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Simpsons And Philosophy: The D'Oh! Of Homer (Paperback)

by William Irwin (Author) "Homer Simpson does not fare well when evaluated morally ..." (more)

4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (55 customer reviews)

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The Psychology Of the Simpsons: D'Oh! by Phd Brown
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What's Science Ever Done For Us: What the Simpsons Can Teach Us About Physics, Robots, Life, and the Universe by Paul Halpern
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Product Details

Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: CARUS PUBLISHING (Feb 28 2001)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0812694333
ISBN-13: 978-0812694338
Product Dimensions: 22.4 x 15.2 x 2 cm
Shipping Weight: 440 g

Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (55 customer reviews)

Amazon.ca Sales Rank: #40,926 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)
Popular in these categories:
#34 in Books > Entertainment > Television > History & Criticism
#56 in Books > Entertainment > Television > Shows
#79 in Books > Nonfiction > Philosophy > History & Surveys

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Product Description

From Amazon.co.uk

No doubt Aristotle just rolled over in his grave on the release of The Simpsons and Philosophy. An essay called "Homer and Aristotle" would appear to be a treatise on two ancient Greek thinkers; in this case, it is 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 neighbourly love. The book has a lot to say about the Simpsons and even more to say about philosophy.

The Simpsons and Philosophy 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

From Publishers Weekly

In Irwin's earlier anthology, Seinfeld and Philosophy: A Book About Everything and Nothing (1999), a team of philosophy professors offered an introduction to Plato, Kierkegaard and other major thinkers via the characters and plots of the TV sitcom. Now Irwin and company have regrouped to focus on Matt Groening's popular, long-running animated series, The Simpsons. Noting that Groening studied philosophy in college, they hasten to add that this is not an attempt to explore meanings intended by Groening and the show's artists and writers. "Rather, we're highlighting the philosophical significance of The Simpsons as we see it," declares the editorial trio. Each essay provides a hilarious but incisive springboard to some aspect of philosophy. Can we learn something about the nature of happiness from the unhappy, miserly Mr. Burns? What are Springfield's sexual politics? What makes Bart Simpson a Heideggerian thinker? Could Bart be the Nietzschean ideal? These are the kind of "meaty philosophical issues" TV viewers can expect to find covered by the 21 contributors to this entertaining book, with interpretations drawn from the works of Sartre, Kant, Karl Marx, Virginia Woolf, Roland Barthes and others. Appendixes include a time line of the major philosophers referred to and a chronological guide of the episode titles and original air dates spanning 11 seasons of The Simpsons. (Apr.)Forecast: Seinfeld and Philosophy prompted Entertainment Weekly's review comment, "Wish we'd had this in college." Fans of The Simpsons are certain to find this book to be the perfect rebuttal for those who dismiss the show as a no-brainer.

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Homer Simpson does not fare well when evaluated morally. Read the first page

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Customer Reviews

55 Reviews

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(1)

Average Customer Review

4.0 out of 5 stars (55 customer reviews)

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Dont be fooled by the title, May 18 2004

By	Michael Corrigan "cdwweb" (Spain) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I bought this book expecting a light hearted read. Being an avid fan of the Simpsons, I was keen to study the characters from a tongue in cheek, philosophical perspective...

However, what you actually get with this book is a series of philosophical essays that reference the Simpsons' characters occasionally in order to relate the subject matter to the average reader, and to stop their mind from wandering.

In summary, if you want to learn a little about philosophy without weighing in at the deep end, then this is the book for you. If you are picking up this book because you are a fan of the series or want to learn more about the Simpsons, dig a little deeper.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best book of the series, Oct 8 2008

By	Jack Blatant (Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

I am a fan of this series in general - particularly this volume, the one on the Matrix, and the one on the Lord of the Rings - and I avidly await the upcoming volume on philosophy and the Watchmen. Of all of the volumes in the series that I have read, I consider this one to be the best.

This is not necessarily a book for Simpsons fans, nor is it necessarily a book for students of philosophy; you really need to be both in order to appreciate this book. The essays, while witty, are not terribly absract or methodological, and so are accessible to the average well-read person. I use certain essays with my grade 12 philosophy class, where they are very well received. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

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4.0 out of 5 stars A generally good, if uneven, collection, May 5 2004

By	Bukkene Bruse (Iowa) - See all my reviews

"The Simpsons and Philosophy" is a collection of essays written by different authors that vary in quality and style. The thrust is the introduction of aspects of philosophy through an analysis of the characters and stories in "The Simpsons." In this regard the book is mostly interesting and informative. A big chunk of it (Part II and much of Part IV) wasn't philosophy at all, but rather "literary" criticism that I didn't much care for -- the worst essay in the collection being the Marxist hissy-fit. Moreover, despite disclaimers throughout the text, there was an assumption of intent on the part of the script writers that, by listening to the voice-overs on the DVDs, one finds isn't really there.

For all the above, I would have rated this book 3 stars. However, the essay "The Function of Fiction" was outstanding and worth the price of the book alone. This essay spent a lot of time away from the Simpsons in particular, but ultimately gave the best argument why the show is so great.

For readers looking for a light read about their favorite show, this book isn't the place to go. But for people who love the Simpsons on all its levels, this book has its place.

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars In a breathy voice....excellent...!
I don't usually write reviews (OK never), but I read this book and it killed me. Some of it was just plain bad; I got the feeling that the editor didn't have the heart to tell his... Read more

Published on April 5 2004

2.0 out of 5 stars More Simpsons Please
This book was less about how philosophy relates to the Simpsons than it was how the Simpsons relate to philosophy. Read more

Published on Feb 25 2004

4.0 out of 5 stars You not like this book? That's unpossible!
Any true Simpsons fan will recognize that as tribute to Ralph Wiggum's "Me fail english? That's unpossible!" line. Read more

Published on Jan 14 2004 by A reader

5.0 out of 5 stars this book was entertaining maybe "best book ever"
If you love the simpsons and think you can handle a book at this reading level then buy it for Willie's sake. Read more

Published on Oct 25 2003 by sean