Stephen Colbert and Philosophy - Aaron Allen Schiller [146]
208
Edward O. Wilson, The Future of Life (Knopf, 2003).
209
Consumer Society: Myths and Structure (London: Sage, 1998), pp. 121-22.
210
Proceeds from the sale of WristStrong bracelets were donated to Veterans’ organizations.
211
Scott Classified, posting on Colbert Nation, August 9th, 2007. ColbertNation.com. Accessed May 10th, 2008.
212
The authors gratefully acknowledge the generous help of Aaron A. Schiller on earlier versions of this paper.
213
Episode 3016, originally aired February 1st, 2007.
214
Episode 5012, originally aired January 22nd, 2009. “Why not have everybody just be white? And then there’s no racism… . Why not dream, as I believe Dr. King did, that one day everyone would be the same color?”
Volume 41 in the series, Popular Culture and Philosophy®, edited by George A. Reisch
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Stephen Colbert and philosophy : I am philosophy (and so can you!) / edited by
Aaron Allen Schiller.
p. cm.—(Popular culture and philosophy ; v. 41)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
eISBN : 978-0-812-69690-5
1. Colbert, Stephen, 1964—Criticism and interpretation. I. Schiller, Aaron Allen, 1974
PN2287.C5695S35 2009
791.4502’8092—dc22
[B]
2008039722
Table of Contents
Popular Culture and Philosophy Series Editor: George A. Reisch
Title Page
Dedication
Acknowledgements
Philosophy for Heroes
FIRST SEGMENT - The WØRD: First Principles of Colbertian Philosophy
Chapter 1 - Colbert, Truthiness, and Thinking from the Gut
My Truth
Moral Relativism
Justifying from the Gut
“That’s My Right”
The Truth about Politics and Philosophy
Where Do We Go from Here?
Chapter 2 - Formidable Opponent and the Necessity of Moral Doubt
Moral Doubt
Why Moral Doubt Is a Good Thing
The Source of Moral Doubt
The Who in Ethics
The What in Ethics
The How Much in Ethics
The Whom in Ethics
Special Status in Ethics
Explaining Moral Doubt
Chapter 3 - Things that Make You Go “What?”
To Avoid Begging the Question, Don’t Ask Questions!
Giving Everyone the Chance to Agree with You
Truthseeking in the No Fact Zone: Helping You Spread the Message of Me
Systematically Anti-Systematic: He Said, She Said, Enough Said
Hundred Percent Hypo -Analytical: Don’t Like It? Label It!
Anti-Judicious: Giving You the Chance to See Why You’re Wrong
Under-Confidence in Reason: Once It’s Easier Said, then It’s Done
Chapter 4 - Philosophy at Play
Play and Seriousness
Politics, Play, and the End of Life
Sin, Play, and the “Synagogues of Satan”
Chapter 5 - No Need for the Wordinistas at Webster’s
The Meaningness of Terms
Senseness and Nonsenseness
Paul Grice’s Implicature
Colbert Examplality
Implicature and Humorosity
Original Wordality
Conclestions
SECOND SEGMENT - The ThreatDown: Truthiness
Chapter 6 - Truth, Truthiness, and Bullshit for the American Voter
The Gut and the Heart
Just the Facts, Ma’am
The Politics of Bullshit
The Truthiness of the Vote
Wishing and Dogmatism
Chapter 7 - Truthiness of the Appearances
Do You Know the Stuff You Think You Know? No!
Better Know a Skeptic: A Four-Part Series
Pyrrhonian Skepticism: Belief Is Undesirable
Modern Skepticism: Knowledge