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Joker and Philosophy
Why So Serious?
Massimiliano L. Cappuccio (Edited by), ML Cappuccio (Author), George A. Dunn (Edited by), Jason T. Eberl (Edited by)
9781394198474, Wiley
Paperback / softback, published 7 October 2024
256 pages
22.6 x 15 x 1.5 cm, 0.295 kg
A philosophical exploration of Joker and the meaning of the iconic antagonist's murderous escapades A diabolically sinister but clownish villain, Joker is a symbolically rich and philosophically fascinating character. Both crazed and cunning, sadistically cruel but seductively charming, the Clown Prince of Crime embodies everything opposed to the positive ideals of order and justice defended by the Batman. With his enigmatic motivations, infectious irreverence, and selfless devotion to evil, Joker never fails to provoke a host of philosophical questions. Joker and Philosophy plumbs the existential depths of the most popular of Gotham City's gallery of villains with an abundance of style, wit, and intelligence. Bringing together essays by a diverse panel of acclaimed scholars and philosophers, this engaging, highly readable book delves into the motivations, psychology, and moral philosophy of the character for whom mayhem and chaos are a source of pure delight. Easily accessible yet philosophically substantial chapters address the comics, animated movies, television shows, video games, and live-action films, including memorable portrayals by Heath Ledger in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight and Joaquin Phoenix in Todd Phillips' Joker and its upcoming sequel Joker: Folie à Deux. Joker and Philosophy offers deep insights into moral and philosophical questions such as: Exploring a broad range of timeless issues of human nature, the metaphysics of freedom, the nature of identity, good and evil, political and social philosophy, aesthetics, and much more, Joker and Philosophy: Why So Serious? is a must-read for all fans of one of the most fascinating villains in the DC comics universe.
Notes on Contributors ix Introduction: "There Were These Two Guys in a Lunatic Asylum …" 1 Part I "Is It Just Me or Is It Getting Crazier Out There?"--Living with the Absurd 3 1 It's All Just a Sick Joke: Joker, Batman, and the Absurd 5 2 "Do I Look Like a Man with a Plan?": The Joker as a Daoist Wild Card 14 3 The Dionysian Clown: Analyzing the Fool through Nietzsche's Philosophy 22 4 The Clown Prince of Chaos: Philosophy and the Fear of Indetermination 32 Part II "I'm an Agent of Chaos"--The Good, the Bad, and the Crazy 39 5 Good and Evil: The Two Jokers in Plato's Deck of Cards 41 6 Radical Evil, Diabolical Evil, and The Dark Knight's Joker 49 7 "When the Chips Are Down, These Civilized People, They'll Eat Each Other": The Joker's Anti-Hobbesian State of Nature 59 8 You Get What You F****** Deserve 68 Part III "When You Bring Me Out, Can You Introduce Me as Joker?"--Joker's Identity 77 9 From Momus to the Joker: Genealogy of an Anti-Hero 79 10 Tell a Joke, Be a Hero: Joker and the Trickster Archetype 88 11 The Contradictory Clown Prince of Crime 96 12 "If I Am Going to Have a Past, I Prefer It to Be Multiple Choice": The Joker, Madness, and Metafiction 106 13 Madness in Relation: The Autonomy of a Joke 117 Part IV "Their Morals, Their Code-It's a Bad Joke"--Joker's Justice and Political Philosophy 127 14 More on Joker: From Apolitical Nihilism to a New Left--Or Why Trump Is No Joker 129 15 "If It Was Me Dying on the Sidewalk, You'd Walk Right over Me": Joker's Guide to Responding to Injustice 139 16 Battleground Gotham: Joker's War on Capitalism 148 Part V "Why So Serious?"--Laughter, Humor, and Satire 157 17 In Praise of Joker 159 18 Joker--The Epitome of Humor in Three Silly Acts 169 19 Ha-Ha-Ha! I'm Going to Die!: Laughing at Death with Joker, Jerry, and Deleuze 176 20 "Perhaps Even Laughter Still Has a Future": Joker's Carnivalesque Politics 186 Part VI "You and I Are Destined to Do This Forever"--Significant Others, Reason, and Sanity 197 21 "Puddin'" Her Place: Harley Quinn as Joker's Enslaved Lover 199 22 The Stoic Punchline of "One Bad Day" 207 23 The Joke's on You: Brains, Responsibility, and the Myth of Mental Illness Revisited 215 24 Joker and the Need for Fathers and Family 225
Erich Christiansen
Ryan Harte and Alba Curry
Marco Favaro
Alberto Morán Roa
James Lawler
George A. Dunn
Damien K. Picariello
Greg Littmann
Massimiliano L. Cappuccio
Andrea Zanin
Roy T. Cook and Nathan Kellen
Jan Forsman
Shaun Respess
Slavoj Zizek
Luke Howie
Clint Jones
Walter Barta and Emily Vega
Jarno Hietalahti
Corry Shores
Utku Cansu
Elizabeth Kusko and Caleb McGee Husmann
Matt Hummel
Thomas D. Harter
Kody W. Cooper
Subject Areas: Philosophy [HP]
