Star Wars and Philosophy Strikes Back
This Is the Way
The Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series (Band Nr. 2)
1. Auflage Dezember 2022
320 Seiten, Softcover
Sachbuch
Weitere Versionen
Should droids be free? Should clone troopers?
What political and ethical ideas ground resistance and rebellion?
What's wrong with the way women are portrayed in Star Wars?
Does Han Solo have a philosophical worldview?
Was Galen Erso responsible for the destruction of Alderaan?
Should you eat Baby Yoda?
"This is the Way." In Star Wars and Philosophy Strikes Back, the Way wends through entirely new adventures in the Star Wars galaxy far, far away: not only the films of the Skywalker saga, but also Rebels, The Bad Batch, Rogue One, Solo, and The Mandalorian. Like the creators of these films and television series, the authors in this book harness the magical mix of humor, action, empathy, characterization, adventure, and fan service that constitutes Star Wars.
In addition to thorny metaphysical questions about the nature of time and free will, this volume highlights the staggering cultural impact of George Lucas's universe. The newest Star Wars narratives tackle ethnicity on alien worlds and how love and sex with a droid like L3-37 would work ("It works"). The connections between the Separatist Freedom Movement and the struggle for social justice in the USA in the 21st century are brought to light. And philosophical second looks at Rian Johnson's The Last Jedi prove there is much more to this controversial entry in the Skywalker saga.
Thirty-six philosophers, both sages and scoundrels among them, examine the full range of deep questions throughout the Star Wars chronology--from The Phantom Menace to The Rise of Skywalker and beyond. "They have spoken."
Introduction xviii
Part I Episodes I-III 1
1 "Another Solution Will Present Itself": The Phantom Menace, Daoism, and Doing without Trying 3
Russell P. Johnson
2 Bioethics Wars: Fear and Fallacy in Revenge of the Sith 11
Thomas D. Harter
3 "A Pathway to Many Abilities Some Consider to Be Unnatural": The Natural Law Ethics of Star Wars 20
Matthew Shea, Joel Archer, and Daniel Banning
4 Mothers, Daughters, Rebels: Women's Bodies in Star Wars 30
Aikaterini-Maria Lakka
Part II Clone Wars, Rebels, and The Bad Batch 41
5 Order 66: The Fragility of Moral Autonomy in The Clone Wars 43
Timothy Challans
6 "Corporations Do Not Rule Us!": The Separatist Freedom Movement and the Struggle for Justice 52
Mohammed Shakibnia
7 "No One Rescues Droids": Rebels on Race and Racism 62
Steve Bein
8 Individuality and Identity: Are Clones Literally a "Band (or Batch) of Brothers"? 73
Patricia L. Brace
9 The Failure of Jedi Ethics: The Jedi Betrayal of Ahsoka 82
James Rocha and Mona Rocha
10 Of Graffiti and Kalikoris 90
Daniel P. Malloy
11 A Long Time Ago? Time and Time Travel in Star Wars 99
Philipp Berghofer
Part III Rogue One and Solo 109
12 Building the Death Star: Complicity in Moral Evil 111
Jason T. Eberl
13 "Rebellions Are Built on Hope": The Creative Democratic Force of Rogue One 122
Terrance MacMullan
14 Han Solo: The Corellian Evasion of Philosophy 132
Kevin S. Decker
15 Friendship, Love, and Sex with Droids in Solo: "How Would that Work?" "It Works" 143
Nick Munn and Dan Weijers
16 La L3-37 Continue: Droid Rights and the Problem of Legal Personhood 152
Joshua Jowitt
Part IV Episodes IV-VI 163
17 The Non-dualistic, Redemptive Metaphysics of the Jedi 165
Michael Baur
18 Just How Many "Lukes" Are There in A New Hope, Anyway? 174
Roy T. Cook and Nathan Kellen
19 Force and Geist: Hegel Watches The Empire Strikes Back 183
Umut Eldem
20 "I Know There Is Good in You": Luke, Anakin, and Confucian Filial Piety 192
Eric Yang
Part V The Mandalorian 199
21 Should You Eat Baby Yoda? 201
A.G. Holdier
22 Grogu's Little Way: The Binds of Power and the Bonds of Love in The Mandalorian 209
Jeffrey P. Bishop and Isabel Bishop
23 Beneath the Helmet, Beyond the Way: The Mandalorian and Moral Decision-making 218
Noam Ebner
24 Paradox of Faith: The Way of Din Djarin and Kierkegaard 228
Patrick Tiernan
25 Reading the Mind of Din Djarin: The Music of The Mandalorian 236
Lance Belluomini
Part VI Episodes VII-IX 245
26 Awakening Race, Culture, and Ethnicity in a Galaxy Far, Far Away 247
Edwardo Pérez
27 The Last Jedi's Despair: Did Episode VIII Ruin Luke Skywalker? 257
David Kyle Johnson
28 Deleuze, the Force of Becoming, and The Last Jedi 268
Corry Shores
29 Passionate Love, Platonic Love, and Force Love in Star Wars 276
James Lawler
30 The Rise of Rey Skywalker: The Importance of Community and Friends in Star Wars 284
James M. Okapal
Index 293
KEVIN S. DECKER is Professor of Philosophy at Eastern Washington University near Spokane, Washington. There, he teaches ethics, Continental, and American philosophy. He is the co-editor (with Jason T. Eberl) of The Ultimate Star Wars and Philosophy and The Ultimate Star Trek and Philosophy and editor or co-editor of eight other anthologies of popular culture and philosophy. His book Who is Who? The Philosophy of Doctor Who was published by I.B. Tauris in 2013.
