Customer Reviews

Watchmen and Philosophy: A Rorschach Test (The Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series)

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3 star:		(1)
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*Spoiler alert: If you have not yet read Watchmen, read it before picking up this book or reading the rest of my review.

This is the second book I have read in the Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series, the other being Batman and Philosophy: The Dark Knight of the Soul. This book is somewhat shorter, but makes up for it in not really having a weak or overly technical section (like the middle third of Batman and Philosophy). I'm not a philosophy buff by nature - never even took a course in it - but this book never really was too far over my head for me to grasp the concepts.

This book tackles a lot of issues implied in the graphic novel, mainly focusing on Ozymandias and the ethics of his scheme to trick the world into peace, Rorschach's view of justice and the aspect of time (and, consequently, predestination and free will) with regard to Dr. Manhattan. There are also a few interesting chapters, like one proposing that Nite Owl's pot belly actually makes him a better hero and another that considers if Watchmen is bona fide literature or not. I particularly liked chapters three through five, which do a lot to challenge the reader to figure out who the "good guy" in the story really is.

That's not to say the book is without its shortcomings. In particular, I was disappointed that the Comedian wasn't covered more. As one of the central characters - and the only character to be in all the major time periods of the novel (Minutemen-era (1940s), Crimebusters-era (1970s), and the actual setting of the story (1985)) - and especially with his deep psychological profile, you would think more than one chapter out of fifteen would really delve into him (although it is a very engaging chapter). There is a chapter titled "Hooded Justice and Captain Metropolis: The Ambiguously Gay Duo" that takes an interesting, if a bit preachy, stand on homosexuality, but doesn't reference Watchmen at all except in pointing out that the pair may be gay, and even then gives no justification for that supposition. Also, the book never discusses identity with regard to the "masks," which in Batman and Philosophy was perhaps one of the most engaging discussions.

Despite these shortcomings, Watchmen and Philosophy is a very worthwhile read. It is engaging, smart and, at times, funny, but never tilts too far in any direction.

This cool new Wiley paperback explores lots of philosophical and spiritual questions related to the landmark comic book series and, in effect, the new film as well. If you're trying to discuss the movie in a small group, it's a good idea to grab a copy of this book.

The themes of the original "Watchmen," which first was published decades ago, couldn't be more timely today. Among the major questions explored in the original comic books (and in this new Wiley companion volume) are themes about authority in our rapidly changing and deeply troubled world.

Who should we regard as heroes? What standards should we require? If super-powerful figures claim the right to be called heroes, should we trust them? As people become extremely powerful in our world, can they betray us? Or, even worse in some cases, can they be so oblivious to the needs of their neighbors that they wind up causing great damage? Is it even possible to be a really super hero today?

This cultural milestone is so complex that -- to crack open a discussion in a small group you're going to need some help. Between these covers, you'll find lots of intriguing pointers.

The Watchmen graphic novel has garnered an increasing amount of attention with the recent release of the movie version of the graphic novel. What was developed by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons is considered by many to be a masterpiece, combining stunning drawings with equally stunning story line, full of action, politics and many questions - some answered, some not. In creating heroes and anti-heroes in Watchmen the duo pose a lot of questions about right, wrong and the grey area in-between. It is in this ambiguity that Mark D. White and his fellow authors search for meaning and answers to philosophical questions. Each of the authors take on different aspect of the novel, happily with very little overlap on topics. (See The Matrix and Philosophy for repetition on the same quotes again and again). Most of the essays are succinct and quite accessible while exploring topics such as feminism and stoicism. Most of the essays enhance the enjoyment of the book and continues to make the reader think. The large clunker that keeps a star from this book is Robert Arp's discussion of homosexuality is well thought out, but only superficially relates to Watchmen, and delves deeper even into where the topic of Hooded Justice and Captain Metropolis being gay comes from. This aside a great thought provoking novel gets a great through provoking discussion making the reader continue thinking and learning even after the story is over.

WATCHMEN AND PHILOSOPHY is a book released under Wiley's popular "Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture" series. This series of books is an attempt to introduce different types of philosophy and philosophical arguments into the public spectrum by focusing on one particular current piece of popular culture and examining the philosophical questions and issues that piece of pop culture raises and examining them in ways that the common laymen can understand. The books are usually divided into a series of 15-20 essays, each written by a different author or authors. Other titles in the series have included HOUSE AND PHILOSOPHY, BATMAN AND PHILOSOPHY, THE SIMPSONS AND PHILOSOPHY, STAR WARS AND PHILOSOPHY, and HARRY POTTER AND PHILOSOPHY.

The WATCHMEN graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons is a major part of the American zeitgeist right now because of the release of the live motion picture based upon the book. Since its publication, WATCHMEN has been an excellent book to use to explore, discuss, and examine philosophical issues. WATCHMEN AND PHILOSOPHY takes several of the ideas the book raises and examines them and explains them so that the average reader can understand them.

The book examines all of the main characters in the novel and uses them and their actions to explore such philosophical topics as ethics, emotivism, retributivism, consequentialism, the concept of an ubermensch, utilitarianism, deontology, authoritarianism, hedonism, egalitarianism, etc. One chapter of the book compares who was the better feminist: Laurie or her mother, Sally. Another chapter argues that Nite Owl is the real hero of the novel because of his pot belly and another examines whether WATCHMEN is really literature or just another comic book with more words and pictures than usual. There is a wide variety of perspectives in the book and I enjoyed that. For instance, Rorschach is usually seen as being the hero of the story (there were people in the theatre I saw the movie who yelled at the screen in anger when Dr. Manhattan faced off against Rorschach). However, a couple of the essays in the book attempted to illustrate either that Rorschach wasn't a hero or that he was no better than Ozymandias. I don't agree with those arguments, but it was intellectually stimulating seeing why the authors believed what they were saying.

I enjoyed reading WATCHMEN AND PHILOSOPHY. It's not difficult to read and I found it interesting with just the right dose of humor. Recommended for fans of WATCHMEN or those interested in learning more about WATCHMEN.

I thought that this book was respectable. It explored Rorschach very well, went far too in-depth analyzing Dr. Manhattan (that chapter just droned on and on), and just briefly touched on the others, which disappointed me. I wanted to dig further into the psyche of Ozymandias, The Comedian, and Night Owl (I and II), but it, really, just offered a cursory glance into these characters.

To me, it seemed as if 50% of the book focused on Dr. Manhattan, about 20% on Rorschach (which was fine with me), and about 30% on the other characters (combined).

Although all of the Watchmen characters are deep and complex, I really felt like they had neglected some of the richest characters in Ozymandias, The Comedian, and Nite Owl (I and II).

This wasn't a terribly long book, and I almost felt like the study of this material would have better been served as a series of short books, each focusing on each character in their own volume. I felt that they dug sufficiently deep into Rorschach, too deep on Dr. Manhattan, a didn't really even seem to scratch the surface on the other characters.

It is still worth a read. Especially if you are a fan of the character Dr. Manhattan. I think that such readers will likely enjoy this read the best, actually.

Batman and Philosophy was the first entry in this series I read, and it was excellent. As such, I was excited to get my hands on this entry - all the more so because Watchmen has so much potential to explore philosophical and moral/ethical issues already built into the story and characters. My hopes were high, and I have not been disappointed.

Watchmen and Philosophy features clear, strong writing and the articles never feel too simplistic too difficult to follow, which makes it the ideal book to learn a bit about philosophy and ethics if you're rusty, or to easily reacquaint yourself with old philosopher friends if you're a philosophy geek like me. If you're interested in either topic, I highly recommend this book as an excellent, intellectually simulating summer read. Or winter read! Or anytime read, really.

Is a book like Watchmen and Philosophy an attempt to find philosophical meaning in one of the most popular and well-respected graphic novels ever? Or is it trying to introduce the lay reader to philosophy by applying it to Watchmen? Or is it merely a way for philosophers to make a few easy bucks (in a field not known for its high-paying job opportunities) by exploiting popular TV shows and comics (besides the Watchmen, other books in the series look at Family Guy, Batman, The X-Men, The Office, House, Lost and 24). The answer seems to be yes to all three.

Watchmen and Philosophy is a collection of essays by various instructors in the field, and is based strictly on the original graphic novel, with no references to the movie. It is divided into four parts, each with three or four essays. In Part One, "The Politics of Power: Who Watches the Watchmen?", deals with the responsibilities of being exceptional people who act as vigilantes and super-soldiers and how these so-called superheroes (actually, only the god-like Dr. Manhattan is really super-powered) can influence world events.

Part Two, :The Veidt Plan: The Watchmen and Ethics" deal with various ethical issues, especially related to Ozymandias's rather extreme method to bring about world peace. Does the end justify the means? And is Rorschach right or wrong to want to expose the plan, even if it undoes the good and render a vast amount of deaths futile. Part Three, "The Metaphysics of Dr. Manhattan", deal with the issues faced by Dr. Manhattan, particularly his near omniscience (able to see both the past and future reasonably clearly) and his vast power. Part Four, "This is Not Your Father's Comic Book" deals with whether The Watchmen is literature and gender roles within the book.

Of course, if you haven't read The Watchmen, you will get little out of Watchmen and Philosophy. Occasionally, I found this book a little overanalytical, but it is at least well-written and thought-provoking. This is a decent enough book, one that would give any fan of The Watchmen some deeper insight into the novel.

a great counter part for the series, that being the modern philosphy and pop culture series. Much lighter than the Simpsons version and on par with Star Wars and the Matrix and philosophy.

"The Watchmen" is Alan Moore's Cold War masterpiece that takes a look at what the world might be like if there really were superheroes in it. If you haven't read it yet, I urge you to do so. If nothing else, it will change your idea of what "comic books" can be.

"Watchmen and Philosophy: A Rorschach Test" consists of several essays that take a philosophical look at Moore's complex story and odd characters. As other reviewers have pointed out, the book has its shortcomings. Notably, certain integral characters don't receive the attention their complex personas deserve. Also, the chapter about homosexuality and the one asking if graphic novels are really literature aren't so much about "The Watchmen" as they simply use the subject as a launching point for discussion.

Sure, "Watchmen and Philosophy" is no masterpiece in itself, but was it really meant to be? My take on the Philosophy and Pop Culture Series is that the volumes are meant to be fun, thought-provoking lessons in philosophy for the layperson. By finding connections between philosophy and subjects everyday people can easily relate to, non-philosophers such as myself can learn a thing or two about Plato, Nietzsche, and the like. If those were the goals of this book, the authors truly succeeded. "Watchmen and Philosophy" is a fun read, and perhaps more importantly, it makes you think.

I'd love to see sequels to "Watchmen and Philosophy." "The Watchmen" spans decades and continents (and planets, even) and contains a large, diverse cast of interesting characters. Volumes could be written about the philosophy of "The Watchmen," and if they continue to be of this quality, I, for one, would continue to read them.

Must have for fans of the Watchmen who want to peek a little further into the minds of it's characters. I couldn't put it down.