Superman and Philosophy : What Would the Man of Steel Do?

Go beyond the cape and into the mind of the Man of Steel, in time for release of Zack Snyder's Man of Steel movie and Superman's 75th anniversary He has thrilled millions for 75 years, with a legacy that transcends national, cultural, and generational borders, but is there more to the Man of Steel than just your average mythic superhero in a cape? The 20 chapters in this book present a fascinating exploration of some of the deeper philosophical questions raised by Superman, the Last Son of Krypton and the newest hero in the Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture arsenal. Superman and Philosophy: What Would the Man of Steel Do? Copyright Contents Introduction: It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane ... It’s Philosophy! Part One The Big Blue Boy Scout: Ethics, Judgment, and Reason 1 Moral Judgment: The Power That Makes Superman Human The Trinity of Moral Philosophy But Like Superpowers, Ethics Only Gets You So Far Tragic Dilemma in Your Pocket (Universe) I’m Walkin’, Yes Indeed Superman Did What? What Makes Superman Human Notes 2 Action Comics!: Superman and Practical Reason It’s Practically Reasonable More Powerful Than a Locomotive We Could Be Heroes ... Superman vs. the Calculator Faster Than a Speeding Bullet The Virtues of Being Super So Whom Does He Save? Notes 3 Can the Man of Tomorrow Be the Journalist of Today? The Face and the Voice A Reporter’s Story The Reporter of Steel Superman Confidential: Seek Truth and Report It The Big Forget: Act Independently Wicked Business! Minimize Harm Fatal Flaw? Notes 4 Could Superman Have Joined the Third Reich?: The Importance and Shortcomings of Moral Upbringing ... Or Not The Moral Education of a Superman Superman: Son of the Third Reich In the End, Hitler Still Loses Notes Part Two Truth, Justice, and the American Way: What Do They Mean? 5 Clark Kent Is Superman!: The Ethics of Secrecy What Is the Secret? Superman for President! The Secret Revealed! Opening the Shirt Letting in Lois In the Vault Notes 6 Superman and Justice It’s All About Personal Liberty Truth, Libertarian Justice, and the American Way Great Rawls! Behind the (Lead-Lined) Veil of Ignorance Occupy Metropolis Superman’s Greatest Foe? Notes 7 Is Superman an American Icon? Is Superman Giving Up on the American Way? My Country, Right or Wrong—But Mostly Right Can Superman Be a Citizen of the World? Cosmopolitanism Then and Now The Appearance of Impropriety Act Locally, Think Globally Notes Part Three The Will to Superpower: Nietzsche, the Übermensch, and Existentialism 8 Rediscovering Nietzsche’s Übermensch in Superman as a Heroic Ideal Truth, Justice, and the Nietzschean Way Putting the Über into the Übermensch The Nietzschean Superman Superman vs. Clark Kent S Is for Savior Kneel Before Zod! Perhaps ... Lex Luthor? Nietzschean Übermensch, American Christ, or Both? Notes 9 Superman or Last Man: The Ethics of Superpower Survival of the Weakest Introducing Superman—Whether We Need Him or Not Waiting for Superman Resignation Superman Singer vs. Nietzsche It Ain’t Easy Being Blue Is He Worth It? Notes 10 Superman: From Anti-Christ to Christ-Type Übermensch as Anti-Christ Lex Luthor: Super-Man? Jesus Without the Christ Moral Illumination Trinitarian Movie Mythos Is Superman Christ or a Christ-Type? Seduction of the Innocent? Notes 11 Superman Must Be Destroyed!: Lex Luthor as Existentialist Anti-Hero A Man Who Writes His Own Script An Iconoclast One Man Is an Island The Anti-Hero of Faith Existentialists Gone Wild! Notes Part Four The Ultimate Hero: What Do We Expect from Superman? 12 Superman’s Revelation: The Problem of Violence in Kingdom Come The Never-Ending Battle Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World Kingdom Come Superman’s Dilemma Good Violence vs. Bad Violence Sacred Violence Caution: Mythology at Work The Truth About Truth and Justice Notes 13 A World Without a Clark Kent? Goodbye, Clark? Golden Age Limits The Humanity of Martha Kent Jor-El’s Higher Calling Lex Luthor, Villain or Hero? Man and Superman Notes 14 The Weight of the World: How Much Is Superman Morally Responsible For? Know Your Role! Superhindsight There’s Demanding and Then There’s Demanding It Ain’t Right, I Tell Ya, It Ain’t Right The Big Blue Boy Scout Superman Meets His Match: Supererogatory! The Weight of the World Notes Part Five Superman and Humanity: A Match Made on Krypton? 15 Superman and Man: What a Kryptonian Can Teach Us About Humanity Mystery of the Bizarro World! Strange Visitor to Earth-P! Civilizing Earth-P The Super-Men of Earth-O! Humanity’s Greatest Power! Notes 16 Can the Man of Steel Feel Our Pain?: Sympathy and Superman Growing Up a Super Boy Men Are from Earth, Supermen Are from Krypton Just Another Kid from Smallville There’s Pain and Then There’s Pain I Am Curious (Superman) Kneel Before Zod What the “S” Really Means Sympathy for the Hero Notes 17 World’s Finest Philosophers: Superman and Batman on Human Nature Batman, Hobbes, and the War of All Against All Batman and the Sovereign The Most Perfect Line You Matter—To Me Securing Recognition Batman or Superman? Hobbes or Hegel? Notes Part Six Of Superman and Superminds: Who Is Superman, Anyway? 18 “It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s ... Clark Kent?”: Superman and the Problem of Identity The Question-Begger, the Greatest Villain in Philosophy Is It My Super-Body? Memories of You, Superman Hole-y Personality Superman! Would the Real Superman Please Stand Up! So Let’s Give Lois a Break! Notes 19 Superman Family Resemblance The Eternal Superman The Challenge of the Supermen Ludwig Wittgenstein’s Family Values But Families Also Disagree a Lot Having Fun With Big Blue Notes 20 Why Superman Should Not Be Able to Read Minds The Mind of Superman Great Caesar’s Ghost: The Problem of Other Minds! Solving the Kryptonian Knot What Are You Thinking? Zombie Superman: Even Worse Than Bizarro Too Close for Comfort Luthor’s Razor Forget It, Supes Notes Contributors: Trapped in the Philosophy Zone Index: From Brainiac’s Files He Has Thrilled Millions For 75 Years, With A Legacy That Transcends National, Cultural, And Generational Borders, But Is There More To The Man Of Steel Than Just Your Average Mythic Superhero In A Cape? The 20 Chapters In This Book Present A Fascinating Exploration Of Some Of The Deeper Philosophical Questions Raised By Superman, The Last Son Of Krypton And The Newest Hero In The Blackwell Philosophy And Pop Culture Arsenal. Moral Judgment : The Power That Makes Superman Human / Mark D. White -- Action Comics! Superman And Practical Reason / Brian Feltham -- Can The Man Of Tomorrow Be The Journalist Of Today? / Jason Southworth And Ruth Tallman -- Could Superman Have Joined The Third Reich? The Importance And Shortcomings Of Moral Upbringing / Robert Sharp -- Clark Kent Is Superman! The Ethics Of Secrecy / Daniel P. Malloy -- Superman And Justice / Christopher Robichaud -- Is Superman An American Icon? / Andrew Terjesen -- Rediscovering Nietzsche's Übermensch In Superman As A Heroic Ideal / Arno Bogaerts -- Superman Or Last Man : The Ethics Of Superpower / David Gadon -- Superman : From Anti-christ To Christ-type / Adam Barkman -- Superman Must Be Destroyed! Lex Luthor As Existentialist Anti-hero / Sarah K. Donovan And Nicholas Richardson -- Superman's Revelation : The Problem Of Violence In Kingdom Come / David Hatfield -- A World Without A Clark Kent? / Randall M. Jensen -- The Weight Of The World : How Much Is Superman Morally Responsible For? / Audrey L. Anton -- Superman And Man : What A Kryptonian Can Teach Us About Humanity / Leonard Finkelman -- Can The Man Of Steel Fee Our Pain? Sympathy And Superman / Andrew Terjesen -- World's Finest Philosophers : Superman And Batman On Human Nature / Carsten Fogh Nielsen -- It's A Bird, It's A Plane, It's ... Clark Kent? : Superman And The Problem Of Identity / Nicolas Michaud -- Superman Family Resemblance / Dennis Knepp -- Why Superman Should Not Be Able To Read Minds / Mahesh Ananth. Edited By Mark D. White. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.