Jeopardy! and Philosophy: What is Knowledge in the Form of a Question? (Popular Culture and Philosophy)

Since its debut in 1964, __Jeopardy!__ has been one of America’s favorite and longest-running daytime quiz shows. It turns the question-answer format of traditional quiz shows on its head and requires contestants to pose correct questions to answers in selected categories. While mining information and facts from Alchemy to Zoology, __Jeopardy!__, is a uniquely intellectual, erudite, and challenging daytime television program. Far beyond entertaining its fans with nail-biting contests of knowledge, memory, and speed, it all but requires them to participate. Few people watch __Jeopardy!__ without pressing an invisible button and blurting out questions to their TV screen. Because of this personal and intellectual investment, most __Jeopardy!__ fans are devout. Watching the show is valued as a daily ritual in which genuine intellectual skill and encyclopedic knowledge (as opposed to thin Hollywood depictions such as those in __Big Bang Theory__ or __Rain Man__) are not only respected and placed in the spotlight, but also rewarded with national prestige and prize winnings. Champion Ken Jennings (who contributes to this volume) has won over three million dollars and remained champion seventy-four times. For those who embrace __Jeopardy!__ as an intellectual oasis in the arid desert of popular culture, it is the geeks who shall inherit the earth. __Jeopardy!__’s celebration of intellect and forward-thinking is well recognized throughout popular culture and among all age groups. Ken Jennings, Chuck Forrest, and other all-time champions are near celebrities, while the show itself regularly reaches out through special tournaments to different segments of American culture, such as actors and musicians (__Celebrity Jeopardy!__), high-school and college students (__Teen Tournament and College Championship Jeopardy!__) and senior citizens (__Senior Tournament Jeopardy!__). Still, despite its widespread respect and, some might complain, smug self-respect, neither the show nor its fans take themselves too seriously. Jokes about host Alex Trebek’s hair and famous parodies of __Jeopardy!__ on __Saturday Night Live__ are as familiar as Weird Al Yankovic’s MTV-mainstay “I Lost on Jeopardy!” (to the tune of “Our Love’s in Jeopardy”): Don't know what I was thinkin' of, I guess I just wasn't too bright. Well, I sure hope I do better Next weekend on __The Price Is Right__. Since its debut in 1964, Jeopardy! has been one of America’s favorite and longest-running daytime quiz shows. It turns the question-answer format of traditional quiz shows on its head and requires contestants to pose correct questions to answers in selected categories. While mining information and facts from Alchemy to Zoology, Jeopardy! , is a uniquely intellectual, erudite, and challenging daytime television program. Far beyond entertaining its fans with nail-biting contests of knowledge, memory, and speed, it all but requires them to participate. Few people watch Jeopardy! without pressing an invisible button and blurting out questions to their TV screen. Because of this personal and intellectual investment, most Jeopardy! fans are devout. Watching the show is valued as a daily ritual in which genuine intellectual skill and encyclopedic knowledge (as opposed to thin Hollywood depictions such as those in Big Bang Theory or Rain Man ) are not only respected and placed in the spotlight, but also rewarded with national prestige and prize winnings. Champion Ken Jennings (who contributes to this volume) has won over three million dollars and remained champion seventy-four times. For those who embrace Jeopardy! as an intellectual oasis in the arid desert of popular culture, it is the geeks who shall inherit the earth. Jeopardy! ’s celebration of intellect and forward-thinking is well recognized throughout popular culture and among all age groups. Ken Jennings, Chuck Forrest, and other all-time champions are near celebrities, while the show itself regularly reaches out through special tournaments to different segments of American culture, such as actors and musicians ( Celebrity Jeopardy! ), high-school and college students ( Teen Tournament and College Championship Jeopardy! ) and senior citizens ( Senior Tournament Jeopardy! ). Still, despite its widespread respect and, some might complain, smug self-respect, neither the show nor its fans take themselves too seriously. Jokes about host Alex Trebek’s hair and famous parodies of Jeopardy! on Saturday Night Live are as familiar as Weird Al Yankovic’s MTV-mainstay “I Lost on Jeopardy!” (to the tune of “Our Love’s in Jeopardy”): Don't know what I was thinkin' of, I guess I just wasn't too bright. Well, I sure hope I do better Next weekend on The Price Is Right . Contents 8 A Champion’s Philosophical Reflection, KEN JENNINGS 10 Acknowledgments 14 A Quiz Show, Some Fans, and a Lot of Fun: What Is Jeopardy! and Philosophy?, SHAUN P. YOUNG 16 I’ll Take Popular Culture, Alex 20 I. AMERICA'S FAVORITE QUIZ SHOW 22 1. Jeopardy! and American Exceptionalism, DANIEL F. MELIA 24 2. Are All Jeopardy! Contestants Created Equal?, SHAUN P. YOUNG 36 3. What Makes Jeopardy! a Good Game?, BRENDAN SHEA 48 4. Cliff Lost on Jeopardy!, Baby, FRANKLIN ALLAIRE 60 I’ll Take Slogans, Alex 72 II. THE JEOPARDY! MOMENT 74 5. Dumberer and Smarterer, TIMOTHY SEXTON 76 6. Jeopardy! Monkeys Ain’t Smart, ROBERT ARP 88 7. I, for One, Welcome Our New Computer Overlords, NICOLAS MICHAUD 98 8. What Is “Jeopardy!”?, RANDALL E. AUXIER 110 9. Not a Buzz Threshold but an Aha! Moment, RICK MAYOCK 130 I’ll Take Twentieth Century, Alex 142 III. YOU CONTROL THE BOARD 144 10. Truth in the Form of a Question, DANIEL WANLESS 146 11. It’s Been an Education, MATT KOHLSTEDT 158 12. Democracy’s in Jeopardy!, JOSEPH J. FOY 170 13. Survivor Has More to Do with Intelligence than Jeopardy!, ELLEN SORG 180 14. This Question Is False, GEORGE A. REISCH 188 I’ll Take Potpourri, Alex 202 Meet the Clue Crew 204 Here Are the Questions 208 Watson’s Words 210 Jeopardy! And American Exceptionalism / Daniel F. Melia -- Are All Jeopardy! Contestants Created Equal? / Shaun P. Young -- What Makes Jeopardy! A Good Game? / Brendan Shea -- Cliff Lost On Jeopardy!, Baby / Franklin Allaire -- Dumberer And Smarterer / Timothy Sexton -- Jeopardy! Monkeys Ain't Smart / Robert Arp -- I, For One, Welcome Our New Computer Overlords / Nicolas Michaud -- What Is Jeopardy!? / Randall E. Auxier -- Not A Buzz Threshold But An Aha! Moment / Rick Mayock -- Truth In The Form Of A Question / Daniel Wanless -- It's Been An Education / Matt Kohlstedt -- Democracy's In Jeopardy! / Joseph J. Foy -- Survivor Has More To Do With Intelligence Than Jeopardy! / Ellen Sorg -- This Question Is False / George A. Reisch. Edited By Shaun P. Young. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.