No doubt the years hunting monsters and saving the universe have
had their toll on the Winchesters, but their toughest and most
gruesome battles are contained in this book. Think Lucifer was
diabolically clever? Think again. No son is more wayward
than the one who squanders his intellect and academic career
pursuing questions as poignant as "Half-awesome? That's
full-on good, right?" Gathered here for the first time
since the formation of Purgatory, a collection of research so
arcane and horrific that it would make even the late, great Bobby
Singer blush.

Supernatural and Philosophy tackles all the big ideas in the
long-running hit show Supernatural, covering thorny issues
in a fun and accessible way. Even those unfamiliar with the show
will find fascinating insights into Heaven, Hell, Angels, Demons,
God, and Lucifer.

* A unique collection of insights into the many philosophical,
religious, and paranormal topics in the hit TV show,
Supernatural

* Accessible treatment of thorny issues for a general
audience

* Written by philosophical fans of the show, for philosophical
fans of the show

* Those unfamiliar with the show will still find fascinating
insights into Heaven, Hell, Angels, Demons, God, Lucifer, and Good
and Evil

* Contributors tackle issues ranging from the biological
classifications of monsters, to the epistemological problems of
ghost hunting

Galen A. Foresman is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, where
he teaches ethics and critical thinking. He is the author of
"Why Batman Is Better than Superman" in Batman and
Philosophy (Wiley, 2008) and "What's Wrong with Camping?"
in Halo and Philosophy (2011).

William Irwin is 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 Superman
and Philosophy, Black Sabbath and Philosophy, and
Spider-Man and Philosophy.

• A unique collection of insights into the many philosophical, religious, and paranormal topics in the hit TV show, Supernatural
• Accessible treatment of thorny issues for a general audience
• Written by philosophical fans of the show, for philosophical fans of the show
• Those unfamiliar with the show will still find fascinating insights into Heaven, Hell, Angels, Demons, God, Lucifer, and Good and Evil
• Contributors tackle issues ranging from the biological classifications of monsters, to the epistemological problems of ghost hunting

Acknowledgments vii

Introduction: Codename: GhostPhacers 1

Part One Of Monsters and Morals 5

1 Are Monsters Members of the Moral Community? 7

Nathan Stout

2 Aristotle's Metaphysics of Monsters and Why We Love
Supernatural 16

Galen A. Foresman and Francis Tobienne, Jr.

3 Hunters, Warriors, Monsters 26

Shannon B. Ford

4 Team Free Will: Something Worth Fighting For 37

Devon Fitzgerald Ralston and Carey F. Applegate

Part Two Life, Liberty, and the Apocalypse 47

5 What the Hell Is Going On? 49

Galen A. Foresman

6 Try Hell, It's a Democracy and the Weather Is Warm
62

Dena Hurst

7 Hunting the American Dream: Why Marx Would Think It's a
Terrible Life 74

Jillian L. Canode

8 Mothers, Lovers, and Other Monsters: The Women of Supernatural
83

Patricia Brace

9 Night of the Living Dead Demons and a Life Worth Living
95

John Edgar Browning

Part Three Evil by Design 109

10 Dean Winchester and the Supernatural Problem of Evil
111

Daniel Haas

11 Angels and Atheists 125

Fredrick Curry

12 Oh God, You Devil 139

Danilo Chaib

Part Four It's Supernatural 151

13 Naturally Supernatural 153

James Blackmon with Galen A. Foresman

14 Masculinity and Supernatural Love 169

Stacey Goguen

15 Naturalizing Supernatural 179

Joseph L. Graves, Jr.

Contributors: Bona Fide, Card Carrying Wisdom Lovers and
GhostPhacers 189

Index 195