Indiana Jones and Philosophy Why Did it Have to be Socrates?

INDIANA JONES AND PHILOSOPHY

What does it mean to choose wisely?
Can heroes seek fortune and glory?
Why does Indy take a leap of faith?
Do Indy’s adventures provide him evidence of the supernatural?
Should we hide the Ark of the Covenant in a military-controlled warehouse?
Why are museums so important to archaeology?

If adventure has a name, it must be Indiana Jones! He’s both a mild-mannered archaeology professor and an intrepid adventurer traversing the globe in search of lost artifacts. Whether seeking the Ark of the Covenant in Egypt, the Sankara Stones in India, the Holy Grail in Turkey, or a mysterious crystal skull in Peru, Indy’s adventures never fail to delight audiences.

Indiana Jones and Philosophy takes you on a whirlwind journey to investigate some of the most enduring questions about the human condition. You’ll read about how Indy has wronged Marion Ravenwood, how a virtuous person would make amends, the strides Indy makes to repair his relationship with his father, why Indy distinguishes fact from truth when he pursues archaeological treasures, and much more. With trusty guides such as Aristotle, Camus, Kant, and Nietzsche at your side, you’ll consider possible answers to these questions and see Indiana Jones in a whole new light!

Comprehensive, immersive, and engaging, Indiana Jones and Philosophy offers you an accessible and lively opportunity to dive deeper into the world of Indiana Jones and appreciate the character’s greatness anew!

DEAN A. KOWALSKI is the Chair of the Arts and Humanities department at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He is the author of three academic books that explore connections between popular culture and philosophy and the editor of The Big Bang Theory and Philosophy and three other books on popular culture and philosophy.

Contributors: “We Have Top Men [and Women] Working on It” ix

Acknowledgments: “We Can Discuss My Honorarium over Dinner and Champagne Tonight—Your Treat” xv

Introduction: “Indiana Jones—I Always Knew Some Day You’d Come Walking Back through My Door. I Never Doubted That” 1

Part I “It Was Wrong and You Knew It!”: Ethics and Values 3

1 Acting Without Thinking: The Sagacity of Indiana Jones 5 Justin Kitchen

2 Does It Always Belong in a Museum? 16 Edwardo Pérez

3 The Virtues that Made the Man, and the Man Who Became the Legend: The Adventures in Philosophy of Young Indiana Jones 24 Robert M. Mentyka

4 Raiders of the Lost Kant: Indy Meets the Categorical Imperative 33 Mia Wood

5 Feminism and Indiana Jones: A Field Guide 4 Kate C.S. Schmidt

Part II “…But Choose Wisely”: Existentialism and Authenticity 53

6 The Absurd Hero: Indiana Jones, God, and Sisyphus 55 Justin Fetterman

7 Indiana Jones and Existential Self-Affirmation 65 Daniel Tilsley

8 Nietzschean Themes in Raiders of the Lost Ark: God May Be Dead, But Best Not Disturb His Corpse 74 Duncan Gale

Homeward Bound with Indiana Jones 84 Charles Taliaferro and Annalissa Lane

Part III “Knowledge Was Their Treasure”: Truth and Evidence 95

10 Fact, Truth, and Evidence: A Lesson from Dr. Tyree 97 Dean A. Kowalski

11 Indiana Jones and the Quest for Agnosticism: What if All Stories Are True? 108 Robert Grant Price

12 The Shadow Realities of Indiana Jones 118 Matthew Crippen and Matthew Dixon

13 Pride and Prudence in the Pursuit of Knowledge: Indiana Jones, René Belloq, and Irina Spalko 127 Alexander Hooke and Dean A. Kowalski

Part IV “You Will Become a True Believer”: Religion and Theology 137

14 Raiders of the Lost Ark and the Numinous Presence of God 139 Matthew Brake

15 Indiana Jones and the Leap of Faith 148 Tait Szabo

16 Sacred Objects and Cosmic Justice in Indiana Jones 158 Christopher Helali

Part V “You Call This Archaeology?”: Archaeology and Politics 167

17 On My “Colleague” Dr. Jones and his “Publications” 169 Aren M. Maeir

18 “Sharing Your Adventures Has Been an Interesting Experience”: Indiana Jones and Professional Archaeology 178 Louise A. Hitchcock

19 Meddling with (Almost) Incomprehensible Powers 188 Robert Seddon

Part VI “If It’s Truth You’re Interested in …”: More from Dr. Tyree’s Classroom 199

20 Timeless Artifacts and Aging Humans: Indiana Jones and the Philosophy of Time 201 Siobhan Lyons

21 Listening to the Music of Indiana Jones: John Williams and Aesthetic Appreciation 211 Lance Belluomini

22 “Germany Has Declared War on the Jones Boys!”: Asymmetric Strategy and Honor among Raiders 220 Nikolaj Kærslund Andersen

23 Indiana Jones in India, India in Indiana Jones 231 Pankaj Singh and Dean A. Kowalski

24 “Some of the Passageways in Here Can Run for Miles”: An Aristotelian Exploration of Fact and Truth in The Last Crusade 242 Timothy Brown

Index: “If I Walk It through Mayan First…” 251

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