The Big bang theory and philosophy : rock, paper, scissors, Aristotle, Locke / edited by Dean A. Kowalski.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Kowalski, Dean A.

Series:

Blackwell philosophy and popculture series.

The Blackwell philosophy and pop culture series

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Philosophy--Miscellanea.

Philosophy.

Big bang theory (Television program).

Physical Description:

1 online resource (290 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Hoboken, NJ : John Wiley & Sons, Inc., c2012.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

A lighthearted meditation on the philosophical quandaries of the hit television show The Big Bang Theory Ever wonder what Aristotle might say about the life Sheldon Cooper leads? Why Thomas Hobbes would applaud the roommate agreement? Who Immanuel Kant would treat with ""haughty derision"" for weaving ""un-unravelable webs?"" And-most importantly-whether Wil Wheaton is truly evil? Of course you have. Bazinga! This book mines the deep thinking of some of history's most potent philosophical minds to explore your most pressing questions about The Big Bang Theory an

Contents:

The Big Bang Theory and Philosophy: Rock, Paper, Scissors, Aristotle, Locke; Contents; Acknowledgments; Introduction: ""Unraveling the Mysteries""; Part One: ""It all Began on a Warm Summer's Evening in Greece"": Aristotelian Insights; 1: Aristotle on Sheldon Cooper: Ancient Greek Meets Modern Geek; The Life of the Mind; The Ancient Greek and the Modern Geek; The Joy of Geekdom; Geeky Fun and the Purpose of Life; Trial of a Nerd; The Aristotle-Cooper Evaluation; Notes; 2: ""You're a Sucky, Sucky Friend"": Seeking Aristotelian Friendship in The Big Bang Theory

""Do You Have Any Books about Making Friends?""""Did You Ever Consider Making Friends by Being . . . Pleasant?""; ""Kripke! What'd You Say of the Idea of You and I Becoming Friends?""; ""To Make Friends . . . Take an Interest in Their Lives""; ""That's Insane on the Face of It""; ""There Is No Algorithm for Making Friends!""; Notes; 3: The Big Bang Theory on the Use and Abuse of Modern Technology; Some Healthy Webcam-ing; Unhealthy Interactions; Virtual Vengeance; Aristotle's Mean; Aristotle in Television; Bright and Shiny Penny; Where Do We Go?; Notes

Part Two: ""Is it Wrong to Say I Love Our Killer Robot?"": Ethics and Virtue4: Feeling Bad about Feeling Good: Is It Morally Wrong to Laugh at Sheldon?; Lorre and Prady on Sheldon Cooper; Diagnosing Sheldon I: Cognitive Impairment; Diagnosing Sheldon II: Sociability; Diagnosing Sheldon III: Functionality; What Is a Disability?; Notes; 5: . . . But Is Wil Wheaton Evil?; The Wheaton Occurrences; The Theodicy Corollary; Beyond Good and Evil Wil-or, the Wrath of Sheldon; The Name-Calling and Line-Cutting Topologies; The Comic Book Paradigm; The Inscrutability Factor; Notes

6: Do We Need a Roommate Agreement?: Pleasure, Selfishness, and Virtue in The Big Bang TheoryThe Giant ""Hedon"" Collider; The Egoism Polarization; The Social Contract Instability; The Aristotelian Virtue Vortex; The Dennis Kim Conundrum; Notes; Part Three: ""Perhaps You Mean a Different Thing Than I Do When You Say 'Science'"": Science, Scientism, and Religion; 7: Getting Fundamental about Doing Physics in The Big Bang Theory; Studies in Sheldonology; A Unified Theory of Sheldon?; Resolving a ""Nonlovers"" Quarrel (about Science); The Pragmatics of the Special Sciences; Notes

8: Sheldon, Leonard, and Leslie: The Three Faces of Quantum GravityThe Methods of Science; Theoretical ""Discoveries""; The String Theory Paradigm; Hang-Ups, Breakups, and New Beginnings; Notes; 9: The One Paradigm to Rule Them All: Scientism and The Big Bang Theory; The Data; The Background; The Controversy; The Ramifications; The Analysis; Notes; 10: Cooper Considerations: Science, Religion, and Family; Magic Maharaja Macs?; Scientist Sons Scolded; Monumental Math Mysteries; Lifelong Lessons; Notes; Part Four: ""I Need Your Opinion on a Matter of Semiotics"": Language and Meaning

11: Wittgenstein and Language Games in The Big Bang Theory

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9786613622600

9781118236413

1118236416

9781280592775

128059277X

9781118222522

1118222520

OCLC:

792684066