Spider–Man and Philosophy: The Web of Inquiry

Is Peter Parker to blame for the death of Uncle Ben?

What does spider–sense reveal about the nature ofperception?

Does great power really bring great responsibility?

How should Spider–Man fight villains who are former friends?

Can Spidey champion justice and be with Mary Jane at the sametime?

Through decades of web–slinging adventures in comics, televisionshows, movies, and even on Broadway, Spider–Man has become one ofour most beloved and enduring superheroes. Peter′s the classicunderdog, and like many of us, he′s learned to combat the evils inhis life with abilities he didn′t realize he had. Spider–Man andPhilosophy untangles the complex web of philosophical dilemmasof Spidey and his world with the help of some of history′s mostpowerful thinkers, including Plato, Aristotle, Hegel, andKierkegaard. From the morality of the wall–crawler′s jokes towhether he can maintain both of his lives as Peter and as acostumed crusader, from Spider–Man′s struggle with infinite debtand guilt to what it takes to live a good life, you′ll gainfascinating insights that are as compelling as the Webbed Wonder′sability to climb walls, swing down boulevards, and shoot webbullets at the bad guys.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xi

INTRODUCTION 1

PART ONE THE SPECTACULAR LIFE OF SPIDER–MAN?

1 Does Peter Parker Have a Good Life? 7
Neil Mussett

2 What Price Atonement? Peter Parker and the Infinite Debt22
Taneli Kukkonen

3 My Name is Peter Parker : Unmasking the Right andthe Good 37
Mark D. White

PART TWO RESPONSIBILITY–MAN

4 With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility :Spider–Man, Christian Ethics, and the Problem of Evil 55
Adam Barkman

5 Does Great Power Bring Great Responsibility? Spider–Man andthe Good Samaritan 70
J. Keeping

6 With Great Power Comes Great Culpability: How Blameworthy IsSpider–Man for Uncle Ben s Death? 86
Philip Tallon

PART THREE SPIDER–SENSE AND THE SELF

7 Why Is My Spider–Sense Tingling? 103
Andrew Terjesen

8 Red or Black: Perception, Identity, and Self 119
Meaghan P. Godwin

9 With Great Power: Heroism, Villainy, and Bodily Transformation131
Mark K. Spencer

PART FOUR ARACHNIDS R US: TECHNOLOGY AND THEHUMAN, ALL TOO HUMAN

10 Transhumanism: Or, Is It Right to Make a Spider–Man?145
Ron Novy

11 Maximum Clonage: What the Clone Saga Can Teach Us about HumanCloning 159
Jason Southworth and John Timm

PART FIVE YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER–MAN

12 Justice versus Romantic Love: Can Spider–Man Champion Justiceand Be with Mary Jane at the Same Time? 177
Charles Taliaferro and Tricia Little

13 Love, Friendship, and Being Spider–Man 188
Tony Spanakos

14 Spidey s Tangled Web of Obligations: Fighting Friendsand Dependents Gone Bad 200
Christopher Robichaud

PART SIX THE AMAZING SPEAKING SPIDER: JOKES, STORIES, AND THECHOICES WE MAKE

15 The Quipslinger: The Morality of Spider–Man s Jokes217
Daniel P. Malloy

16 The Sound and the Fury behind One More Day 231
Mark D. White

17 Spider–Man and the Importance of Getting Your Story Straight243
Jonathan J. Sanford

CONTRIBUTORS 257

INDEX 263

Jonathan J. Sanford is a professor of philosophy and Chair of the Department of Philosophy at Franciscan University of Steubenville.

William Irwin is a professor of philosophy at King′s College in Wilkes–Barre, Pennsylvania. He originated the philosophy and popular culture genre of books as coeditor of the bestselling The Simpsons and Philosophy and has overseen recent titles including Batman and Philosophy, Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy, and Watchmen and Philosophy.