[Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture 11] • Watchmen and Philosophy by Irwin, William -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

The Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series Title Page Copyright Page Acknowledgements Introduction PART ONE - THE POLITICS OF POWER: WHO WATCHES THE WATCHMEN?

The Son of a Watchmaker Rubble and the Human Race Emotions: They’re Not Just for Breakfast Anymore Sure, It’s the Right Thing to Do—Now Tell Me Why I Should Do It From the Personal to the Political The Endless Ethical Enigmas of Dr. Manhattan (There Oughta Be a Book . . . ) NOTES

TWO - CAN WE STEER THIS RUDDERLESS WORLD? KANT, RORSCHACH, RETRIBUTIVISM, AND HONOR

Evil Must Be Punished: Retributivism, Basically Kant and Rorschach on Respect and Dignity Order and Value in a Morally Blank World Honor Is Like the Hawk . . . This Last Entry NOTES

THREE - SUPER-VIGILANTES AND THE KEENE ACT

I’m Holding Out for a Hero . . . or a State Working against or outside the State: Rorschach and Veidt Working for the Man Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid Who Can Watch the Watchmen? NOTES

FOUR - SUPERHEROES AND SUPERMEN: FINDING NIETZSCHE’S ÜBERMENSCHIN WATCHMEN

Nietzsche’s Super, Man God Is Dead, and He’s American What’s So Über about the Übermensch? The Nietzsche Method Who Watches the Übermensch? And Then There Were Three . . . Do We Have a Winner? NOTES

PART TWO - THE VEIDT PLAN: WATCHMEN AND ETHICS

FIVE - MEANS, ENDS, AND THE CRITIQUE OF PURE SUPERHEROES

“ ‘In the end’? Nothing ends, Adrian, nothing ever ends.” The Utilitarians Strike Back “Even in the face of Armageddon I shall not compromise in this.” “Who watches the watchmen?” NOTES

SIX - THE VIRTUES OF NITE OWL’S POTBELLY

Watchmen and Virtue? (Hurm . . . ) Rorschach, Meet . . . Forrest Gump? Nite Owl in the Middle Mama, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Watchmen Are We Wasting Our Time Discussing Character and Virtues? Dan, Dan, He’s Our Man! NOTES

SEVEN - RORSCHACH: WHEN TELLING THE TRUTH IS WRONG

Rorschach’s Death Lying for the Sake of Humanity But Is Lying Really That Big a Deal? Utilitarianism: A Justification for Lying? Judging Rorschach NOTES

PART THREE - THE METAPHYSICS OF DR. MANHATTAN

EIGHT - DR. MANHATTAN, I PRESUME?

Am I Who I Am? Selves, Bundles, and Memories I Am Not My Body If I’m My Mind, How Many of Me Are There? Superheroes and Super-Identity NOTES

NINE - A TIMELY ENCOUNTER: DR. MANHATTAN AND HENRI BERGSON

“His watch isn’t the only thing that’s broken.” Bergson Saves Manhattan Active vs. Passive Time Manhattan Standard Time Everyday Time Travel NOTES

TEN - FREE WILL AND FOREKNOWLEDGE: DOES JON REALLY KNOW WHAT LAURIE WILL DO ...

He’s Got Foreknowledge, and He’s Not Afraid to Use It Alternatives, Shmalternatives God, I Hope It’s Not Fatal The Naked Watchmaker The World According to Big Blue Why Jon Is Wrong Tripping on Tachyons Do as I Say, Not as I Blue NOTES

ELEVEN - I’M JUST A PUPPET WHO CAN SEE THE STRINGS: DR. MANHATTAN AS A STOIC SAGE

The Modern Misunderstanding of Stoicism “I Read Atoms”: Seeing Nature for What It Is Dr. Manhattan Does Get Upset, So He’s Not Really a Stoic, Right? Stoicism and Fate: A Puppet Comes to Terms with the Strings Thermodynamic Miracles and the “Good Emotions” Stoicism without a Rational Lawgiver? “Relax and See the Whole Continuum” NOTES

PART FOUR - THIS IS NOT YOUR FATHER’S COMIC BOOK

Is Watchmen Literature? Whom Do We Ask? “Under the Hood” of Literature Opinions Are Like . . . Well, You Know! Do We Read Watchmen for the Pictures? Watchmen as Hybrid So, Is Watchmen Literature or Not? NOTES

THIRTEEN - WATCHWOMEN

She Fights Crime! Silk Stockings and Silk Spectres No Laughing Matter Mommy Dearest? We Leave It Entirely in Your Hands NOTES

FOURTEEN - HOODED JUSTICE AND CAPTAIN METROPOLIS: THE AMBIGUOUSLY GAY DUO

“Those People” Are Unnatural The “Tab A Fits into Slot A” Argument They Act Out on Their Screwed-Up Desires Okay, but Don’t Allow ’Em to Marry Each Other! Should They All Be Rounded Up? NOTES

FIFTEEN - WHAT’S SO GODDAMNED FUNNY? THE COMEDIAN AND RORSCHACH ON LIFE’S WAY

Understanding the Self: The Veidt Method Worms in the Apple In the End, a Man Stands Alone Let’s Put These Jokers through Some Changes Never Surrender Never Look Down NOTES

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