Downton Abbey and Philosophy: The Truth Is Neither Here Nor There

Front Cover
William Irwin
John Wiley & Sons, Apr 10, 2012 - Philosophy - 99 pages
A unique philosophical look at the hit television series Downton Abbey

Who can resist the lure of Downton Abbey and the triumphs and travails of the Crawley family and its servants? We admire Bates's sense of honor, envy Carson's steadfastness, and thrill to Violet's caustic wit. Downton Abbey and Philosophy draws on some of history's most profound philosophical minds to delve deeply into the dilemmas that confront our favorite characters. Was Matthew right to push Mary away after his injury in the war? Would Lord Grantham have been justified in blocking Lady Sybil's marriage to Tom Branson? And is Thomas really such a bad person?

  • Offers fresh and intriguing insights into your favorite Downton Abbey characters, plot lines, and ideas
  • Addresses many of your most pressing questions about Downton Abbey's story and characters, such as: Should Daisy have lied to William about her feelings toward him especially to the point of marrying him? Should Mr. Bates have been upfront with Anna from the beginning about his past?
  • Views Downton Abbey through the lens of some of the most influential philosophical thinkers, from Saint Augustine and David Hume to Immanuel Kant and John Stuart Mill
  • Ventures upstairs and downstairs to examine key themes involving ethics, virtue, morality, class, feminism, the human condition, and more

Philosophical speculation awaits on every page of this essential Downton Abbey companion. So take a seat in your personal library, have the butler pour a cup of tea, and start reading!

 

Selected pages

Contents

Introduction
But Its a Lie A Great Kindness or Just Plain Wrong?
Put that in Your Pipe and Smoke It
Humes Moral Philosophy and Thomass Moral Corruption
Marriages Miscarriages and Morality
Why Would She Want to Be
Contributors
Copyright

Other editions - View all

Downton Abbey and Philosophy
Irwin
No preview available - 2012

Common terms and phrases

actions Alex Nuttall Anna argued artificial virtues autonomy Bates Bates’s behavior believe Bonhoeffer Branson Carson categorical imperative chapter character chauffeur choice concern Cora Cora’s Countess of Grantham Crawley Daisy Daisy’s David Hume deception Dowager Countess Downton Abbey duty Earl of Grantham Edited by Mark Edith episode ethics feelings fiancé footman Gutenberg Gwen housemaid Hume’s Moral Philosophy Ibid Immanuel Kant Isobel Jane Jeremy Wisnewski Joel Feinberg John Stuart Mill Julian Fellowes justified Kant’s Lady Mary Lavinia liar lies Lord Grantham lying maid marry Mary’s Matthew Mill’s miscarriage moral disagreement moral fact moral judgments moral nonequivalence moral principles moral progress moral realism moral skepticism motivated paternalistic Patton Oswalt person Philosophy www.wiley.com/buy Rebecca Housel relationship reliabilism reliable process repr respect second season servants simply social society someone staff Thomas and O’Brien Thomas’s truth University Press valet viewers villainous Violet virtue ethics William wrong

About the author (2012)

Series Editor:
William Irwin (Wilkes-Barre, PA) is a professor of philosophy at King's College. He originated the philosophy and popular culture genre of books as coeditor of the bestselling Simpsons and Philosophy.

Volume Editor:
Mark D. White (Staten Island, NY) is a professor in the Department of Political Science, Economics, and Philosophy at the College of Staten Island/CUNY, co-editor of Batman and Philosophy and Green Lantern and Philosophy, and editor of Watchmen and Philosophy, Iron Man and Philosophy and The Avengers and Philosophy.

Bibliographic information

TitleDownton Abbey and Philosophy: The Truth Is Neither Here Nor There
The Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series
EditorWilliam Irwin
ContributorMark D. White
PublisherJohn Wiley & Sons, 2012
ISBN1118386612, 9781118386613
Length99 pages
Subjects › 

Philosophy / General
  
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