The Ultimate Lost and Philosophy: Think Together, Die Alone

Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture #23

by Sharon Kaye (Editor), William Irwin (Series Editor)

Expanded and up-to-date-the ultimate guide that explores meaning and philosophy of all six seasons of Lost

Lost is more than just a popular television show; it's a complex examination of meaningful philosophical questions. What does good versus evil mean on the island? Is it a coincidence that characters John Locke and Desmond David Hume are named after actual philosophers? What is the ethics of responsibility for Jack?

An action-adventure story with more than a touch of the metaphysical, Lost forces viewers to ask difficult questions of themselves just as the story asks difficult questions of its characters. Ultimate Lost and Philosophy helps you explore the deeper meaning and philosophical questions hidden within every complex twist and turn in the historic show's entire six-season run.
Includes every season of Lost, including 2010's final, highly anticipated season Connects events on the show to core philosophical issues such as truth, identity, and morality Explores a host of intriguing topics such as time travel, freedom, love, and loss

For fans of Lost who are interested in what the show reveals about ourselves and the human condition, Ultimate Lost and Philosophy is an entertaining, informative, and enlightening resource.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, Pop Culture, Audiobook, Tv, Adult, Contemporary

368 pages, Paperback

Published October 26, 2010

About the author

Sharon M. Kaye, PhD, is a professor of philosophy at John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio. She’s also the author of Big Thinkers and Ideas: An Introduction to Eastern and Western Philosophy for Kids.

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished the series (which I f***ing loved! OMG!!!) and wanted more pertaining to the world of Lost. This was a great collection of essays regarding philosophical elements of the show. Some essays infuriated me, others confirmed my own theories, all of them made me look at and think about Lost more deeply and critically.

[Cherylyn Ebertz · Rating 3 out of 5]

My favorite section was the comparison to the themes of Narnia. My favorite show + favorite book series intertwined and interpreted in the same conversation? Yes, please!

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book focusing on the links between philosophy and Lost is one of the most perfect marriages of philosophy and pop culture i could think of when I found this book, and I was not disappointed.
I am giving this book 5 stars even taking into account one ludicrous essay, that I will go into shortly.

The book is divided into 5 parts, which spell out the word FOUND.
In part one, F is For Fortune, which deals with the issues of time travel, we take a hugely detailed look at all the various paradoxes from a philosophical point of view. This is interesting in and of itself, but also because like most SF fans we deal with this issue from the standpoint of speculation about the theories revolving around the idea of Many Worlds. The most fascinating of the essays in this part, in my opinion, is the last, If Sawyer Weren't A Con Man, Then He Would Have Been A Cop, by Deborah R. Barnbaum. It is an examination of season 6 and its flash-sideways world, and takes the side of looking at that world as an actual alternate universe, even though we eventually find that it is not.

Part two, O is For Origin, which is an exploration of the show through the lens of Epistemology, is, I think, a perfect branch of philosophy to look at this show, because so much of Lost is about the revealing of knowledge, and where that knowledge comes from. My personal favorites here are, Lost And The Question of Life After Birth, by Jeremy Barris, and Sander Lee's perfect end to this chapter, See You In Another Life, Brother: Bad Faith and Authenticity in Three Lost Souls.

Part three, U is For Unity, looks at social and political philosophy as it pertains to lost.
In this chapter I point to amazing essays by Richard Davies and Karen Gaffney, Lost's State of Nature, and Ideology And Otherness In Lost: "Stuck in a bloody snow globe." Both of these are wonderful, but unfortunately this chapter also includes Friends And Enemies In The State Of Nature: The Absence of Hobbes and the Pressence of Schmitt, by Peter S. Fosl. I take into account the fact that he is known skeptic, but his theories are about as thin as a soap bubble when he tries to prove the existence in the show of various Nazi and proto-nazi philosophies. I could probably write about this essay to the exclusion of the others just going over what a stretch his thoughts are, but i am going to just say that anyone reading this book should read his essay with an open mind and not just take my opinion as gospel.

Part four, N is For Necessity, looks at Ethics in Lost. The Ethics of Objectification And The Search For Redemption In Lost, by Patricia Brace and Rob Arp, deserves special mention as does, Should We Condemn Michael, by Becky Vartabedian. Overall I think all essays in this chapter are very equal.

Part five, D is For Destiny, is, of course, about religious thought (you have to have that in this thing somewhere). The New Narnia, by Brett Chandler Patterson, is very strong, as is, I Once Was Lost: Aquinas on Finding Goodness and Truth, by Daniel B. Gallagher.

This is the perfect book if you still think about the wonders of that old show, and wonder how deep the show runners delved into the realm of the philosophical...they delved really deeply, it turns out.

[Emily Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read other books from this pop culture series and have always highly enjoyed them. Call me crazy, but I love the idea of dragging out what intellectualism possible from random books and tv shows. "Lost", however, seems to have plenty of fodder, being a most brilliant show in and of itself. I found this to be quite the varied collection of views and opinions, providing even contradicting ideas on the same topic when exploring even different concepts--made it the more interesting read for me. While there were some concepts I felt the show had screaming to be explored that were ignored while several of the same concepts were repeated, this is still a marvelous and thought-provoking read that adds dimension to a great show.

[Dimitris Ktistakis · Rating 2 out of 5]

If the ration of lost related stuff/philosophy was reversed, this might have been a very good book. But mentioning things from lost on 30% and then analysing the philosophical aspect of those events for 70% is not my cup of tea. There were some interesting facts and connections with real life philosophers but ultimately it got boring.

[Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lost.

[Jim Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved "Lost." I love philosophy. I have enjoyed several of those "and philosophy" books. So this was bound to be good. Good basic philosophy book for those who like pop culture tie ins.

[Ryan Denson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume contains nineteen essays on different aspects of Lost by scholars of philosophy. It is divided up into five categories: metaphysics (mostly concerning the nature of time-travel), epistemology, social/political philosophy, ethics, and philosophy of religion. Overall, the essays are quite detailed and thought provoking, though, as with other volumes of the series, it is clear with some of the authors are out of their element when attempting apply abstract concepts to this subject matter. Although the authors generally make sure to summarize the relevant events and characters for their essays, I wouldn’t recommend this for anyone that does not have a strong knowledge of Lost. For those who are well versed in the mythology of Lost though, this will be an incredibly enjoyable read.

The essays give a variety of topics and cover every season of the show. It primarily comes down to personal preference and one’s own philosophy on life to determine which of these are worthwhile essays. For my part, the ones I thought were particularly insightful were: “See you in Another Life, Brother: Bad Faith and Authenticity in Three Lost Souls” by Sander Lee, an existentialist’s examination of the characters of Jack, Locke, and Desmond; “Friend and Enemies in the State of Nature: The Absence of Hobbes and the Presence of Schmitt” by Peter S. Fosl, a look at how Lost deals with the sociological concept of otherness; “The New Narnia: Myth and Redemption on the Island of Second Chances” by Patricia Brace and Rob Arp, a comparison of the themes shared between Lost and C. S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia; “The Tao of John Locke” by Shai Biderman and William J. Devlin, an overview of the influence of Taoist ideas on the spirituality of Locke.

[Radwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a ride, and it wasn't enjoyable all the time, sadly.

I decided to start this shortly afre finishing watching Lost for the first time, because that's what I discovered about reading these type of pop fiction books (the events need to be fresh in your mind, or maybe you're rewatched it enough times to remember everything), and as with any book that have a number of authors, some essays were good and others were boring.

I was thrown off a bit when I started reading it, because the first 5 or 6 (I don't really remember) essays were about the same thing, (I think it was the time travel plot in the show), and I was wondering if repetition is going to be a theme in this book, and it was. but again, sometimes you needed a couple of essays to really nail a certain idea.

You don't need to have previous knowledge of philosophy, becaause each philosopher mentioned, we get an idea of how he relates to the theory the author is tackling, also the appendix at the end was helpful.

Lost as a show is one of those shows that are really open to a lot of interpretations (especially the earlier seasons), but the religious themse were ever so apparant, and that shows in these essays as well.

overall, it was good reading it shortly after watching the show, otherwise I would've dropped till I got a chance to rewatch it.

[Tom Schulte · Rating 3 out of 5]

[I read Audilble version with narrator John McCormick.]

This is a collection of essays by academic philosophers and academics who are apparently also fans of the series. I came across this book looking for something authoritative on what "really" happened, having recently finished watching the entire series. This is not a that. It is a varied anthology of serious consideration on the questions of morality and reality raised by the plot.

From the time travel angle I was intrigued by the discussion of eternalism vs presentism as well as branching into alternate realities ("flash sideways"). In naming thinkers and scientists that worked on this problem, I was surprised there was no mention of the Many-worlds interpretation, also called the relative state formulation or the Everett interpretation, after physicist Hugh Everett, who first proposed it in 1957.

I of course noticed the obvious names of philosophers: Hume, Locke, Rousseau, etc. in the dramatis personae. There were many more that I missed and they are touched on along the way here and then summarized in an epilog, such as Jeremy Bentham, Richard Albert (now Ram Das), etc. One new to me that I was intrigued by was Kate Austin. Austin (July 25, 1864 – October 28, 1902) was an American journalist and advocate of feminist and anarchist causes.

[Elizabeth Chadsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Learned more about various philosophers and their theories than I did about what the heck Lost was about or about the plot lines that I can’t make complete sense of. Some essays were more interesting than others.

[Fernando · Rating 3 out of 5]

Demasiado filosófico para mi gusto, eso si, tiene interesantes análisis entre la serie y la ciencia de la filosofía

[Laura Mead]

DNF with 2 hrs 53 mins left to go. The guy who narrates this is just so utterly boring it was enough to almost put me off my favourite tv show

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mostly a good exploration of themes on the show, and the gamut of philosophy. At its most fun it uses the show’s themes to touch on many wide ranging philosophical concepts. Time travel and philosophy, eg. This is not something ordinarily encountered, even tho it is not too far off the beaten path. So, it was fun to compare our intuitions and moral intuitions while watching the show, to the more formal positions of philosophy. And because the writers have spent the time, they roped in things from religion to foundational philosophers too. . . As to the philosophy itself and the show itself, the many characters named for philosophers do indeed have some alignment and no consistency to their name sakes (there is a helpful appendices, that drew out some philosopher/cast names I had not noticed, and which also did a good job drawing out the elements that may be present of the philosopher in the named character’s story arc—better than expected. Tho much of it remains a stretch eh). So it was good to get to the bottom of that, and confirm that. In the same vein, we cannot escape that no matter how great the philosophy supposedly touched on by the show’s themes, the entire story is limited. And we cannot judge much from it. First; as in the death of the fascinating Mr Echo, we are limited by the show writers writing by committee sense. Which is not a ton of sense, and not consistent. More, Mr Echo was said to leave the show not because his story arc had resolved. But because the actor allegedly wanted to leave. So we were left unfulfilled. Also there is a ton of imagery tossed in, from sacred to truly profane all in reference to the same moment. Bc the barrier writers of the chapters in this book — on the low end — are smart enough to name them all — and not wise enough to pick. Absurd and annoying, the writer calling Jack Dee fuhrher, etc. But I suppose this was included to be absent guarde. . . At times it’s a 4! As often it falls back to 3 and even 1. So. 3. But I am glad I read it. And think this is a fun way to review concepts. Or explore new ones.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to admit that I watch TV shows rather for entertainment than to challenge my brain. When I watched Lost, I liked the storyline, the characters, the actors, some of the mystery and tension, but I never thought about any philosophical background. Now that I read this book, I am really amazed about how much thought the writers obviously put into everything.

The book is a compilation of 19 essays that consider Lost and its characters from various philosophical perspectives, that are divided into five groups. I liked this division very much because it made it easier for me to understand the concepts, since philosophical ideas can be tedious at times and hard to follow.
The first four essays probe the issue of time travel and alternate time lines and consider the positions of eternalism and presentism, the fixed or static view of time, and counterfactual reasoning.
The next four essays explore issues that concern the nature and extent of human knowledge (epistemology), and reflect on judging a person's character depending on how someone would act under certain circumstances, determinism and fatalism, the meaning of life, and how people's constructed views of reality can be at odds with someone else's worldview.
Three essays look at the most pressing social and political issues raised by the show like Lost's State of Nature as well as ideology and otherness in Lost.
Four essays examine the most heart-wrenching ethical issues raised by the show like subjectivism and cultural relativism, moral obligations between fathers and sons, W.D. Ross's theory of prima facie duties in the case of Michael, and the ethics of objectification.
And the final four essays investigate the most intriguing religious issues raised by the show by comparing Lost with C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia, by comparing the some of the characters' actions and thoughts with Thomas Aquinas ideas of finding goodness and truth, by looking at empiricism and Taoism in regards to John Locke, and by examining Lost's metaphysics.

Several characters of the show share their names / last names with real-life philosophers. The appendix takes a look at these philosophers as well as others that are mentioned. It becomes clear again that this is not a coincidence, but that the writers did an amazing job by integrating philosophical aspects into the story.

Not every essay was exciting to read in my opinion. However, if one is a fan of the show, I think that they contribute greatly to a fuller understanding of the writer's intentions. I also liked the structure of the book and the division into different philosophical categories, which made it easier to follow. Finally, the appendix and the look at the philosophers whose names were used in the show round things up nicely.

[Leif Denti · Rating 2 out of 5]

Filosofibok som tar sin utgångspunkt från tv-serien Lost. Egentligen en antologi av essäer i temat som är genererade av “fans”. Stundtals bra men många upprepningar gör att man tappar fokus. Funderingar som jag fastnade för var 1) Att man kan köpa många “regelbrytningar” i science-fiction gällande hur verkligheten är konstruerad (typ tidsresor, superkrafter, paranormala fenomen, etc) men att man förmodligen i mycket mindre utsträckning kan köpa regelbrytningar mot hur värderingar är konstruerade, i synnerhet moraliska (ex. en värld där det är gott att slakta små barn, att våldta, osv). 2) Att det är ont att använda andra som instrument (att offra andra för en god sak), men gott att använda sig själv som instrument (att offra sig själv för en god sak, till exempel hjälten). 3) Vad är man egentligen skyldig sina föräldrar? Det fanns några sådana tankenuggets men jag kan inte rekommendera boken pga dess långsamma progression och upprepningar. Dessutom måste man vara väldigt väl bevandrad med tv-serien för att förstå exemplen.

[Philip Cosand · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not to be confused with the earlier/ green cover version (which only covered the first three seasons), this is not a book for the LOST-novice. While sharing the same flaws as "Batman and Philosophy" (amateur writers, attempts to interject themselves into essays), it does bring up some interesting points.

In particular, the Puzzles of Time Travel, Friends and Enemies of the State of Nature, and Fathers, Sons, and Moral Obligations are probably the most gripping. Like many collections/ anthologies, the chapters are better than the sum project. The varied writers make things uneven while sometimes repeating what has come before. Still, for anyone with a beginner's grasp of philosophy and a great interest in a darn-fine TV show, this is an enjoyable read.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is slightly better than the original version, Lost and Philosophy: The Island Has Its Reasons, because the first part is now devoted to time travel, and because it has a revised essay, "The New Narnia: Myth and Redemption on the Island of Second Chances" (although the essay wasn't as spectacular as I expected it to be -- it actually felt flat in quite a few places, but where it did make comparisons between the two stories, it made the comparisons well).

[Jonathon · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favourite tv series and my favourite academic subject... What could possibly go wrong? As with all collections in the "X and philosophy" series, not every article was entirely convincing; some chapters just felt like the author was shoehorning Lost into their PhD thesis, particularly discussions of morality and the social structure of the island. That said, if any tv show lends itself to philosophical discussion it's Lost, and I found the chapters related to Metaphysics (time travel, counterfactuals, parallel universes) highly engaging. Now where are my DVDs...

[A.R. Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little complicated to follow not having seen Lost, but still a great book. I found many useful concepts related to what I have already been using in my next book, Schroedinger’s Cheshire Cats.

01/14/2021 I have now read this a second time, after binging all six seasons of Lost. Now I get all the references, but the philosophy is still a bit complicated. I've decided, however, that the show itself is the Dharma initiative and that the viewers and readers are wandering the island.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite of the William Irwin pop philosophy series. Could it be because this is one of the few tv series that left enough questions unanswered so that there remained more room for philosophical inquiry?

But the REALLY big question is:

When are they going to publish "The Ultimate Supernatural and Philosophy: Who Are the Real Monsters?"

[Sadie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great philosophy read. A perfect and epic read for anyone who has a knack for philosophy. I love the Pop Culture and Philosophy series. I never get bored of them! I found this book especially fascinating, particularly when it was talking about time travel and theories about time. Great book for anyone who was a fan of LOST.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing. Thought provoking and insightful essays about one the most complex television shows of all time. My favorite essays were 'Ideology and Otherness in Lost: "Stuck in a Bloody Snow Globe"'and 'Imaginary Peanut Butter: The Puzzles of Time Travel in Lost'

[مشاري الإبراهيم · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read ~6 articles in the book across 2 chapters and reached to the conclusion that the book isn't worth finishing in light of what I thought the book covers.

It's just a recap of lost episodes with some light philosophical references. I thought it would be the other way around.

[Carol Eshleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting read! Really makes me eager to start my Lost Book Quest.

[James · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this to be very hard going, although there were some parts that were very interesting.

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating read about the philosophical underpinnings of a show deeper than the pacific ocean

[Morgan Becker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really good book for any avid LOST fans!! aka me :)

[Terri]

This is another book I intend to finish later. (I let someone borrow my Kindle)

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

really fun to read