House and Philosophy: Everybody Lies

Philosophy/Pop Culture

Is being nice overrated?

Are we really just selfish, base animals crawling across Earthin a meaningless existence?

Would reading less and watching more television be good foryou?

Is House a master of Eastern philosophy or just plain rude?

Dr. Gregory House is arguably the most complex and challengingantihero in the history of television, but is there more to thisself–important genius than gray matter and ego? This book takes adeeper look at House to reveal the philosophical underpinnings ofthis popular medical drama and its cane–waving curmudgeon′s mostoutrageous behavior. What emerges is a remarkable character who ispart Sherlock Holmes, part Socratic philosopher, part Nietzscheansuperman, part Taoist rhetorician, and not at all as screwed up asyou might think. With everything from Aristotle to Zen, House andPhilosophy takes an engaging look at everyone′s favoritemisanthropic genius and his team at Princeton–PlainsboroHospital.

Acknowledgments.

"Read Less, More TV: A Cranky, Slightly Rude Introduction".

I. "HUMANITY IS OVERRATED." HOUSE ON LIFE.

1. Selfish, Base Animals Crawling Across the Earth: House andthe Meaning of Life (Henry Jacoby).

2. House and Sartre: "Hell is Other People" (Jennifer L.McMahon).

3. Is There a Superman in the House? A Nietzchean Point of View(David Goldblatt).

4. House and Moral Luck (Jane Dryden).

II. "WELCOME TO THE END OF THE THOUGHT PROCESS."HOUSE S LOGIC AND METHOD.

5. The Logic of Guesswork in Sherlock Holmes and House, M.D.(Jerold J. Abrams).

6. It Explains Everything (Barbara Anne Stock)!

7. The Sound of One House Clapping: Rude Diagnostician as ZenRhetorician (Jeffrey C. Ruff and Jeremy Barris).

8. "Being nice is overrated": House and Socrates on theNecessity of Conflict (Melanie Frappier).

9. Is There a Daoist in the House (Peter Vernezze)?

III. "IT IS THE NATURE OF MEDICINE THAT YOU ARE GOING TOSCREW UP." HOUSE AND ETHICAL PRINCIPLES.

10. "You care for everybody": Cameron s Ethics of Care(Renee Kyle).

11. To Intubate or not to Intubate: House s Principles andPriorities (Barbara Anne Stock and Teresa Blankmeyer Burke).

12. House, M.D., and Medical Paternalism: "You can talways get what you want." (Mark R. Wicclair).

13. If the End Doesn t Justify the Means, Then What Does(Catherine Sartin)?

14. House vs. Tritter: On the Clash of Theoretical and PracticalAuthority (Kenneth Ehrenberg).

IV. "THE DRUGS DON T MAKE ME HIGH, THEY MAKE MENEUTRAL." VIRTUES AND CHARACTER ON HOUSE.

15. House and the Virtue of Eccentricity (John R.Fitzpatrick).

16. Love: The Only Risk House Can t Take (SaraProtasi).

17. A Prescription for Friendship (Sara Waller).

18. Diagnosing Character: A House Divided (Heather Battaly andAmy Coplan)?

Contributors: Princeton–Plainsboro Teaching Hospital Staff.

Index.

HENRY JACOBY teaches philosophy at East Carolina University.He has published articles on the philosophy of mind and contributedto South Park and Philosophy. He lives in Goldsboro, NorthCarolina, with his wife, Kathryn, and their two cats, Bunkai andWillow.

WILLIAM IRWIN is a professor of philosophy at King′sCollege, Pennsylvania. He has coedited The Simpsons andPhilosophy and edited Seinfeld and Philosophy, TheMatrix and Philosophy, and Metallica and Philosophy.