The Ultimate Lost and Philosophy: Think Together, Die Alone

by Sharon Kaye, William Irwin (Editor)

Overview

Health Economics and Financing

What are the metaphysics of time travel?
How can Hurley exist in two places at the same time?
What does it mean for something to be possibly true in the flash-sideways universe?
Does Jack have a moral obligation to his father?
What is the Tao of John Locke?

Dude. So there’s, like, this island? And a bunch of us were on Oceanic flight 815 and we crashed on it. I kinda thought it was my fault, because of those numbers. I thought they were bad luck. We’ve seen the craziest things here, like a polar bear and a Smoke Monster, and we traveled through time back to the 1970s. And we met the Dharma dudes. Arzt even blew himself up. For a long time, I thought I was crazy. But now, I think it might have been destiny. The island’s made me question a lot of things. Like, why is it that Locke and Desmond have the same names as real philosophers? Why do so many of us have trouble with our dads? Did Jack have a choice in becoming our leader? And what’s up with Vincent? I mean, he’s gotta be more than just a dog, right? I dunno. We’ve all felt pretty lost. I just hope we can trust Jacob, otherwise … whoa.

With its sixth-season series finale, Lost did more than end its run as one of the most talked-about TV programs of all time; it left in its wake a complex labyrinth of philosophical questions and issues to be explored. Revenge, redemption, love, loss, identity, morality—all of Lost’s key themes are examined in this fully updated guide, which reveals the deeper meaning behind every twist and turn in this historic, one-of-a-kind show.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780470632291
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	10/26/2010
Series:	Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series , #35
Edition description:	Original
Pages:	368
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

SHARON KAYE is professor of philosophy at John Carroll University and edited the original Lost and Philosophy.

WILLIAM IRWIN is a professor of philosophy at King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He originated the philosophy and popular culture genre of books as coeditor of the bestselling The Simpsons and Philosophy and has overseen recent titles including Batman and Philosophy, House and Philosophy, and Mad Men and Philosophy.

To learn more about the Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture series, visit www.andphilosophy.com

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Table of Contents

Introduction: Lost and F.O.U.N.D. 1

Part 1 F is for Fortune

1 Lost in Lost's Times Richard Davies 9

2 Imaginary Peanut Butter: The Puzzles of Time Travel in Lost William J. Devlin 32

3 It Doesn't Matter What We Do: From Metaphysics to Ethics in Lost's Time Travel Jeremy Pierce 47

4 If Sawyer Weren't a Con Man, Then He Would Have Been a Cop: Counterfactual Reasoning in the Last Season of Lost Deborah R. Barnbaum 63

Part 2 O is for Origin

5 Lost in Different Circumstances: What Would You Do" Charles Taliaferro Dan Kastrul 75

6 "Don't Mistake Coincidence for Fate": Lost Theories and Coincidence Briony Addey 91

7 Lost and the Question of Life after Birth Jeremy Barris 107

8 See you in Another Life, Brother: Bad Faith and Authenticity in Three Lost Souls Sander Lee 120

Part 3 U is for Unity

9 Lost's State of Nature Richard Davies 145

10 Friends and Enemies in the State of Nature: The Absence of Hobbes and the Presence of Schmitt Peter S. Fosl 164

11 Ideology and Otherness in Lost: "Stuck in a Bloody Snow Globe" Karen Gaffney 187

Part 4 N is for Necessity

12 Escaping the Island of Ethical Subjectivism: Don't Let Ben Bring You Back George Wrisley 207

13 Lost Together: Fathers, Sons, and Moral Obligations Michael W. Austin 220

14 Should We Condemn Michael" Becky Vartabedian 233

15 The Ethics of Objectification and the Search for Redemption in Lost Patricia Brace Rob Arp 241

Part 5 D is for Destiny

16 The New Narnia: Myth and Redemption on the Island of Second Chances Brett Chandler Patterson 253

17 I Once Was Lost: Aquinas on Finding Goodness and Truth Daniel B. Gallagher 280

18 The Tao of John Locke Shai Biderman William J. Devlin 300

19 Lost Metaphysics: Keeping the Needle on the Record Donavan S. Muir 312

Appendix: Who are Locke, Hume, and Rousseau" The Losties' Guide to Philosophers Scott F. Parker 321

Contributors: Jacob's Candidates 341

Index: Oceanic Flight 815 Manifest 347