X-Men and Philosophy: Astonishing Insight and Uncanny Argument in the Mutant X-Verse (The Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series)

X-Men and Philosophy: Astonishing Insight and Uncanny Argument in the Mutant X-Verse (The Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series)

X-Men is one of the most popular comic book franchises ever, with successful spin-offs that include several feature films, cartoon series, bestselling video games, and merchandise. This is the first look at the deeper issues of the X-Men universe and the choices facing its powerful "mutants," such as identity, human ethics versus mutant morality, and self-sacrifice. J. Jeremy Wisnewski (Oneonta, NY) is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Hartwick College and the editor of Family Guy and Philosophy (978-1-4051-6316-3) and The Office and Philosophy (978-1-4051-7555-5). Rebecca Housel (Rochester, NY) is a professor at Rochester Institute of Technology, where she teaches about writing and pop culture. For William Irwin's biography, please see below. Is mind reading an invasion of privacy? What's wrong with genetic experimentation? How many identities can one person have? Are the X-Men advocates of civil rightsand social change? Do mutants have human rights? X-Men is one of the most popular comic-book franchises ever, captivating millions with its teeming X-Verse of genetic mutants who have been unleashing their unique special powers in the service of both good and evil since 1963. Focusing on identity and personal conflict as much as action and adventure, this bestselling series is full of complex characters and storylines that are deeply influenced by important philosophical questions. Through philosophical greats like Aristotle, Sartre, Camus, Levinas, and others, X-Men and Philosophy shows how this remarkable series speaks not only to generations of pop culture audiences, but to the very heart of the human condition. Is mind reading an invasion of privacy? What’s wrong with genetic experimentation? How many identities can one person have? Are the X-Men advocates of civil rights and social change? Do mutants have “human” rights? X-Men is one of the most popular comic-book franchises ever, captivating millions with its teeming X-Verse of genetic mutants who have been unleashing their unique special powers in the service of both good and evil since 1963. Focusing on identity and personal conflict as much as action and adventure, this bestselling series is full of complex characters and storylines that are deeply influenced by important philosophical questions. Through philosophical greats like Aristotle, Sartre, Camus, Levinas, and others, X-Men and Philosophy shows how this remarkable series speaks not only to generations of pop culture audiences, but to the very heart of the human condition. REBECCA HOUSEL is a professor of pop culture, creative writing, and medical humanities at Rochester Institute of Technology and contributed to Monty Python and Philosophy. J. JEREMY WISNEWSKI is an assistant professor of philosophy at Hartwick College and the editor of Family Guy and Philosophy and The Office and Philosophy. WILLIAM IRWIN is a professor of philosophy at King’s College. 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 , House and Philosophy , and Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy. X-Men and Philosophy Astonishing Insight and Uncanny Argument in the Mutant X-Verse John Wiley & Sons Copyright © 2009 William Irwin, Rebecca Housel and J. Jeremy Wisnewski All right reserved. ISBN: 978-0-470-41340-1 Chapter One THE LURE OF THE NORMAL: WHO WOULDN'T WANT TO BE A MUTANT? Patrick D. Hopkins In the third X-Men movie, The Last Stand , a "cure" is discovered that suppresses the activity of the mutant gene, turning mutants into ordinary humans. Storm, the weather-controller, reacts by asking, "Who would want this cure? I mean, what kind of coward would take it just to fit in?" Meanwhile, Rogue-whose touch can sap the life, energy, and abilities of other people-is preparing her trip to the pharmaceutical clinic. Given the prejudice, fear, and persecution of mutants, some X-fans empathize with Rogue and can easily imagine wanting to be regular people. But other fans, especially those who have idealized or identified with the X-Men, roll their eyes and shake their heads about Rogue's decision, seeing in it the rejection of something glorious, unique, and desirable. Why would anyone choose the ordinary, the mundane, over the fantastic and the extraordinary? What kind of person wouldn't want to be a mutant? Many of these issues revolve around the idea of the "normal." In philosophy, we make a distinction between the "descriptive" use of a word, which simply points to how a word is neutrally used to explain or characterize something, and the "prescriptive" use of a word, in which the term is used to indicate how something should be. The idea of "normal" can be used in both ways. As a description, it merely indicates that some condition is statistically average, as in, "Normally, humans have twenty-twenty vision," or, "Normally, people don't