Star Wars and Philosophy (Popular Culture and Philosophy) (Paperback)

by Kevin S. Decker (Editor), Jason T. Eberl (Editor), William Irwin (Editor) "In The Phantom Menace, Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn brings a nine-year-old boy, recently released from slavery and separated from his mother, before the Jedi Council..." (more)
Key Phrases: Star Wars, Darth Vader, Death Star (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
...holds implications for all with its solid link between popular culture, philosophy, and social insights. -- The Bookwatch, September 2005

Just the thing to read while queuing for tickets, or perhaps as a source of readings for your theme wedding. -- Book News, Inc., May 2005

Product Description
The Star Wars films continue to revolutionize science fiction, creating new standards for cinematographic excellence, and permeating popular culture around the world. The films feature many complex themes ranging from good versus evil and moral development and corruption to religious faith and pragmatism, forgiveness and redemption, and many others.

The essays in this volume tackle the philosophical questions from these blockbuster films including: Was Anakin predestined to fall to the Dark Side? Are the Jedi truly role models of moral virtue? Why would the citizens and protectors of a democratic Republic allow it to descend into a tyrannical empire? Is Yoda a peaceful Zen master or a great warrior, or both? Why is there both a light and a dark side of the Force? Star Wars and Philosophy ponders the depths of these subjects and asks what it truly means to be mindful of the "living force."

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Open Court (March 10, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812695836
• ISBN-13: 978-0812695830
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #249,476 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thinking about the Force, April 11, 2005

By	J. J. Kwashnak "voracious reader" (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The Popular Culture and Philosophy Series can be hit or miss as it tries to wrap in familiar characters or stories in the teaching of philosophers throughout the ages. This volume stands as one of the best produced so far. The Star Wars films have always held some deeper meanings than what appear on the surface, from the concepts of good and bad, light and dark, interconnectedness in the Force, and downfall and redemption. Decker and his fellow authors mine this rich source and bring up many topics or ideas that will make the reader go "Hmmm." Definitely riding on the wave of growing Star Wars mania, this book contains numerous references to the upcoming Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith film and the dark story that lies in the fall of Anakin. Being that this is a series with it's own resident philosopher in the wise Yoda, the writers have been able to spread out and discussion actions and thoughts of other characters in the Star Wars universe. Surprisingly, and somewhat disappointingly, they mine many of the same characters over again, so that while Anakin and the Emperor are well represented, of course, as are Yoda, Luke and Obi-Wan, characters such as Leia, Padame and Chewbacca get the short shrift. Maybe something for volume 2 perhaps? This is a great book for sitting back and letting you experience the saga at a whole different level. And if you are not as familiar with philosophy, this is a great introduction, relating a deeper subject to something so familiar and beloved. May the Force Be With You.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Force is Strong in This One, November 17, 2005

By	Bu-chan (Aotearoa) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

"Star Wars and Philosophy" has it all, and has a bit for everyone. While in some cases it explores a couple of similar themes to the two books from the series about "The Matrix", it also presents some radically new material drawn from Star Wars' unique take on things.

Essays in this book cover everything from environmental philosophy right through to Buddhism, technology and causation. More so than the Matrix books, "Star Wars and Philosophy" truly presents a myriad of philosophical issues to read about. My personal favourites were essays on the personhood and rights of droids, and the truth and lies told by tyhe Jedi and Sith. However, other essays really had a high standard, as well.

In terms of presenting aspects of Star Wars in a new light and giving a deeper appreciation of the movies, "Star Wars and Philosophy" is a great exposition. I have looked at the movies in a new light since reading it, and this is especially so for the more recent prequels to the original trilogy.

Especially for Star Wars fans, but also for anyone who just digs science fiction, this is a great addition to the collection of books. Inspiring and thought provoking certainly describe this one. I loved every essay in it, and was fixated until the end.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Force is Strong with this one, November 27, 2005

By	Dave Id (Montreal, QC, CAN) - See all my reviews

A few weeks ago in a book store not to far away, I purchased this book, along with 6 others, simply because it's Star Wars and it's philosophy. It's a perfect mix for a geek like me. So far the "Popular Culture and Philosophy" series has 12 volumes and I've assimilated 4 of them. This title being the latest offered as sacrifice to my mind. And the series just never gets boring and its editors and writers aren't lazy (with an exception or two)

Contrary to many philosophy books, they won't bore you with long winded prefaces where they detach themselves from the material to keep their cred as serious philosophers. They take the material seriously, they love, they hate but they never ignore it. And like in other reviews of this series I'll reiterate that this is a book, a perfect book to immerse to non-initiated into the world of philosophy using popular culture as a conduit, thus making philosophy interesting to those who fear it. Most people fear philosophy and declare it boring; for the simple reason that it's perceived as much too cerebral.

It's supposed to be cerebral. Etymologically "philosophy" translates to "love of knowledge". But here you get to do it with the force as your ally. If you dig Star Wars and love philosophy or want to take your first steps into it, this is the book for you. William Irwin, the series' editor, goes for impartiality by choosing writers that may irk him by their one sidedness or stubbornness, not only the writers who praise the subject of his books. Thus you get a great amalgamation of diverse views, positive or negative, on all sides of potential issues stemming from the Star Wars universe... or should I say galaxy?

There are a few chapters where the philosopher is not making the reader think, but rather preaching - or it feels like preaching. They chastise George Lucas (but don't we all?) for glorifying technology over nature.

Elizabeth F. Cook, in her chapter on Environmental Ethics, goes so far in her ideological exuberance about protecting nature that all those right wingers/cons who've accused me of being a tree-hugger will have to review their labeling of my person as a centrist because it seems that we shouldn't disturb nature at all, not even pick flowers. This level of preachyness really itches my disdain of extremist ideology on both sides of the spectrum of thought. Human non-interference on nature, even from the most primitive of human societies is simply impossible. We are manifestations of nature, not outside observers. And even in this ideologue's utopia, how does she reconcile her arguments with those of Heisenberg on observation?

Then we have a chapter where the ball is dropped because the writer accuses Yoda of being against the flesh - by saying "Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter" - and supporting his theory that Lucas upholds artificial life forms and technology above the living. The writer drops the ball by consistently suffering from selective memory and using the philosophical equivalent of sound bites to make his argument, completely disregarding the whole speech about the force being in every living thing, all around us and this living force being his ally. I found it disappointing and amateurish, considering that Star Wars fans of the rabid kind will be reading this book.

And that's as bad is it gets. There are some seriously delicious chapters like the one on Stoicism. This detachment from pleasure and pain that the Sith and the Jedi go through, reminds me a great deal of the Buddha's teachings but the difference is on compassion. Stoicism views compassion as a weakness of some sort, where as compassion is at the center of most schools of Buddhist thought. Also the chapter on Master-Slave relationships is priceless. It exposes how the slave has the better chances at a better life than does the master, using an elaborate "it's lonely at the top" argument. Only Vader could redeem himself and not the emperor. The emperor views all as below him, while Vader is in shackles despite having a great degree of power in the Empire. Only the shackled can free themselves.

They saved the best for last... ok the before-last. The chapter on why the Jedi seem to lie all the time and the Sith tell the truth all the time. It's one of the ethical questions I've had on the religious aspect of Star Wars. Obi-wan and Yoda keep lying to Luke, while Vader and the Emperor keep telling him the truth. But like the Oracle stipulates in The Matrix movies, just make up your own damn mind - and he does, by refusing what both Jedi and Sith tell him and believing in Vader's goodness. And that's not the only Oracle logic that can be found in the Star Wars galaxy. It's obvious that Mr. Impetuous Skywalker wasn't quite ready for the truth about his lineage. That kiddo couldn't handle the truth about Vader being Anakin Skywalker.

In some way Vader did kill Anakin, making Kenobi's earlier statement a truth. Just like Neo, Luke must know-thyself before understanding the deeper meaning of the truth. The truth can't be handed to you coldly, which is what the Sith do to control. They blurt out truths, hiding themselves in plain sight of all to see. Yes its true Vader is Luke's father. But didn't Vader take the most opportune moment to let his boy know the truth? This truth crippled him more than the cauterizing amputation of his hand he moments ago suffered.

The whole series is worth taking a look at and this book, for Star Wars fans, is a must read. I closed this booked re-assessing my opinion of Star Wars. I viewed Ep. 4-6 as a space cowboy movie with little thought put into it. I still worshiped the movies. I've seen Ep. 4 and 5 over 500 times each and Ep. 6 at least 200 times in the last 25 plus years.

What's not to love? Vader, Yoda, starships and space battles galore, light sabers and did I mention Vader? Even my blog's theme is jokingly Star Wars influenced. But I believed it was little more than a big expensive action movie that was just burned into my psyche since I was a child, and now I can see that this was just the surface. I realize that a lot more thinking went into these movies than I believed. I've even gained a bit more respect for those debacles... I mean prequels. I still think they suck to no end. Even Revenge of the Sith; I thought to myself before seeing the movie, that just having Vader in it, even for five minutes, would save the movie... and George screwed up that five minutes also. And yet after this read I can see the story's depth behind all those crappy rip-offs, so-so special effects and would-be jokes.

The force is strong with this one. Despite the fact that the book fails to explain how light can stop after three feet, this book gets a blinding 5 lightsabers out of 5.