Disney and Philosophy: Truth, Trust, and a Little Bit of Pixie Dust - Paperback

by Richard Brian Davis (Volume Editor), William Irwin (Editor)

Take a magic carpet ride through Disney's wonderful world of films and entertainment experiences, and discover the wisdom within its most popular and enduring stories

Philosophy begins in wonder, and there's no question that Disney's immersive worlds and iconic characters have enchanted generations of children and adults alike, inviting us to escape the mundane into a world of fantasy, imagination, and infinite possibility. In Disney and Philosophy, essays from thirty-two deep-thinking Disneyphiles chart a course through the philosophical world of Disney, tapping into the minds of the great sages of the ages--Plato, Aristotle, Confucius, Descartes, and Goofy--to explore universal questions of freedom, personal identity, morality, family, and friendship:

• Can Sleeping Beauty know that she's not dreaming?
• Does turning our emotions and memories "inside out" tell us who we are?
• What can Toy Story and Wall-E teach us about being human?
• Is hakuna matata really such a problem-free philosophy?

If you've ever asked who you are, what is right, or what your purpose is, Disney and Philosophy will spark your curiosity and imagination with a whole new world of unexpected insight into the Magic Kingdom.

Back Jacket

Disney's wonderful world of television, motion pictures, and theme parks is a magical place, where children and adults can escape, imagine, and dream. It's also a place for philosophical reflection. Indeed, philosophy itself begins in wonder. This book probes the deeper underlying meaning in the Disney universe, ushering us into a Magic Kingdom rich with philosophical life lessons. Tapping into some of the greatest philosophical minds that ever lived--Plato, Aristotle, Confucius, Descartes, and Goofy--Disney and Philosophy explores life's ultimate questions from inside the world Disney created. As a great British philosopher once said, "A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down." In that spirit, this book examines the stories of Mulan, Moana, and Merida to see if they are genuinely free to pursue their dreams and create their identities, or if they're bound by cultures' expectations. From hakuna matata to the circle of life, we explore the philosophical terrain of The Lion King to discover the courage to become who we are. Beyond the Pride Lands of the savanna, philosophical magic leads us to address such questions as:

Can turning our emotions Inside Out tell us who we are?

Can true love overcome fear in Frozen?

Can those "Hidden Mickeys" at Disney theme parks tell us about God?

Are Dory and Dopey's "disabilities" a problem with them or with us?

Is a trip to Disneyland the same thing as true happiness?

Is Ariel a feminist icon?

Can Sleeping Beauty know that she's not dreaming?

Author Biography

RICHARD B. DAVIS is Professor of Philosophy at Tyndale University in Canada. He is the author or editor of four books, including Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy (Wiley Blackwell, 2009) and 24 and Philosophy (Wiley Blackwell, 2007). He has published over thirty book chapters or articles, and specializes in metaphysics and epistemology.

To learn more about the Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture series, visit www.andphilosophy.com