House and Philosophy: Everybody Lies

by Henry Jacoby, William Irwin (Editor)

Overview

HOUSE AND PHILOSOPHY

Is being nice overrated?

Are we really just selfish, base animals crawling across Earth in a meaningless existence?

Would reading less and watching more television be good for you?

Is House a master of Eastern philosophy or just plain rude?

Dr. Gregory House is arguably the most complex and challenging antihero in the history of television, but is there more to this self-important genius than gray matter and ego? This book takes a deeper look at House to reveal the philosophical underpinnings of this popular medical drama and its cane-waving curmudgeon’s most outrageous behavior. What emerges is a remarkable character who is part Sherlock Holmes, part Socratic philosopher, part Nietzschean superman, part Taoist rhetorician, and not at all as screwed up as you might think. With everything from Aristotle to Zen, House and Philosophy takes an engaging look at everyone’s favorite misanthropic genius and his team at Princeton-Plainsboro Hospital.

To learn more about the Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture series,

visit www.andphilosophy.com

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780470730218
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	05/04/2009
Series:	Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series , #3
Sold by:	JOHN WILEY & SONS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	272
File size:	373 KB

About the Author

HENRY JACOBY teaches philosophy at East Carolina University. He has published articles on the philosophy of mind and contributed to South Park and Philosophy. He lives in Goldsboro, North Carolina, with his wife, Kathryn, and their two cats, Bunkai and Willow.

WILLIAM IRWIN is a professor of philosophy at King’s College. He originated the philosophy and pop culture gentre of books as coeditor of the bestselling The Simpsons and Philosophy and has overseen recent titles, including Watchmen and Philosophy, House and Philosophy, and Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments: What? You Want Me to Thank You? ix

Introduction: Read Less, More TV: A Cranky, Slightly Rude Introduction Henry Jacoby 1

Part 1 "Humanity is Overrated": House on Life

1 Selfish, Base Animals Crawling Across the Earth: House and the Meaning of Life Henry Jacoby 5

2 House and Sartre: "Hell Is Other People" Jennifer L. McMahon 17

3 Is There a Superman in the House?: A Nietzschean Point of View David Goldblatt 30

4 House and Moral Luck Jane Dryden 39

Part 2 "Welcome to the End of the Thought Process:" House's Logic and Method

5 The Logic of Guesswork in Sherlock Holmes and House Jerold J. Abrams 55

6 It Explains Everything! Barbara Anne Stock 71

7 The Sound of One House Clapping: The Unmannerly Doctor as Zen Rhetorician Jeffrey C. Ruff Jeremy Barris 84

8 "Being Nice Is Overrated": House and Socrates on the Necessity of Conflict Melanie Frappier 98

9 Is There a Daoist in the House? Peter Vernezze 112

Part 3 "It is the Nature of Medicine that You are Going to Screw Up": House and Ethical Principles

10 "You Care for Everybody": Cameron's Ethics of Care Renee Kyle 125

11 To Intubate or Not to Intubate: House's Principles and Priorities Barbara Anne Stock Teresa Blankmeyer Burke 137

12 House and Medical Paternalism: "You Can't Always Get What You Want." Mark R. Wicclair 150

13 If the End Doesn't Justify the Means, Then What Does? Catherine Sartin 164

14 House vs. Tritter: On the Clash of Theoretical and Practical Authority Kenneth Ehrenberg 174

Part 4 "The Drugs Don't Make Me High, They Make Me Neutral": Virtues and Character on House

15 House and the Virtue of Eccentricity JohnR. Fitzpatrick 187

16 Love: The Only Risk House Can't Take Sara Protasi 198

17 A Prescription for Friendship Sara Waller 209

18 Diagnosing Character: A House Divided? Heather Battaly Amy Coplan 222

Contributors: Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital Staff 239

Index: Index of Differential Diagnoses 247