One of the many ways in which pop philosophy has reached the contemporary
cultural life of every one of us is through publishing. In this interview professor Irwin,
known for his work for the Open Court Publishing’s Popular Culture and Philosophy and
the Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series, gives his point of view on the vast and
complex phenomenon of pop philosophy in the American culture life.

Research Interests:
Philosophy, Publishing, Pop Culture and philosophy, Popular Culture, Academic Publishing, and 5 moreFiction, Philosophy and popular culture, Lo Sguardo, Alain De Botton, and Popsophia

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Journal Name: Reason Papers

Publication Date: 2010

Research Interests:
Global Warming

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Journal Name: Inquiry

Publication Date: 2003

Research Interests:
Depression

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Journal Name: Journal of Philosophy of Life

Publication Date: 2013

Research Interests:
Buddhism and Buddhist Studies

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Journal Name: Journal of Modern Wisdom

Publication Date: 2013

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Journal Name: Journal of Philosophy of Life

Publication Date: 2012

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Publication Name: in Irwin ed., Seinfeld and Philosophy: A Book about Everything and Nothing (Chicago: Open Court, 2000)

Research Interests:
Popular Culture, Socrates, and Seinfeld

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Publication Name: in Irwin, Conard, and Skoble eds., The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D’oh! of Homer (Chicago: Open Court, 2001)

Research Interests:
Popular Culture, The Simpsons, Literary allusions, and Intertextuality and Allusion

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Publication Name: in Irwin ed., Seinfeld and Philosophy: A Book about Everything and Nothing (Chicago: Open Court, 2000)

Research Interests:
Popular Culture, Kierkegaard, and Seinfeld

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Location: The Atkins Diet and Philosophy

Publisher: Open Court

Publication Date: 2005

Publication Name: The Atkins Diet and Philosophy

Research Interests:
Friedrich Nietzsche, Dieting, and Atkins Diet

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Publication Name: in Irwin ed., More Matrix and Philosophy: Revolutions and Reloaded Decoded (Chicago: Open Court, 2005)

Research Interests:
Popular Culture and Matrix

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Books

Can Wonder Woman help us understand feminist philosophy? How Does Wakandan technology transcend anti-Blackness? What can Star Trek teach us about the true nature of reality?

Introducing Philosophy Through Pop Culture makes important philosophical concepts and the work of major philosophers relevant, fun, and exciting. Using engaging examples from film and television, this easy-to-read book covers everything from basic metaphysics and epistemology to abstract and complex philosophical ideas about ethics and the meaning of life. You don’t have to be a pop culture expert to benefit from this book―even a general awareness of cultural icons like Superman or Harry Potter will be more than enough for you to learn about a wide range of philosophical notions, thinkers, and movements.

The expanded second edition offers timely coverage of important topics such as race, gender, personal identity, social justice, and environmental ethics. New essays explore the philosophical underpinnings of The Good Place, Game of Thrones, Black Panther, Star Wars, The Avengers, South Park, The Lego Movie, The Big Bang Theory, and more. This edition is supported by a new website with links to primary philosophical texts, information about all the popular culture discussed, and additional resources for teachers, students, and general readers alike.

Features a selection of key essays from the bestselling Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series
Draws on examples from popular media including The Matrix, Lost, Doctor Strange, The Hobbit, Westworld, and Star Trek
Explains philosophical concepts such as relativism, skepticism, existentialist ethics, logic, social contract theory, utilitarianism, and mind-body dualism
Discusses the ideas of Socrates, Aristotle, Plato, Descartes, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Marx, Mill, Kierkegaard, and other important thinkers
Introducing Philosophy Through Pop Culture is an excellent supplementary textbook for introductory philosophy for introductory philosophy courses and a valuable resource for general readers wanting to learn about philosophy and its connections with pop culture.

Publication Date: 2022

Research Interests:
Pop Culture and philosophy, Popular Culture, and Religion and Popular Culture

Research Interests:
Atheism, Death, Meaning of Life, Authenticity, Friedrich Nietzsche, and 7 moreMartin Heidegger, Simone de Beauvoir, Kierkegaard, Jean Paul Sartre, Macbeth, Existentialism, and Anguish

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Research Interests:
Marxism, Friedrich Nietzsche, Philosophy Of Freedom, Jean Paul Sartre, Karl Marx, and 2 moreExistentialism and Raymond Aron

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Research Interests:
Atheism, Evolutionary Ethics, Moral anti-realism, Moral Realism, Existentialism, and 2 moreAmoralism and Antirealism

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Page 1. and Philosophy 77&amp;amp;quot; K* DXrti! cjf Honu&amp;amp;#x27;T Edited by WILLIAM IRWIN, MARK T. CONARD, and AEON J. SKOBLE Ol&amp;amp;#x27;KN COURT Chicago and. La Salle, Illinois Page 2. Table of Contents Epigraph... more

Publication Date: 2001

Publication Name: Choice Reviews Online

What can South Park tell us about Socrates and the nature of evil? How does The Office help us to understand Sartre and existentialist ethics? Can Battlestar Galactica shed light on the existence of God? *Introducing Philosophy Through Pop Culture uses popular culture to illustrate important philosophical concepts and the work of the major philosophers * With examples from film, television, and music including South Park, The Matrix , X-Men, Batman, Harry Potter, Metallica and Lost, even the most abstract and complex philosophical ideas become easier to grasp * Features key essays from across the Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture series, as well as helpful editorial material and a glossary of philosophical terms * From metaphysics to epistemology; from ethics to the meaning of life, this unique introduction makes philosophy as engaging as popular culture itself * Supplementary website available with teaching guides, sample materials and links to further resources at www.pop-philosophy.org

You can order the book here:

http://www.amazon.com/Introducing-Philosophy-Through-Pop-Culture/dp/1444334530/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1418135155&sr=1-1&keywords=philosophy+and+pop+culture

Publication Date: 2010

Publication Name: Wiley-Blackwell

Research Interests:
Popular Culture and Pop Culture

A philosophical look at the movie Inception and its brilliant metaphysical puzzles Is the top still spinning? Was it all a dream? In the world of Christopher Nolan's four-time Academy Award-winning movie, people can share one another's dreams and alter their beliefs and thoughts. Inception is a metaphysical heist film that raises more questions than it answers: Can we know what is real? Can you be held morally responsible for what you do in dreams? What is the nature of dreams, and what do they tell us about the boundaries of "self" and "other"? From Plato to Aristotle and from Descartes to Hume, Inception and Philosophy draws from important philosophical minds to shed new light on the movie's captivating themes, including the one that everyone talks about: did the top fall down (and does it even matter)? Explores the movie's key questions and themes, including how we can tell if we're dreaming or awake, how to make sense of a paradox, and whether or not inception is possible Gives new insights into the nature of free will, time, dreams, and the unconscious mind Discusses different interpretations of the film, and whether or not philosophy can help shed light on which is the "right one" Deepens your understanding of the movie's multi-layered plot and dream-infiltrating characters, including Dom Cobb, Arthur, Mal, Ariadne, Eames, Saito, and Yusuf An essential companion for every dedicated Inception fan, this book will enrich your experience of the Inception universe and its complex dreamscape.

You can order the book here:

http://www.amazon.com/Inception-Philosophy-Because-Never-Dream/dp/1118072634/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418134714&sr=8-1&keywords=Inception+and+Philosophy

Research Interests:
Popular Culture, Popular Culture and Religious Studies, Pop Culture, Visions And Dreams, Dreams (Psychology), and 5 moreDreams, Religion and Popular Culture, Anthropology of Dreams and Dreaming, Inception, and Inception Movie

The first unauthorized look at the philosophy behind Heroes , one of TV's most popular shows When 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 game Whether 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.

You can order the book here:

http://www.amazon.com/Heroes-Philosophy-Book-Save-World/dp/0470373385/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418134992&sr=8-1&keywords=heroes+and+philosophy