, "Why doesn't Batman kill the Joker?" offers very valid thoughts, thoughts that were also explored in the 2008 film The Dark Knight. On the other hand, "Could Batman have been the Joker?" is utterly useless and instead of considering the possible life paths of the two arch-enemies, goes into definitions of identity. Like, the ACTUAL definition of how one individual differs from another. That was one disappointing chapter....
Still, a good media studies book that's easy to follow without going too far into philosophical jib jab.
 For fans of philosophy. . . October 12, 2008
2 out of 7 found this review helpful
This is a collection of essays by writers in the field of philosophy. Each writer attempts to approach their area of specialization through references to the Batman comics and movies. The essays are hit-and-miss as it becomes apparent that the writers have varying degrees of familiarity with the mythology of Batman. There are a few essays that hit the nail on the head, but others make you wonder if the writer got all of their info on Batman from Wikipedia.
In the end, I would only recommend this to fans of philosophy. If you're a Batman fan, be aware that the main topic of this book is philosophy with Batman only providing the approach to discussing philosophy. If you're a Batman fan with no interest in philosophy, I think you'll be disappointed.
Interesting read October 3, 2008
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
Very interesting read. The various authors seem to have done their homework - not only on philosophical ideas, but on the Batman mythos as well, and actually do a really good job of citing their sources and backing their claims with actual Batman storylines.
It's not the easiest read in the world - if you are expecting a graphic novel, think again - but philosophy itself isn't an easy subject to cover.
I like the fact they bring well-known philosophers' work to bear on the subject (Nietzsche, Singer, Kierkegaard for instance) so I was able to learn a little bit about them as well.
Overall a fun read, I enjoyed it.
 Interesting book August 28, 2008
1 out of 4 found this review helpful
I love Batman so once I saw this book, I knew I had to get it. I haven't been able to finish it yet cause of classes, but whenever I actually get the chance to sit down and read it, it is so hard for me to put it down. I'm so glad I bought this book.
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