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60th out of 60 books
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20 voters
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The Undead and Philosophy: Chicken Soup for the Soulless (Popular Culture and Philosophy #22)
by
Richard Greene,
K. Silem Mohammad (Goodreads Author)
Though Bram Stoker coined the term, the undead have stalked the human imagination for eons. Served up in a witty, entertaining style, provocative questions about people and unpeople interacting with others present philosophical arguments in terms that are accessible to all readers.
Paperback, 288 pages
Published
August 29th 2006
by Open Court
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I am a fan of horror fiction. In particular I have been extremely fascinated with both movies and books related to zombies lately. Vampires are another lesser fascination for me. Overall, the undead and the darkness they represent to humanity is a intriguing subject.
For years I have pondered the significance of the movies of Romero and the societal implications of his great works. Apparently I have only scratched the surface compared to the varied philosophical thinkers that delve int...more
For years I have pondered the significance of the movies of Romero and the societal implications of his great works. Apparently I have only scratched the surface compared to the varied philosophical thinkers that delve int...more
Not a light read! An excellent philosophical look at a fictional situation and why we view it the way we do. The book delves into such topics and when exactly does death occur and what would make someone undead. Does the soul departing mean loss of a person or because there is corporeal continuity would the undead individual remain the same person.
Not exactly a bedtime read unless you enjoy deep reading that requires you to pay attention. This book is however an interesting massage ...more
Not exactly a bedtime read unless you enjoy deep reading that requires you to pay attention. This book is however an interesting massage ...more
I'm not sure where my love of the zombie began, or the vampire for that matter, but I do find them to be extremely interesting in relation to society. How they reflect ourselves, idealized and grotesque depending on what film, novel, etc. one happens to read. To read essays that go into why these creatures are symbolic to society on various levels was really, really interesting.
I would've given the book a higher rating, but the essays were hit or miss with me. I know enough basic ph...more
I would've given the book a higher rating, but the essays were hit or miss with me. I know enough basic ph...more
Zombies can make you think...assuming they aren't already eating your brain. A zombie outbreak may make you question your survival skills (maybe you should have worked harder for that fire building merit badge). They might help you decide to go to the gym more often. Do you really think you could run a mile and still have the breath to wield that cricket bat effectively? In "The Undead and Philosophy",zombies make you think about morality, accountability, and other heady subjects.
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For someone ho doesn't know much about philosophy, this was an entertaining read. It's nice to read intellect discussions from academics who also really love their horror films and tv shows. Thank you for proving that not all horror fans are stupid teens.
Some of the chapters were a stretch, but some were definitely intriguing. Mostly, it made me miss writing!
I got half way through the book and decided it was time to go back on the shelf in favor of a more interesting endeavor. I suppose I'm not and never will be a student of philosophy. While I took away some concepts from the book that I found quite interesting, and developed a new appreciation for Romero's films, the book just didn't have that "snap" for me. I couldn't focus on it. I guess it's more to do with the subject matter, which I find incredibly cliche, and less to do with the qu...more
I was tempted to give this 2 stars, but that would have been completely unfair. It's interesting and fairly well written, it just took itself a little to seriously for what I was looking for. Looking at it for what it is, which is written in a nearly text book format, it deserves 3 stars.
Curious essays written by college students concerning philosophical principles as illustrated by pop culture. (For example: the meaning of free will - the morality of killing zombies, etc...) Amusing.
Interesting essays on vampires, ghosts, zombies, etc. Even if not a fan of horror, the essay on the 'philosophical zombie' is fascinating.
Saw this as a five-star review in Brandon's list and immediately added it to my Amazon.com wishlist.
Just bought it on half(dot)com. Hoping it's as good as Aaron intimated...
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