An in-depth look at the philosophical issues behind HBO'sGame of Thrones television series and the books that inspired itGeorge R.R. Martin'sNew York Times bestselling epic fantasy book series, A Song of Ice and Fire, and the HBO television show adapted from it, have earned critical acclaim and inspired fanatic devotion. This book delves into the many philosophical questions that arise in this complex, character-driven series, including: Is it right for a "good" king to usurp the throne of a "bad" one and murder his family? How far should you go to protect your family and its secrets? In a fantasy universe with medieval mores and ethics, can female characters reflect modern feminist ideals?
Timed for the premiere of the second season of the HBO
Game of Thrones seriesGives new perspectives on the characters, storylines, and themes of
Game of ThronesDraws on great philosophers from ancient Greece to modern America to explore intriguing topics such as the strange creatures of Westeros, the incestuous relationship of Jaime and Cersei Lannister, and what the kings of Westeros can show us about virtue and honor (or the lack thereof) as they play their game of thrones
Essential reading for fans,Game of Thrones and Philosophy will enrich your experience of your favorite medieval fantasy series.
FOREWORD byElio M. Garcia and Linda Antonsson ix
A RAVE N FROM HOUSE WI LEY: Editors Note on Spoilers xiii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: How I Was Spared from Having to Take the Black xv
Introduction: So What if Winter Is Coming? 1
Henry Jacoby
PART ONE YOU WIN OR YOU DIE
1 Maester Hobbes Goes to Kings Landing 5
Greg Littmann
2 It Is a Great Crime to Lie to a King 19
Don Fallis
3 Playing the Game of Thrones: Some Lessons from Machiavelli 33
Marcus Schulzke
4 The War in Westeros and Just War Theory 49
Richard H. Corrigan
PART TWO THE THINGS I DO FOR LOVE
5 Winter Is Coming!: The Bleak Quest for Happiness in Westeros 63
Eric J. Silverman
6 The Death of Lord Stark: The Perils of Idealism 75
David Hahn
7 Lord Eddard Stark, Queen Cersei Lannister: Moral Judgments from Different Perspectives 87
Albert J. J. Anglberger and Alexander Hieke
8 It Would Be a Mercy: Choosing Life or Death in Westeros and Beyond the Narrow Sea 99
Matthew Tedesco
PART THREE WINTER IS COMING
9 Wargs, Wights, and Wolves That Are Dire: Mind and Metaphysics, Westeros Style 115
Henry Jacoby
10 Magic, Science, and Metaphysics in A Game of Thrones 129
Edward Cox
11 You Know Nothing, Jon Snow: Epistemic Humility Beyond the Wall 142
Abraham P. Schwab
12 Why Is the World So Full of Injustice?: Gods and the Problem of Evil 154
Jaron Daniël Schoone
PART FOUR THE MAN WHO PASSES THE SENTENCE SHOULD SWING THE SWORD
13 Why Should Joffrey Be Moral If He Has Already Won the Game of Thrones? 169
Daniel Haas
14 The Moral Luck of Tyrion Lannister 183
Christopher Robichaud
15 Danys Encounter with the Wild: Cultural Relativism in A Game of Thrones 194
Katherine Tullman
16 There Are No True Knights: The Injustice of Chivalry 205
Stacey Goguen
PART FIVE STICK THEM WITH THE POINTY END
17 Fate, Freedom, and Authenticity in A Game of Thrones 223
Michael J. Sigrist
18 No One Dances the Water Dance 236
Henry Jacoby
19 The Things I Do For Love: Sex, Lies, and Game Theory 250
R. Shannon Duval
20 Stop the Madness!: Knowledge, Power, and Insanity in A Song of Ice and Fire 264
Chad William Timm
CONTRIBUTORS: The Learned Lords and Ladies from beyond the Seven Kingdoms 279
INDEX: From the Archives at Oldtown 287
