The Simpsons and Philosophy collects 18 essays into an unpretentious, tongue-in-cheek and surprisingly intelligent look at philosophy through the lens of Matt Groening's vaunted animated series. The editors are quick to point out that they don't think "The Simpsons is the equivalent of history's best works of literature--but it nevertheless is just deep enough and certainly funny enough, to warrant serious attention". The writers of the book are mostly professional philosophers and they are appropriately erudite. But what is truly astonishing, even for a confessed Simpsons addict, is their breadth of Simpsons knowledge, spanning all 12 seasons of the show's history. The Simpsons and Philosophy is obviously not intended to be a turning point in modern thought but it is an excellent introduction to some core elements of philosophy. --Eric de Place

Synopsis
A light-hearted introduction to philosophy through the antics of the Simpsons, television's animated family. These essays on the silly, absurd, hyper-ironic and strangely philosophical world that is Springfield - the town without a state - explore philosophy and the major philosophers of Western thought: is Bart a pragmatist? Why is Mr Burn's quest for happiness continually frustrated? The contributors discuss the thought of key philosophers including Aristotle, Marx, Camus, Sartre, Heidegger and Kant, and tackle issues like irony and the meaning of life, American anti-intellectualism, and existential rebellion. The volume also includes an episode guide and a chronology of philosophers which gives the names and dates of the major thinkers in the history of philosophy, accompanied by a representative quote from each.