Iron Man and philosophy: facing the stark reality

291 Pages·2010·1.701 MB·English

by  White, Mark D

PHILOSOPHY/POP CULTURE W I L L I A M I RW I N
IRWIN
S E R I E S E D I T O R :
Can Iron Man’s armor actually think? E D I T E D B Y
•
M A R K D W H I T E
.
Is Tony Stark’s intelligence the greatest source of Iron
Man’s power?
•
Can Iron Man be both a superhero and the corporate property of
Stark Industries?
•
Does the Iron Man technology point the way to a brighter future
or a darkening horizon?
•
Can Tony Stark be a genuine superhero and a
hard-drinking womanizer?
On the surface, Iron Man appears to be a straightforward superhero, another
rich guy fi ghting crime with fancy gadgets. But beneath the shiny armor and
FAC I N G
fl ashy technology lies Tony Stark, brilliant inventor and eccentric playboy,
struggling to balance his desires, addictions, and relationships with his duties as
THE
the Armored Avenger. Iron Man and Philosophy explores the many philosophical
issues that emerge from the essential confl icts found in the decades of Iron Man S T A R K
stories in comics and movies. What kind of moral compass does Tony Stark
have? Is Iron Man responsible for the death of Captain America after the Marvel R E A L I T Y
Universe Civil War? Should people like Stark run the world? Ultimately, what can
Iron Man teach us about the role of technology in society?
MARK D. WHITE is a professor in the Department of Political Science,
Economics, and Philosophy at the College of Staten Island/CUNY. He coedited
Batman and Philosophy and edited Watchmen and Philosophy.
WILLIAM IRWIN is a professor of philosophy at King’s College in Wilkes-Barre,
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Pennsylvania. He originated the philosophy and popular culture genre of books TTTTAAAA
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as coeditor of the bestselling The Simpsons and Philosophy and has overseen
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recent titles, including Batman and Philosophy, House and Philosophy, and N
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Watchmen and Philosophy. G
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To learn more about the Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture series,
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visit www.andphilosophy.com I
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$17.95 USA/$21.95 CAN Y

EDITED BY
WHITE
Cover Image: © Corbis
BLACKWELL PHILOSOPHY AND POP CULTURE SERIES
This book has not been approved, licensed, or sponsored by any entity or person
involved in creating or producing Iron Man, the comics, films, or TV series.
ISBN: 978-0-470-48218-6 EAN: 9780470482186
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I R O N M A N

A N D
P H I L O S O P H Y
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The Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series
Series Editor: William Irwin
South Park and Philosophy House and Philosophy
Edited by Robert Arp Edited by Henry Jacoby
Metallica and Philosophy Watchmen and Philosophy
Edited by William Irwin Edited by Mark D. White
Family Guy and Philosophy X-Men and Philosophy
Edited by J. Jeremy Wisnewski Edited by Rebecca Housel and
J. Jeremy Wisnewski
The Daily Show and Philosophy
Edited by Jason Holt Terminator and Philosophy
Edited by Richard Brown and
Lost and Philosophy
Kevin Decker
Edited by Sharon Kaye
Heroes and Philosophy
24 and Philosophy
Edited by David Kyle Johnson
Edited by Richard Davis, Jennifer
Hart Week, and Ronald Weed Final Fantasy and Philosophy
Edited by Jason Blahuta and
Battlestar Galactica and
Michel Beaulieu
Philosophy
Edited by Jason T. Eberl Twilight and Philosophy
Edited by Rebecca Housel and
The Offi ce and Philosophy
J. Jeremy Wisnewski
Edited by J. Jeremy Wisnewski
Batman and Philosophy
Edited by Mark D. White and
Robert Arp
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I R O N M A N

A N D
P H I L O S O P H Y
FACI N G TH E STAR K R EALITY
Edited by
Mark D. White
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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This book is printed on acid-free paper.
Copyright © 2010 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
Published simultaneously in Canada
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or trans-
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Iron Man and philosophy: facing the Stark reality / edited by Mark D. White
p.cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-0-470-48218-6 (pbk.)
1. Iron Man (Motion picture) I. White, Mark D., date.
PN1997.2.I76I76 2010
791.43'72—dc22
2009031396
Printed in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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CONTENTS
Iron Introductions and Armored Acknowledgments 1
PART ONE
THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF TONY STARK 5
1 The Stark Madness of Technology 7
George A. Dunn
2 The Technological Subversion of Technology: Tony
Stark, Heidegger, and the Subject of Resistance 25
Rocco Gangle
3 The Literal Making of a Superhero 38
Travis N. Rieder
PART TWO
WEARING THE ARMOR RESPONSIBLY 51
4 Can Iron Man Atone for Tony Stark’s Wrongs? 53
Christopher Robichaud
5 Did Iron Man Kill Captain America? 64
Mark D. White
6 Fate at the Bottom of a Bottle: Alcohol and
Tony Stark 80
Ron Novy
vv
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vi CONTENTS
PART THREE
THE IRON AGE: TONY STARK’S ROLE
IN SOCIETY 95
7 Tony Stark and “The Gospel of Wealth” 97
Andrew Terjesen
8 ™ and © Stark Industries: Iron Man and
Property Rights 115
Daniel P. Malloy
9 Tony Stark, Philosopher King of the Future? 129
Tony Spanakos
PART FOUR
THE MIND INSIDE THE IRON MAN 145
10 Iron Man in a Chinese Room: Does Living
Armor Think? 147
Ron Novy
11 Flexing His Intelligence: Tony Stark’s
Brainy Brawn 160
Phillip S. Seng
12 Does Tony Stark Have an Iron Will? 172
Mark D. White
PART FIVE
THE VIRTUE OF AN AVENGER 187
13 Does Tony Stark Use a Moral Compass? 189
Sarah K. Donovan and Nicholas P. Richardson
14 Flawed Heroes and Courageous Villains:
Plato, Aristotle, and Iron Man on the Unity
of the Virtues 201
Carsten Fogh Nielsen
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CONTENTS vii
15 “I Have a Good Life”: Iron Man and the Avenger
School of Virtue 217
Stephanie Patterson and Brett Patterson
PART SIX
WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AN IRON MAN 231
16 Iron Man and the Problem of Progress 233
David Valleau Curtis
17 Engendering Justice in Iron Man 245
Rebecca Housel and Gary Housel
18 Iron Man’s Transcendent Challenge 256
Stephen Faller
CONTRIBUTORS: Avengers Assembled 265
INDEX: Topics from the S.H.I.E.L.D. File on
Tony Stark/Iron Man 273
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