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The Virtues of Captain America, 2nd Edition: Modern-Day Lessons on Character from a World War II Superhero
In The Virtues of Captain America, philosopher and long-time comics fan Mark D. White shows us that this fictional superhero's "old-fashioned" moral code is exactly what we need today to restore kindness and respect in our personal and civic lives.
Now in its second edition, The Virtues of Captain America is updated to include all the new developments in Captain America's saga. This edition also offers new material on Sam Wilson—formerly Captain America's partner the Falcon who recently became Captain America himself—and how his interpretation of the role compares to Steve Rogers's.
The Virtues of Captain America examines the moral and political philosophy behind eighty years of Captain America comics and movies; demonstrates that the core principles and judgment exhibited by Captain America in the 1940s remain relevant in the twenty-first century; and illustrates how Captain America stands for the basic ideals of America, not its politics or government.
The second edition of The Virtues of Captain America remains a must-listen for everyone wanting to make ethical decisions in complex real-world situations and tackle the personal and political issues of today with integrity and respect.
Now in its second edition, The Virtues of Captain America is updated to include all the new developments in Captain America's saga. This edition also offers new material on Sam Wilson—formerly Captain America's partner the Falcon who recently became Captain America himself—and how his interpretation of the role compares to Steve Rogers's.
The Virtues of Captain America examines the moral and political philosophy behind eighty years of Captain America comics and movies; demonstrates that the core principles and judgment exhibited by Captain America in the 1940s remain relevant in the twenty-first century; and illustrates how Captain America stands for the basic ideals of America, not its politics or government.
The second edition of The Virtues of Captain America remains a must-listen for everyone wanting to make ethical decisions in complex real-world situations and tackle the personal and political issues of today with integrity and respect.
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First published January 1, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 5, 2016
This is an excellent exploration into applied virtue ethics and the relevance of Captain America as an exemplar of noble qualities. I enjoyed Dr. White's writing style - he's very accessible and quickly shows the application of what he's talking about. The only drawback of the book would be that since it seems like a collection of essays, the quoted passages are a little repetitive; you would expect that when he's backing up his own point or reinforcing a previous point, but I would have liked less repeating of specific examples. All in all, though, especially for a hero that many people think of as outdated, jingoistic or anachronistically silly (and who happens to be my favorite) I needed and enjoyed this book.
April 14, 2020
This book is ok, but I just couldn't finish it. One of my resolutions for 2020 was that I wouldn't force myself to slog through books that just weren't doing it for me. I usually try to reach the halfway point (which I did with this book) unless there's just something offensive or off color in the book then to the garbage it goes. This book is fine and I could see it being useful or even interesting for some, but it just wasn't my jam. I have a to-read list as long as my arm and a limited number of days on this orb, so this book will get donated unfinished. If you majored in philosophy in college, or are really into the stoics, this book would probably be of interest to you.
May 6, 2021
I liked the singular author for each chapter/essay in this book. Not all the books in the Pop Culture and Philosophy series have one author, and I prefer to read one voice from start to finish in any nonfiction book. The structure and organization of the individual essays was clear, concise, and had fluidity which then lent itself to the overall composition of the book. While some philosophical concepts were a bit more abstract than others, the relatively short length of the chapters and overall book made it easy and accessible to read.
That said, I do work in academia and have a strong background in philosophy from studying Classics as an undergrad. Aristotle is not new to me and because I was already familiar with other philosophers mentioned throughout the book, like Kant, I didn’t feel like I had to learn the scholarly information in order to understand what was being said. I think a much more casual reader in general and casual fan of Cap might have a more difficult time working through the vernacular specific to philosophical analysis. They might be assisted by the repetitive arguments and examples, but at the same time, repetition can usually work against an author. I thought it did in case of this book.
I’m also torn about the singular focus on the character of Steve Rogers. Yes, he is the main image anyone would think of when they hear the name Captain America, but even in 2014 when this book was published, the Marvel Cinematic Universe had established two other possible Caps in Bucky Barnes (Winter Soldier) and Sam Wilson (Falcon). I understand the need to narrow down a character like Cap who has almost a 60+ year history; however, and this could be because I am a minority, I would have liked to see Cap represented by some of the many other characters that took up the mantle over the decades.
I gave this book a 3-star rating. I thought it was interesting to explore a comic book character like Captain America through a more philosophical lens and to question his validity and relevance in today’s world. While only analyzing Steve Rogers and sometimes being a little more than heavy handed with the philosophical concepts (repetition) are drawbacks, I think that fans who want to delve deeper into a modern interpretation of traditional Cap will enjoy this book.
That said, I do work in academia and have a strong background in philosophy from studying Classics as an undergrad. Aristotle is not new to me and because I was already familiar with other philosophers mentioned throughout the book, like Kant, I didn’t feel like I had to learn the scholarly information in order to understand what was being said. I think a much more casual reader in general and casual fan of Cap might have a more difficult time working through the vernacular specific to philosophical analysis. They might be assisted by the repetitive arguments and examples, but at the same time, repetition can usually work against an author. I thought it did in case of this book.
I’m also torn about the singular focus on the character of Steve Rogers. Yes, he is the main image anyone would think of when they hear the name Captain America, but even in 2014 when this book was published, the Marvel Cinematic Universe had established two other possible Caps in Bucky Barnes (Winter Soldier) and Sam Wilson (Falcon). I understand the need to narrow down a character like Cap who has almost a 60+ year history; however, and this could be because I am a minority, I would have liked to see Cap represented by some of the many other characters that took up the mantle over the decades.
I gave this book a 3-star rating. I thought it was interesting to explore a comic book character like Captain America through a more philosophical lens and to question his validity and relevance in today’s world. While only analyzing Steve Rogers and sometimes being a little more than heavy handed with the philosophical concepts (repetition) are drawbacks, I think that fans who want to delve deeper into a modern interpretation of traditional Cap will enjoy this book.
June 21, 2024
I love it I love it I love it so much!
Loved this from the get go. Civil War gets a mention early on, setting up the direction the author is taking in term of Cap's philosophical outlook, which I could not complain about because Civil War was the first time I really took notice of Captain America, and he has since then become one of my favourite superheroes (possibly the favourite).
Mark D. White, is fun and engaging, and as a professor of philosophy he knows his stuff when he's talking about the subject of Cap and ethics (he just happens to be a massive Cap fanboy too). This is an in depth look at what makes Captain America the man he is, and more importantly, what makes him the kind of man who should be emulated because of his virtues. White takes on philosophical concepts and dissects Cap, using comics as source (the book is filled with a delicious amount of references to source material).
White writes passionately about this superhero and he touches on aspects I've always liked about Captain America's brand of patriotism, which aren't about flag waving, but about a certain set of morals and values, the embodiment of which can allow anyone to become Captain America.
Yes, there's a huge philosophy component to the book, and it really adds to the enjoyment of this as a biographical look at the character. Oh, so good, so good. [squirms in glee]
Loved this from the get go. Civil War gets a mention early on, setting up the direction the author is taking in term of Cap's philosophical outlook, which I could not complain about because Civil War was the first time I really took notice of Captain America, and he has since then become one of my favourite superheroes (possibly the favourite).
Mark D. White, is fun and engaging, and as a professor of philosophy he knows his stuff when he's talking about the subject of Cap and ethics (he just happens to be a massive Cap fanboy too). This is an in depth look at what makes Captain America the man he is, and more importantly, what makes him the kind of man who should be emulated because of his virtues. White takes on philosophical concepts and dissects Cap, using comics as source (the book is filled with a delicious amount of references to source material).
White writes passionately about this superhero and he touches on aspects I've always liked about Captain America's brand of patriotism, which aren't about flag waving, but about a certain set of morals and values, the embodiment of which can allow anyone to become Captain America.
Yes, there's a huge philosophy component to the book, and it really adds to the enjoyment of this as a biographical look at the character. Oh, so good, so good. [squirms in glee]
August 4, 2022
Professor White does a great job of exploring (and teaching) philosophical issues using examples drawn from comic books.
He's written several books, and although they all start with a somewhat formal description of the various schools of philosophical thought, each book focuses on a different aspect of human interaction. In this book, he focuses on the questions "what does it mean to be virtuous", and how can we apply this to real-life situations. He ends with a discussion of how a divided nation (he focuses on the USA, but this really applies to most nations these days) can achieve a higher degree of civil discussion (while not agreeing on everything!).
Professor White is an academic, and that shows in the careful thoroughness of his writing. Unlike most academics, though, he has a knack for clear and accessible writing.
Overall, the book is thought-provoking and fascinating. It is one of the few books that made me stop, then start from the beginning but this time take careful notes. Good stuff!
He's written several books, and although they all start with a somewhat formal description of the various schools of philosophical thought, each book focuses on a different aspect of human interaction. In this book, he focuses on the questions "what does it mean to be virtuous", and how can we apply this to real-life situations. He ends with a discussion of how a divided nation (he focuses on the USA, but this really applies to most nations these days) can achieve a higher degree of civil discussion (while not agreeing on everything!).
Professor White is an academic, and that shows in the careful thoroughness of his writing. Unlike most academics, though, he has a knack for clear and accessible writing.
Overall, the book is thought-provoking and fascinating. It is one of the few books that made me stop, then start from the beginning but this time take careful notes. Good stuff!
June 24, 2025
This was a really good book. I was a bit skeptical when I first started as I thought this would be all about star spangled awesomeness, but there is some real depth to the philosophy. It also shows the flaws of the old Cap which shows that the character has progressed through the decades.
April 10, 2023
A pop discussion of moral philosophy as embodied in Captain America. The discussion of virtues is unsystemic, and he's a little heavy on treating him as a single concept and discussing various treatments as if they were really the same even when writers hijack him. (Some of that may be my philosophical background.) Patriotism gets quite a bit of discussion as is only fitting for a contentious issue in moral philosophy.
April 21, 2014
This is an interesting title linking Captain America and philosophy. It seems to be specifically targetting American readers, although I still found the ideas interesting, and with a broader focus, so they were still interesting to read. It highlights that I need to read more Captain America titles. I had not read anywhere near all the Captain America titles referenced, but context was provided so that this was not necessary.
May 14, 2015
This was pretty interesting. I admire Cap as a leader and a role model so this kind of book provides a lot of good insight. The last 20 pages or so were lacking... pie-in-the-sky thinking of how the American people can use Cap's ideas to bridge the political, red/blue divide.
May 29, 2019
Great book. Now I'm Distilling my notes and highlights, enjoying how the same ethical schools of Cap are the closely related to my own. Now to use it to help me on my journey
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews