Table Of ContentP O P U L A R C U L T U R E A N D P H I L O S O P H Y
POPULAR CULTURE AND PHILOSOPHY
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WWiitthh iittss llooggiiccaall ppaarraaddooxxeess,, cclleevveerr wwoorrddppllaayy,, aanndd D
C
A
ffooccuuss oonn tthhee aabbssuurrddiittiieess ooff lliiffee,, tthhee wwoorrkk ooff S
T
MMoonnttyy PPyytthhoonn aappppeeaallss ttoo eevveerryyoonnee wwiitthh L
E
aa pphhiilloossoopphhiiccaall bbeenntt,, tthhee mmoorree bbeenntt tthhee A
N
bbeetttteerr.. TTwweennttyy--oonnee ssuurrpprriissiinngg cchhaapptteerrss D
R
bbbyyy ppprrrooofffeeessssssiiiooonnnaaalll ppphhhiiilllooosssoooppphhheeerrrsss aaannnddd aaammmaaattteeeuuurrr E
PPyytthhoonn ffaannss cceelleebbrraattee tthhee iinntteerrsseeccttiioonn ISC
H
ooff rriiggoorroouuss,, pprrooffoouunndd TTVV ccoommeeddyy aanndd
zzaannyy,, mmaaddccaapp mmeettaapphhyyssiiccss.. SSuurrpprriissee iiss
tthhee cchhiieeff qquuaalliittyy ooff tthhiiss bbooookk.. SSuurrpprriissee,,
ppprrrooovvvooocccaaatttiiiooonnn,,, aaannnddd aaa fffaaannnaaatttiiicccaaalll dddeeevvvoootttiiiooonnn tttooo ttthhheee
eennlliigghhtteennmmeenntt ooff tthhee mmaasssseess .. .. ..
““MMoonnttyy PPyytthhoonn aanndd PPhhiilloossoopphhyy is an
eenntteerrttaaiinniinngg ttrreeaattiissee oonn hhooww hhuummoorr ccaann
iiilllllluuummmiiinnnaaattteee ttthhheee dddeeeeeepppeeesssttt qqquuueeessstttiiiooonnnsss aaabbbooouuuttt eeettthhhiiicccsss,,,
mmmooorrraaallliiitttyyy,,, iiinnndddiiivvviiiddduuuaaalll rrreeessspppooonnnsssiiibbbiiillliiitttyyy,,, aaannnddd ooottthhheeerrr
ssoo--ccaalllleedd ‘‘sseerriioouuss ccoonncceeppttss’’ ((ssuucchh aass:: ‘‘IIss tthhee
ppppaaaarrrrrrrrooootttt ddddeeeeaaaadddd oooorrrr jjjuuusssttt rrreeessstttiiinnnggg’’’???)))...
— DDAAVVIIDD MMOORRGGAANN, author ofMonty
PPyytthhoonn SSppeeaakkss!!
“““MMMMMooooonnnnntttttyyyyy PPPPPyyyyyttttthhhhhooooonnnnn fffffaaaaannnnnsssss llllliiiiikkkkkeeeee tttttooooo ttttthhhhhiiiiinnnnnkkkkk ttttthhhhheeeeeyyyyy’’’’’rrrrreeeee sssssmmmmmaaaaarrrrrttttteeeeerrrrr
ttthhhaaannn mmmooosssttt pppeeeooopppllleee,,, aaannnddd ttthhheeeyyy’’’llllll bbbeee dddeeellliiiggghhhttteeeddd wwwiiittthhh
tthhiiss nneeww bbooookk,, wwhhiicchh pprroovveess iitt!!””
— KKIIMM ““HHOOWWAARRDD”” JJOOHHNNSSOONN, author of
TThhee FFiirrsstt 228800 YYeeaarrss ooff MMoonnttyy PPyytthhoonn
GGaarryy HHaarrddccaassttllee,, wwhhoo rruunnss aann aarrgguummeenntt
clinic in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, co-edited
Logical Empiricism in North America (2003).
George Reisch has written How the Cold War
Transformed Philosophy of Science (2005) and
aa ccoommppuutteerr pprrooggrraamm ffoorr ttrraannssllaattiinngg ffaattaall
jokes. Hardcastle and Reisch are now working
on the defi nitive ten-word condensation of À
la Recherche du Temps Perdu, the authorized
no hallucination. You really are reading the cover biography of Johann Gambolputty de von
of a book entitled Monty Python and Philosophy. Ausfern-Schplenden Schlittercrasscrenbon
Though highly improbable, the book actually Burstein von Knackerthrasher Spelltinkel A
exists, which is proof enough that humankind Grandlichgrumbelmeyer Spelterwasser N NUDGE NUDGE, THINK THINK!
D
did not get here by accident. “Here” in your case Kurstlich Himbeleisen Bahnwagen Gutenabend
means looking at the cover of this book, clearly Bitte-ein-Nürnburger Bratwustel Gerspurten P
H
demonstrating that you ought to acquire it (the mitz-Weimache Luberhundsfutgumberaber I EEDDIITTEEDD BBYY GGAARRYY LL.. HHAARRDDCCAASSTTLLEE AAAANNNNDDDDGGEEOORRGGEE AA.. RREEIISSCCHH
whole book, that is, not just the cover). Otherwise, Schönedanker Kalbsfl eisch Mittelracher von L
O
if your brain hurts, you might as well go consult a Hautkopf of Ulm, and A Companion to Bullshit.
S
milk delivery man impersonating a psychiatrist. O
P
H
Y
OPEN COURT: CHICAGO AND LA SALLE, ILLINOIS
FOR OTHER TITLES IN THE POPULAR CULTURE AND
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fl
P O P U L A R C U L T U R E A N D P H I L O S O P H Y
PHILOSOPHY / TV AND FILM POPULAR CULTURE AND PHILOSOPHY
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WWWiiittthhh iiitttsss lllooogggiiicccaaalll pppaaarrraaadddoooxxxeeesss,,, cccllleeevvveeerrr wwwooorrrdddppplllaaayyy,,, aaannn<dd DC
A
fffooocccuuusss ooonnn ttthhheee aaabbbsssuuurrrdddiiitttiiieeesss ooofff llliiifffeee,,, ttthhheee wwwooorrrkkk oo<ff S
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MMMooonnntttyyy PPPyyyttthhhooonnn aaappppppeeeaaalllsss tttooo eeevvveeerrryyyooonnneee wwwiiittthhh L
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aaa ppphhhiiilllooosssoooppphhhiciiacclaa ll bbbeeennnttt,,, ttthhheee mmmooorrreee bbbeeennnttt ttthhheee A
.r’T, bbbeeetttttteeerrr... TTTwwweeennntttyyy---ooonnneee sssuuurrrppprrriiisssiiinnnggg ccchhhaaapppttteeerrrsss ND
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bbbbyyyy pppprrrrooooffffeeeessssssssiiiioooonnnnaaaallll pppphhhhiiiilllloooossssoooopppphhhhereeesrrr sss aaaannnndddd aaaammmmaaaatttteeeeuuurrr E
PPPyyyttthhhooonnn fffaaannnsss ccceeellleeebbbrrraaattteee ttthhheee iiinnnttteeerrrssseeeccctttiiiooonnn ISC
H
ooofff rrriiigggooorrrooouuusss,,, ppprrrooofffooouuunnnddd TTTVVV cccooommmeeedddyyy aaannnddd
zzzaaannnyyy,,, mmmaaadddcccaaappp mmmeeetttaaappphhhyyysssiiicccsss... SSSuuurrrppprrriiissseee iiisss
ttthhheee ccchhhiiieeefff qqquuuaaallliiitttyyy ooofff ttthhhiiisss bbbooooookkk... SSSuuurrrppprrriiissseee,,,
pppprrrroooovvvvooooccccaaaattttiiiioooonnnn,,,, aaaannnndddd aaaa ffffaaaannnnaaaattttiiiiccccaaaal lll ddddeeeevvvvoooottttiiiioooonnnn ttttoooo tttthhhheee
eeennnllliiiggghhhttteeennnmmmeeennnttt ooofff ttthhheee mmmaaasssssseeesss ... ... ...
“““MMMooonnntttyyy PPPyyyttthhhooonnn aaannnddd PPPhhhiiilllooosssoooppphhhy yy iiss aann
eeennnttteeerrrtttaaainiinniniignn gg tttrrreeeaaatttiiissseee ooonnn hhhooowww hhhuuummmooor rr cccaaannn
iiiilllllllluuuummmminiiinnnataaaettt eee tttthhhheeee ddddeeeeeeeeppppeeeesssstttt qqqquuuueeeessssttttiiiioooonnnnssss aaaabbbboooouuuutttt eeeetttthhhhiiiicccsss,,,
mmmmoooorrrraaaalllliiiitytttyyy, ,,, iiiinnnnddddiiiivvvvidiiiddduuuualaaa lll rrrreeeessssppppoooonnnnssssiiiibbbbiiiilllliiiittttyyyy,,,, aaaannnndddd ooootttthhhheeerrr
sssooo---cccaaalllllleeeddd ‘‘‘ssseeerrriiiooouuusss cccooonnnccceeeppptttsss’’’ (((sssuuuccchhh aaasss::: ‘‘‘IIIsss ttthhheee
pppppaaaaarrrrrrrrrrooooottttt dddddeeeeeaaaaaddddd ooooorrrrr jjjjuuuusssstttt rrrreeeessssttttiiiinnnngggg’’’’????))))....
——D DDAAAVVVIIIDDD MMMOOORRRGGGAAANNN,, aauutthhoorr ooff MMoonntyty
PPPyyyttthhhooonnn SSSpppeeeaaakkksss!!!
““““MMMMMMoooooonnnnnntytttttyyyyy PPPPPPyyyyyytttttthhhhhhoooooonnnnnn ffffffaaaaaannnnnnssssss lllllliiiiiikkkkkkeeeeee ttttttoooooo tttttthhhhhhiiiiiinnnnnnkkkkkk tttttthhhhhheeeeeeyyyyyy’’’’’’rrrrrreeeeee ssssssmmmmmmaaaaaarrrrrrttttteeeeerrrrr
tttthhhhaaaannnn mmmmoooosssstttt ppppeeeeoooopppplllleeee,,,, aaaannnndddd tttthhhheeeeyyyy’’’’llllllll bbbbeeee ddddeeeelllliiiigggghhhhtttteeeedddd wwwwiiiitttthhh
ttthhhiiisss nnneeewww bbbooooookkk,,, wwwhhhiiiccchhh ppprrrooovvveeesss iiittt!!!”””
——K KKIIIMMM “““HHHOOOWWWAAARRRDDD””" JJJOOOHHHNNNSSSOOONNN,, aauutthhoorr ooff
TTThhheee FFFiiirrrsssttt 222888000 YYYeeeaaarrrsss ooofff MMMooonnntyttyy PPPyyyttthhhooonnn
GGGaaarrryyy HHHaaarrrdddcccaaassstttllleee,,, wwwhhhooo rrruuunnnsss aaannn aaarrrggguuummmeeennnttt
cclliinniicc iinn BBlloooommssbbuurrgg,, PPeennnnssyyllvvaanniiaa,, ccoo--eeddiitteedd
LLooggiiccaall EEmmppiirriicciissmm iinn NNoorrtthh AAmmeerriiccaa ((22000033))..
GGeeoorrggee RReeiisscchh hhaass wwrriitttteenn HHooww tthhee CCoolldd WWaarr
TTrraannssffoorrmmeedd PPhhiilloossoopphhyy ooff SScciieennccee ((22000055)) aanndd
aaa cccooommmpppuuuttteeerrr ppprrrooogggrrraaammm fffooorrr tttrrraaannnssslllaaatttiiinnnggg fffaaatttaaalll
jjookkeess.. HHaarrddccaassttllee aanndd RReeiisscchh aarree nnooww wwoorrkkiinngg
oonn tthhee ddeeffii nniittiivvee tteenn--wwoorrdd ccoonnddeennssaattiioonn ooff AÀ
© © © llaa RReecchheerrcchhee dduu TTeemmppss PPeerrdduu,, tthhee aauutthhoorriizzeedd
nnoo hhaalllluucciinnaattiioonn.. YYoouu rreeaallllyy aarree rreeaaddiinngg tthhee ccoovveerr bbiiooggrraapphhyy ooff JJoohhaannnn GGaammbboollppuuttttyy ddee vvoonn
ooff aa bbooookk eennttiittlleedd MMoonnttyy PPyytthhoonn aanndd PPhhiilloossoopphhyy. . AAuussffeerrnn--SS cc hhpplleennddeenn SScc hhlliitttteerrccrraassss ccrreennbboonn
TThhoouugghh hhiigghhllyy iimmpprroobbaabbllee,, tthhee bbooookk aaccttuuaallllyy BBuurrsstteeiinn vvoonn KKnnaacckkeerrtthhrraasshheerr SSppeellllttiinnkkeell A
eexxiissttss,, wwhhiicchh iiss pprrooooff eennoouugghh tthhaatt hhuummaannkkiinndd GGrraannddlliicchhggrruummbbeellmmeeyyeerr SSppeelltteerrwwaasssseerr N NUDGE NUDGE, THINK THINK!
D
ddiidd nnoott ggeett hheerree bbyy aacccciiddeenntt.. ““HHeerree”” iinn yyoouurr ccaassee KKuurrssttlliicchh HHiimmbbeelleeiisseenn BBaahhnnwwaaggeenn GGuutteennaabbeenndd
mmeeaannss llooookkiinngg aatt tthhee ccoovveerr ooff tthhiiss bbooookk,, cclleeaarrllyy BBiittttee--eeiinn--NNüurrnnbbuurrggeerr BBrraattwwuusstteell GGeerrssppuurrtteenn P
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wwhhoollee bbooookk,, tthhaatt iiss,, nnoott jjuusstt tthhee ccoovveerr)).. OOtthheerrwwiissee,, SScchhöbnneeddaannkkeerr KKaallbbssflf leeiisscchh MMiitttteellrraacchheer r vvoonn L
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OOPPEENN CCOOUURRTT:: CCHHIICCAAGGOO AANNDD LLAA SSAALLLLEE,, IILLLLIINNOOIISS
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CCOOVVEERR DDEESSIIGGNN: : FFRRIIEEDDEERRIIKKEE PPAAEETTZZOOLLDD,, 1111KK..CCOOMM
CCOOVVEERR IILLLLUUSSTTRRAATTIIOONN: : SSHHAANNEE AARRBBOOGGAASSTT
BUCKINGHAM PALACE
26th May, 2004
Dear Mr. Hardcastle
PHheirl oMsoTapjhehesy t Qyw uthoei eccnho nhwtariislb la ubstkee e eaddn im teeseds taboyy t fhyoaorn uak a bynoodou kM f ocrar. lGyleoeduo rAr glfeeot ntRefrye ioPsfcy ht6h.tohn M aanyd asking
projectA, Ilt ahmou agfhr aiitd w tahsa tk yinodu ro of fyfoeur mtou isnt vbiete d Techlei nQeude.en to participate in your
Yours sincerely,
MRS. GILL MIDDLEBURGH
Chief Clerk
Mr. Gary Hardcastle
Bloomsburg
UNIVERSITY 0 Department of Philosophy
May 6, 2004
The Queen
Buckingham Palace
London SW1A 1AA.
Your Majesty,
GvoelIout rmgisee wAein.t thRit egleirsdec ahMt aopnnledtya sitP urwyetih llot bhnea a tpn Iu dib nPlivshihtieleo dsy oobpuyh tyOo. pceIo nnw tCriilblo uuetredt itP tahuneb liesbshosinoagky wtoi tah
Company.
feEaassmsssAciuanisreyne nsay tot tyiuhnop aguha t ia rtlteohna sadknote oi pm y uhdoppeouor urtsrh b ctiasato nnanidtwnt r tppaeihbrursiuelboet,lsc iioMcotinop oinnh nw ticetiyalllol el Pbfc tyeMtuht ahioenlosn m ntfyi'ens hseP ah. y uivntmOehte oouslunrilger v anconethuldduaa mspol hnecto,io luwomacsinlphold aepc ndIho y ynco..tananin
oditoshfe nitsnaeP tornhei stt re boh th eo paEoe playnwnsco g eayyula toort n huutldhi ekha.ei nParT eenghyx id tss(phIlt eeoyc tnnmoietssu)ni,e le dhd d oay t bofvfo oeeuy rj ouy iminusodta ur et yhroai egwsfc ni.hnnh oa deRrRne aetoc hrcceytiars asitlt il looc ju Ftifssh eamttahv m,eet t hinPleyR my t,o htcyahyehsnoa aendsl nlc ffhocao, efumra e mintni olodosy r t.cr,mi toauiYafms toyitmouhbnreaestnt
call entirely.
fSttiohnp edaOm c otfaei mtck h/eoee$ u rrl ritomhsooaei tcmen, oddy ,n,fo otuwrrti hbemy ououcutsuoegtru halchd,no a sbnevoutse rmspi baaple uy va—taeisonre eny va d,eb siofnus nsiijstoyu tct as santdc mtahe peelafr edoytwuof eil nestw hs. yooaBorrtu du.t rsf —rBIro ueh tmtsoo p pptoohleeune arys svoeveo.uo l kluuwOemminellepe.
that fact under your crown.
I eagerly await your response. Ever Yours,
Gary L. Hardcastle
Assistant Professor of Philosophy
Bloomsburg University
Bakeless Center lor the Humanities 9 Blo(o5m70s)b ur3gB 9-U4n2iv4e6rs i(cid:127)t y Fa(cid:127) x (450700) Ea3s8t9 -S2e0c9o4nd Street (cid:127) Bloomsburg, PA 17815-1301
A Member of Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education
Monty Python and Philosophy
TM
Popular Culture and Philosophy
Series Editor: William Irwin
VOLUME1 VOLUME12
Seinfeld and Philosophy: A Book about Star Wars and Philosophy: More Powerful than
Everything and Nothing(2000) Edited by You Can Possibly Imagine(2005) Edited by
William Irwin Jason T.Eberl and Kevin S.Decker
VOLUME2 VOLUME13
The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D’oh! Of Superheroes and Philosophy: Truth, Justice, and
Homer(2001) Edited by William Irwin, the Socratic Way(2005) Edited by Tom
Mark T.Conard,and Aeon J.Skoble Morris and Matt Morris
VOLUME3 VOLUME14
The Matrix and Philosophy: Welcome to the The Atkins Diet and Philosophy: Chewing the
Desert of the Real(2002) Edited by William Fat with Kant and Nietzsche(2005) Edited by
Irwin Lisa Heldke,Kerri Mommer,and Cindy
Pineo
VOLUME4
Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Philosophy: Fear VOLUME15
and Trembling in Sunnydale(2003) Edited by The Chronicles of Narnia and Philosophy: The
James B.South Lion, the Witch, and the Worldview (2005)
Edited by Gregory Bassham and Jerry
VOLUME5
Walls
The Lord of the Rings and Philosophy: One
Book to Rule Them All(2003) Edited by VOLUME16
Gregory Bassham and Eric Bronson Hip Hop and Philosophy: Rhyme 2 Reason
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Volume 6
Tommie Shelby
Baseball and Philosophy: Thinking Outside the
Batter’s Box(2004) Edited by Eric Bronson VOLUME17
Bob Dylan and Philosophy: It’s Alright Ma (I’m
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Only Thinking)(2006) Edited by Peter
The Sopranos and Philosophy: I Kill Therefore I
Vernezze and Carl J.Porter
Am(2004) Edited by Richard Greene and
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VOLUME8
Aristotle (2006) Edited by Bernard E.
Woody Allen and Philosophy: You Mean My
Rollin,Carolyn M.Gray,Kerri Mommer,
Whole Fallacy Is Wrong?(2004) Edited by
and Cynthia Pineo
Mark T.Conard and Aeon J.Skoble
VOLUME9 VOLUME19
Monty Python and Philosophy: Nudge Nudge,
Harry Potter and Philosophy: If Aristotle Ran
Think Think!(2006) Edited by Gary L.
Hogwarts(2004) Edited by David Baggett
Hardcastle and George A.Reisch
and Shawn E.Klein
VOLUME10 INPREPARATION:
Mel Gibson’s Passion and Philosophy: The Cross, Poker and Philosophy: Pocket Rockets and
the Questions, the Controversy(2004) Edited by Philosopher Kings(2006) Edited by Eric
Jorge J.E.Gracia Bronson
VOLUME11 U2 and Philosophy(2006) Edited by Mark
Wrathall
More Matrix and Philosophy: Revolutions and
Reloaded Decoded(2005) Edited by William The Undead and Philosophy: Chicken Soup for
Irwin the Soulless(2006) Edited by Richard
Greene and K.Silem Mohammad
Popular Culture and PhilosophyTM
Monty Python
and Philosophy
Nudge Nudge,Think Think!
Edited by
GARY L. HARDCASTLE
and
GEORGE A. REISCH
OPEN COURT
Chicago and La Salle, Illinois
Volume 19 in the series Popular Culture and PhilosophyTM
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Monty Python and philosophy :nudge nudge,think think! / edited by
Gary L.Hardcastle and George A.Reisch.
p.cm.— (Popular culture and philosophy ;19)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13:978-0-8126-9593-9 (trade paper :alk.paper)
ISBN-10:0-8126-9593-3 (trade paper :alk.paper)
1. Monty Python (Comedy troupe) I.Hardcastle,Gary L.
II.Reisch,George A.,1962– III.Series.
PN2599.5.T54M65 2006
791.45'028092241—dc22
2006003083
To Kiah, Cheshire, and Quinn,
who’ve never had to be told to think for themselves
—G.L.H.
And to Bruces Everywhere
—G.A.R.
