Audiobooks by William Irwin

Star Wars and Philosophy Strikes Back: This Is the Way

'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 twenty-first 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.'

Jason T. Eberl, Kevin S. Decker, William Irwin (Author), Al Kessel (Narrator)

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Dune and Philosophy: Minds, Monads, and Muad'Dib

'He who controls the spice controls the universe.' Frank Herbert's Dune saga is the epic story of Paul, son of Duke Leto Atreides, and heir to the massive fortune promised by the desert planet Arrakis and its vast reservoirs of a drug called 'spice.' To control the spice, Paul and his mother Jessica, a devotee of the pseudo-religious Bene Gesserit order, must find their place in the culture of the desert-dwelling Fremen of Arrakis. Paul must contend with both the devious rival House Harkonnen and the gargantuan desert sandworms-the source of the spice. The future of the Imperium depends upon one young man who will need to lead a new jihad to control the universe. Dune and Philosophy recruits twenty-three philosophers to sift wisdom from Frank Herbert's Duniverse, including the first of an expected series of films following Paul 'Muad'Dib' Atreides and his descendants, captivatingly brought to the big screen in 2021. Substantial yet accessible chapters address philosophical questions including: - Is it morally right to create a savior? - Would interplanetary travel change human nature? - In conflict, how can you stay light years ahead of your opponents? - Does history repeat itself?

Kevin S. Decker, William Irwin (Author), Ariana Delawari, Nas Mehdi (Narrator)

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The Good Place and Philosophy: Everything is Forking Fine!

Dive into the moral philosophy at the heart of all four seasons of NBC's The Good Place, guided by academic experts, including the show's philosophical consultants Pamela Hieronymi and Todd May, and featuring a foreword from creator and showrunner Michael Schur. - Explicitly dedicated to the philosophical concepts, questions, and fundamental ethical dilemmas at the heart of the thoughtful and ambitious NBC sitcom The Good Place. - Navigates the murky waters of moral philosophy in more conceptual depth to call into question what Chidi's ethics lessons-and the show-get right about learning to be a good person. - Engages classic philosophical questions, including the clash between utilitarianism and deontological ethics in the 'Trolley Problem,' Kant's categorical imperative, Sartre's nihilism, and T. M. Scanlon's contractualism. - Explores themes such as death, love, moral heroism, free will, responsibility, artificial intelligence, fatalism, skepticism, virtue ethics, perception, and the nature of autonomy in the surreal heaven-like afterlife of the Good Place.

Christopher Scott Sevier, Kimberly S. Engels, William Irwin (Author), Amy Mcfadden, Joe Hempel (Narrator)

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The Ultimate Star Trek and Philosophy: The Search for Socrates

Jason T. Eberl, Kevin S. Decker, William Irwin (Author), Elizabeth Klett, William Sarris (Narrator)

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The Ultimate Harry Potter and Philosophy: Hogwarts for Muggles

A philosophical exploration of the entire seven-book Harry Potter series Harry Potter has been heralded as one of the most popular book series of all time and the philosophical nature of Harry, Hermione, and Ron's quest to rid the world of its ultimate evil is one of the many things that make this series special. The Ultimate Harry Potter and Philosophy covers all seven titles in J.K. Rowling's groundbreaking series and takes fans back to Godric's Hollow to discuss life after death, to consider what moral reasoning drove Harry to choose death, and to debate whether Sirius Black is a man or a dog. With publication timed to coincide with the release of the movie Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 1), this book will be the definitive guide for all fans looking to appreciate the series on a deeper level. Covers a range of intriguing topics such as the redemption of Severus Snape, the power of love, and destiny in the wizarding world Gives you a new perspective on Harry Potter characters, plot lines, and themes Makes a perfect companion to the Harry Potter books and movies Packed with interesting ideas and insights, The Ultimate Harry Potter and Philosophy is an ideal companion for anyone interested in unraveling the subtext and exploring the greater issues at work in the story.

Gregory Bassham, William Irwin (Author), Susan Duerden (Narrator)

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Twilight and Philosophy: Vampires, Vegetarians, and the Pursuit of Immortality

Stephenie Meyer's wildly popular Twilight is a young adult vampire romance series, in which teenaged Bella falls for a vampire, Edward, and is drawn into his and his family's morally gray universe. Bella, Edward, and their family and friends have faced countless dangers and philosophical dilemmas in the four novels of the series, and this is the first book to parse them. Twilight and Philosophy will answer these and many other questions: What do the struggles of Edward and his family of 'vegetarian' vampires to control their biological urge for human blood say about free will? Are vampires morally absolved if they kill only animals and not people? Why does Plato think that Bella should choose Jacob, a werewolf and rival for her affections? Should Edward use his natural ability to read minds? From a feminist perspective, can Edward be a romantic hero or is he just a stalker?

J. Jeremy Wisnewski, Rebecca Housel, William Irwin (Author), Rebecca Housel (Narrator)

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The Avengers and Philosophy: Earth's Mightiest Thinkers

An engaging look at the philosophical underpinnings of Earth's Mightiest Heroestimed for the release of Joss Whedon's long-awaited film adaptation Avengers, assemble! Tackling intriguing dilemmas and issues that no single great philosopher can withstand, this powerful book enlists the brainpower of an A-list team of history's most prominent thinkers to explore the themes behind the action of Marvel Comics' all-star superhero team. Arms you with new insights into the characters and themes of The Avengers Deepens your appreciation both of The Avengers comics and the Joss Whedon movie adaptation Answers the philosophical questions you've always had about Earth's Mightiest Heroes, including: Can a reformed criminal become a superhero? Can an android love a human? If a hero beats his wife, is he still a hero? Helps you think differently about the members of the superhero teamCaptain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Nick Fury, Hawkeye, among others This thought-provoking book will help you understand this band of superheroes better, whether you've followed the Avengers for years or are a Joss Whedon fan just getting to know them.

Mark D. White, William Irwin (Author), Jeremy Arthur (Narrator)

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The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Philosophy: Everything Is Fire

The essential companion to Stieg Larsson's bestselling trilogy and director David Fincher's 2011 film adaptation Stieg Larsson's bestselling Millennium Trilogy--The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest--is an international phenomenon. These books express Larsson's lifelong war against injustice, his ethical beliefs, and his deep concern for women's rights. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Philosophy probes the compelling philosophical issues behind the entire trilogy. What philosophies do Lisbeth Salander and Kant have in common? To catch a criminal, can Lisbeth and Mikael be criminals themselves? Can revenge be ethical? Drawing on some of history's greatest philosophical minds, this book gives fresh insights into Larsson's ingeniously plotted tale of crime and corruption. Looks at compelling philosophical issues such as a feminist reading of Lisbeth Salander, Aristotelian arguments for why we love revenge, how Kant can explain why so many women sleep with Mikael Blomkvist, and many more Includes a chapter from a colleague of Larsson's--who worked with him in anti-Nazi activities--that explores Larsson's philosophical views on skepticism and quotes from never-before-seen correspondence with Larsson Offers new insights into the novels' key characters, including Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist, and investigates the author, Stieg Larsson As engrossing as the quest to free Lisbeth Salander from her past, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Philosophy is ideal reading for anyone interested in unraveling the subtext and exploring the greater issues at work in the story.

Eric Bronson, William Irwin (Author), David G. Roberts (Narrator)

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True Blood and Philosophy: We Wanna Think Bad Things with You

The first look at the philosophical issues behind Charlaine Harris's New York Times bestsellers The Southern Vampire Mysteries and the True Blood television series Teeming with complex, mythical characters in the shape of vampires, telepaths, shapeshifters, and the like, True Blood, the popular HBO series adapted from Charlaine Harris's bestselling The Southern Vampire Mysteries, has a rich collection of themes to explore, from sex and romance to bigotry and violence to death and immortality. The goings-on in the mythical town of Bon Temps, Louisiana, where vampires satiate their blood lust and openly commingle with ordinary humans, present no shortages of juicy metaphysical morsels to sink your teeth into. Now True Blood and Philosophy calls on the minds of some of history's great thinkers to perform some philosophical bloodletting on such topics as Sookie and the metaphysics of mindreading; Maryann and sacrificial religion; werewolves, shapeshifters and personal identity; vampire politics, evil, desire, and much more. The first book to explore the philosophical issues and themes behind the True Blood novels and television series Adds a new dimension to your understanding of True Blood characters and themes The perfect companion to the start of the third season on HBO and the release of the second season on DVD Smart and entertaining, True Blood and Philosophy provides food--or blood--for thought, and a fun, new way to look at the series.

George A. Dunn, Rebecca Housel, William Irwin (Author), Arielle Delisle (Narrator)

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The Big Lebowski and Philosophy: Keeping Your Mind Limber with Abiding Wisdom

Celebrate the Dude with an abiding look at the philosophy behind The Big Lebowski Is the Dude a bowling-loving stoner or a philosophical genius living the good life? Naturally, it's the latter, and The Big Lebowski and Philosophy explains why. Enlisting the help of great thinkers like Plato and Nietzsche, the book explores the movie's hidden philosophical layers, cultural reflection, and political commentary. It also answers key questions, including: The Dude abides, but is abiding a virtue? Is the Dude an Americanized version of the Taoist way of life? How does The Big Lebowski illustrate the Just War Theory? How does bowling help Donny, Walter, and the Dude oppose nihilism? Yes, the Dude is deep, and so is this book. Don't watch the movie or go to Lebowski Fest without it. Explores many of The Big Lebowski's key themes, such as nihilism, war and politics, money and materialism, idealism and morality, history, and more Gives you new perspective on the movie's characters—the Dude, the Big Lebowski, Walter Sobchak, Donny, Maude Lebowski, Bunny Lebowski, and others Helps you appreciate the Coen Brothers classic even more with the insights of Aristotle, Epicurus, Kant, Derrida, and other philosophical heavyweights.

Peter S. Fosl, William Irwin (Author), Darren Stephens (Narrator)

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Iron Man and Philosophy: Facing the Stark Reality

On the surface, Iron Man appears to be a straightforward superhero, another rich guy fighting crime with fancy gadgets. But beneath the shiny armor and flashy technology lies Tony Stark, brilliant inventor and eccentric playboy, struggling to balance his desires, addictions, and relationships with his duties as the Armored Avenger. Iron Man and Philosophy explores the many philosophical issues that emerge from the essential conflicts found in the decades of Iron Man stories in comics and movies. What kind of moral compass does Tony Stark have? Is Iron Man responsible for the death of Captain America after the Marvel Universe Civil War? Should people like Stark run the world? How does Tonys alcoholism impact his performance as Iron Man, and what does it say about moral character? Ultimately, what can Iron Man teach us about the role of technology in society?

Mark D. White, William Irwin (Author), Adam Verner (Narrator)

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Arrested Development and Philosophy: They've Made a Huge Mistake

A smart philosophical look at the cult hit television show, Arrested Development Arrested Development earned six Emmy awards, a Golden Globe award, critical acclaim, and a loyal cult following--and then it was canceled. Fortunately, this book steps into the void left by the show's premature demise by exploring the fascinating philosophical issues at the heart of the quirky Bluths and their comic exploits. Whether it's reflecting on Gob's self-deception or digging into Tobias's double entendres, you'll watch your favorite scenes and episodes of the show in a whole new way. Takes an entertaining look at the philosophical ideas and tensions in the show's plots and themes Gives you new insights about the Bluth family and other characters: Is George Michael's crush on his cousin unnatural? Is it immoral for Lindsay to lie about stealing clothes to hide the fact that she has a job? Are the pictures really of bunkers or balls? Lets you sound super-smart as you rattle off the names of great philosophers like Sartre and Aristotle to explain key characters and episodes of the show Packed with thought-provoking insights, Arrested Development and Philosophy is essential reading for anyone who wants to know more about their late, lamented TV show. And it'll keep you entertained until the long-awaited Arrested Development movie finally comes out. (Whenever that is.)

J. Jeremy Wisnewski, Kristopher G. Phillips, William Irwin (Author), Gabrielle De Cuir, Stephan Rudnicki (Narrator)

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