Joseph Westfall - Hannibal Lecter and Philosophy: The Heart of the Matter

Praise for Hannibal Lecter and Philosophy

The eighteen essays in this smart and playful anthology address, among other subjects, the connections between psychiatry and empathy, aesthetics and haute cuisine, friendship, art, and the nature of desire. Get to know Hannibal Lecter, this book suggests, and you get to know what it means to live a life of the mind, as well as the flesh.

MIKITA BROTTMAN, Author of Meat Is Murder! An Illustrated Guide to Cannibal Culture

Hannibal Lecter and Philosophy is a smorgasbord of dark delights. The menu offers a seared entree of our own empathetic responses as manipulated by facial close-ups, as well as an exploration of the morality of people-eating; main courses featured include a steamy analysis of sociopathic feelings of divinity and a chilled look at horror-pleasure. In servings that ponder the films, television series, and novels, this book will help anyone with a taste for intellectual blood sharpen her thoughts on the refined, sophisticated, and delicious Dr. Lecter.

SARA WALLER, Editor of Serial Killers: Being and Killing

Hannibal Lecter refuses to be categorized and his multiple incarnations make any attempt nearly impossible, as well as dangerous (just remember the poor census taker). Thankfully, the contributors to this volume have not attempted to analyze Hannibal, as he cannot be reduced to a set of check marks, but instead have focused on what Hannibal reveals about various aspects and ideas ranging from aesthetics to friendship to the morality of cannibalism. More importantly, these essays explicitly and implicitly focus on why we are fascinated with Hannibal and what that fascination reveals about human nature. No matter which version of Hannibal the reader prefers, he or she will find all of the essays illuminating, perhaps frighteningly so.

MICHELLE GOMPF, Author of Thomas Harris and William Blake: Allusions in the Hannibal Lecter Novels

On very rare occasions, an author will dream up a fictional character who steps from the book that first brought him to life and enters the realm of pop myth. Bram Stoker did it with Dracula, Arthur Conan Doyle with Sherlock Holmes, Edgar Rice Burroughs with Tarzan. And in a pair of now-classic horror-thrillers from the 1980sRED DRAGON and THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBSThomas Harris did it with Hannibal Lecter. Though Dr. Lecter informs Clarice Starling that he is a phenomenon that resists explanation, this rich and provocative collection proves otherwise. With penetrating insight and a sophisticated wit that the good doctor himself would surely appreciate, these essays shed consistently sharp light on the moral, psychological, and philosophical complexities of Americas most beloved cannibal killer.

HAROLD SCHECHTER, Author of Man-Eater: The Life and Legend of an American Cannibal

Hannibal Lecter is suave, cultured, brilliantand profoundly evil. Who is Hannibal, reallyvampire, psychopath, artist, devil? Drawing upon philosophers from Plato to Foucault, and Augustine to Nietzsche, this book will engage any reader interested in this villains multiple incarnations on page and screen. By examining Hannibal in relation to numerous philosophical issues, including revenge, justice, evil, forgiveness, autonomy, empathy, and even humor, the authors in this collection provide subtle insights into one of our most fascinating fictional monsters.

CYNTHIA FREELAND, Author of The Naked and the Undead: Evil and the Appeal of Horror and co-editor of Philosophy and Film

Like a savory multi-course meal prepared by chef cuisinier/serial killer Dr. Lecter himself, Hannibal Lecter and Philosophy stimulates the intellectual appetite, provides variety, cleanses the palate between courses, and concludes leaving the reader both satiated and wanting more. Within these pages will be found a sumptuous, complexly layered reading experience, covering in relation to the fiction, film, and television incarnations of Dr. Lecter philosophical topics as varied as the cosmopolitanism and classifications of cannibalism; natural law; moral virtues and professional ethics; the existence and nature of God; moral dualism and pluralism; corruption and incorruptibility; psychopathology, psychiatry, and psychology; neuroscience; the pitfalls of friendship, love, and empathy; the aesthetics of the culinary arts, the fine arts, and murder; behaviorism versus transcendental evil; the cruelty of wit and humor; and monstrosity and horror. All of this makes for a heady meal, to be sure; yet as is typical of the Popular Culture and Philosophy series, both the general and academic reader alike will find something to please ones taste here. Come, let these writers show you to Dr. Lecters table, where pity has no place but which can be far more engaging than theater. Prepare for a dark but illuminating feast.

PHILIP L. SIMPSON, Author of Making Murder: The Fiction of Thomas Harris

Poor Clariceup against the greatest screen villain of all time! Poor Willknowing the truth is not enough! Poor Hannibalsearching for his equal!... Or is it his next meal? This delectable six-course banquet cuts, peels, pulls, and savors every morsel at the table Hannibal has set before us. Chewing on the deeper meanings of the books, films, and TV series, the chefs... um, writers... in this book revel in a range of tastes that can help us better sample the world around us.

JOSEF STEIFF, Editor of Sherlock Holmes and Philosophy

Psychopath. Vampire. Devil. Monster. Hannibal Lecters truly phenomenal popularity, homicidal though he may be, raises complex ethical and socio-philosophical issues, explored in this addition to the Popular Culture and Philosophy series.

ROBERT CETTL, Author of Serial Killer Cinema

Volume 96 in the series, Popular Culture and Philosophy, edited by George A. Reisch

To find out more about Open Court books, call toll-free 1-800-815-2280, or visit our website at www.opencourtbooks.com.

Open Court Publishing Company is a division of Carus Publishing Company, dba Cricket Media.

Copyright 2016 by Carus Publishing Company, dba Cricket Media

First printing 2016

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher, Open Court Publishing Company, 70 East Lake Street, Suite 800, Chicago, Illinois 60601.

ISBN: 978-0-8126-9913-5

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015949856

For Mischa, and innocence recollected

Before we begin, you must all be warned: Nothing here is vegetarian.

Bon apptit.

HANNIBAL LECTER, MD

Le Menu

Apritif

JOSEPH WESTFALL

Amuse-Bouche

MANDY-SUZANNE WONG

Hors-doeuvre

JOSEPH WESTFALL

Potage

BENJAMIN MCCRAW

Oeufs

TRIP MCCROSSIN

Farineux

DANIEL MALLOY

Poisson

DERRICK L. HASSERT

Entre

RICHARD MCCLELLAND

Sorbet

JOHN MCATEER

Relev

JASON DAVIS

Rti

ANDREW PAVELICH

Lgumes

SELENA K.L. BREIKSS

Salades

TIM JONES

Buffet Froid

JASON HOLT

Entremet de scre