Game of Thrones and Philosophy: Logic Cuts Deeper Than Swords

( 3 )

Overview

An in-depth look at the philosophical issues behind HBO's Game of Thrones television series and the books that inspired it

George R.R. Martin's New York Times bestselling epic fantasy book series, A Song of Ice and Fire, and the HBO television show adapted from it, have earned critical acclaim and inspired fanatic devotion. This book delves into the many philosophical questions that arise in this complex, character-driven series, including: Is it right for a "good" king to usurp...

See more details below
Paperback
$13.26
BN.com price
(Save 30%)$18.95 List Price
Pick Up In Store

Pick Up In Store

Reserve and pick up in 60 minutes at your local store

Other sellers (Paperback)
  • All (28) from $3.99   
  • New (21) from $3.99   
  • Used (7) from $5.49   

More About This Book

Overview

An in-depth look at the philosophical issues behind HBO's Game of Thrones television series and the books that inspired it

George R.R. Martin's New York Times bestselling epic fantasy book series, A Song of Ice and Fire, and the HBO television show adapted from it, have earned critical acclaim and inspired fanatic devotion. This book delves into the many philosophical questions that arise in this complex, character-driven series, including: Is it right for a "good" king to usurp the throne of a "bad" one and murder his family? How far should you go to protect your family and its secrets? In a fantasy universe with medieval mores and ethics, can female characters reflect modern feminist ideals?

  • Timed for the premiere of the second season of the HBO Game of Thrones series
  • Gives new perspectives on the characters, storylines, and themes of Game of Thrones
  • Draws on great philosophers from ancient Greece to modern America to explore intriguing topics such as the strange creatures of Westeros, the incestuous relationship of Jaime and Cersei Lannister, and what the kings of Westeros can show us about virtue and honor (or the lack thereof) as they play their game of thrones

Essential reading for fans, Game of Thrones and Philosophy will enrich your experience of your favorite medieval fantasy series.

Read More Show Less

Editorial Reviews

From Barnes & Noble

George R.R. Martin's epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire has excited full legions of readers and inspired a hit HBO television series based on A Game of Thrones, its launch installment. That action-packed medieval fiction raises questions not only about characters and strategies, but also about ethical values, personal ideals, and societal practices. This addition to John Wiley's popular Philosophy series presents new perspectives on the most discussed genre novel of the past year.

— Tim Flannigan

Read More Show Less

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9781118161999
  • Publisher: Wiley, John & Sons, Incorporated
  • Publication date: 3/13/2012
  • Series: Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series , #51
  • Edition number: 1
  • Pages: 320
  • Sales rank: 177,447
  • Product dimensions: 5.90 (w) x 8.90 (h) x 1.00 (d)

Table of Contents

Foreword Elio M. Garcia Linda Antonsson ix

A Raven From House Wiley: Editor's Note on Spoilers xiii

Acknowledgments: How I Was Spared from Having to Take the Black xv

Introduction: So What if Winter Is Coining? Henry Jacoby 1

Part 1 "You Win or You Die"

1 Maester Hobbes Goes to King's Landing Greg Littmann 5

2 It Is a Great Crime to Lie to a King Don Fallis 19

3 Playing the Game of Thrones: Some Lessons from Machiavelli Marcus Schulzke 33

4 The War in Westeros and Just War Theory Richard H. Corrigan 49

Part 2 "The Things I Do For Love"

5 Winter Is Coming!: The Bleak Quest for Happiness in Westeros Eric J. Silverman 63

6 The Death of Lord Stark: The Perils of Idealism David Hahn 75

7 Lord Eddard Stark, Queen Cersei Lannister: Moral Judgments from Different Perspectives Albert J. J. Anglberger Alexander Hieke 87

8 It Would Be a Mercy: Choosing Life or Death in Westeros and Beyond the Narrow Sea Matthew Tedesco 99

Part 3 "Winter is Coming"

9 Wargs, Wights, and Wolves That Are Dire: Mind and Metaphysics, Westeros Style Henry Jacoby 115

10 Magic, Science, and Metaphysics in A Game of Thrones Edward Cox 129

11 "You Know Nothing, Jon Snow": Epistemic Humility Beyond the Wall Abraham P. Schwab 142

12 "Why Is the World So Full of Injustice?": Gods and the Problem of Evil Jaron Daniël Schoone 154

Part 4 "The Man Who Passes the Sentence Should Swing the Sword"

13 Why Should Joffrey Be Moral If He Has Already Won the Game of Thrones? Daniel Haas 169

14 The Moral Luck of Tyrion Lannister Christopher Robichaud 183

15 Dany's Encounter with the Wild: Cultural Relativism in A Game of Thrones Katherine Tullman 194

16 "There Are No True Knights": The Injustice of Chivalry Stacey Goguen 205

Part 5 "Stick them with the Pointy End"

17 Fate, Freedom, and Authenticity in A Game of Thrones Michael J. Sigrist 223

18 No One Dances the Water Dance Henry Jacoby 236

19 The Things I Do For Love: Sex, Lies, and Game Theory R. Shannon Duval 250

20 Stop the Madness!: Knowledge, Power, and Insanity in A Song of Ice and Fire Chad William Timm 264

Contributors: The Learned Lords and Ladies from beyond the Seven Kingdoms 279

Index: From the Archives at Oldtown 287

Read More Show Less

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5
( 3 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(2)

4 Star

(1)

3 Star

(0)

2 Star

(0)

1 Star

(0)

Your Rating:

Review Guidelines
Add Recommendations
Your Name: Create a Pen Name or

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked, or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer. However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

  • - HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
  • - Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
  • - Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
  • - Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
  • - Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
  • - Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
  • - Advertisements or commercial solicitation

Reminder:

  • - By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
  • - Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
  • - See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.
Search for Products You'd Like to Recommend

Recommend other products that relate to your review. Just search for them below and share!

Create a Pen Name

Your Pen Name is your unique identity on BN.com. It will appear on the reviews you write and other website activities. Your Pen Name cannot be edited, changed or deleted once submitted.

 
Your Pen Name can be any combination of alphanumeric characters (plus - and _), and must be at least two characters long.

Continue Anonymously
Sort by: Showing all of 3 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 14, 2012

    Lively, and engaging. If you are a George R. R. Martin fan, or

    Lively, and engaging. If you are a George R. R. Martin fan, or enjoy the HBO series you won't want to miss this collection of thoughtful essays.

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 31, 2013

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 24, 2012

    No text was provided for this review.

Sort by: Showing all of 3 Customer Reviews
If you find inappropriate content, please report it to Barnes & Noble
Why is this product inappropriate?
Comments (optional)