Nicolas Michaud - Deadpool and Philosophy: My Common Sense Is Tingling

Table of Contents

BEN ABELSON is an assistant professor of philosophy at Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, New York. He has been the vocalist in various New York City hard rock and heavy metal bands, including Scribes of Fire and God Ox. Like Deadpool, he has several voices in his head, but they all sound like Tom Waits or King Diamond.

JOHN ALTMANN is an independent scholar and essayist in Philosophy. He is also the creator of his own online Philosophy brand Ferrum Intellectus. John always thought he talked too much as a philosopher until he had a run in with the Merc with the Mouth... and his katana.

ADAM BARKMAN is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Redeemer University College. He has authored five booksincluding one on superheroesand co-edited five others, including two in the Popular Culture and Philosophy series. While Barkman prefers the more ethically upright superheroes, Deathstroke... wait, Deadshot... err... Deadpool has his moments as well.

MICHAEL BERRY is an Assistant Professor in the Mass Communications department at Kings College. His research interests include superheroes, presidential debates, and deception. His children, Seth and Noah, think hes the greatest superhero of all time until he tries to get them to go to sleep. He shares Deadpools love of chimichangas. Unicorns, not so much. He has agreed to be campaign manager for Deadpools upcoming presidential run in 2020that is, if he can tell whether Deadpool is lying about running for president or not.

COLE BOWMAN is a writer and independent scholar living in Portland, Oregon. She has contributed to several Popular Culture and Philosophy titles including Dracula and Philosophy: Dying to Know, More Doctor Who and Philosophy: Regeneration Time, and The Ultimate Walking Dead and Philosophy: Hungry for More. Like Deadpool, she looks great in red leather, owns a stuffed unicorn and wants to be best friends with Spider-Man. Also like Deadpool, Spider-Man couldnt be less interested.

MATTHEW BRAKE is a dual masters student at George Mason University pursuing degrees in Interdisciplinary Studies (with a focus on Religion) and Philosophy. He primarily studies the life and writings of Sren Kierkegaard, which leads him to believe hell only ever become an academic mercenary (adjunct professor) because he didnt study someone more marketable like Aristotle or Kant (see what I did there with mercenary? Because Deadpool).

GERALD BROWNING is a teacher of Composition and Literature at Baker College, Grace Bible College, and Muskegon Community College. He also takes the time to write (mostly grocery lists but sometimes novels and scholarly pieces about kick-ass mercenaries). Geralds work can be seen in Justified and Philosophy: Shoot First, Think Later (cuz he likes wearing chaps). He studies martial arts (but doesnt look nearly as good as Deadpool doing it) and enjoys spending time with his son and wife between boring lectures.

JAMIE CAWTHRA is a PhD student in Philosophy at the University of York. He works on the philosophy of fiction. He is sorry for talking about contradictions all that time (no he isnt), and hes not one-hundred-percent certain that were not all in a comic book right now.

BEN FULMAn received his PhD in Philosophy from Tel Aviv University. An outlaw, obeying society rules. He spends countless hours trying to figure out whether he can regrow his head after an encounter with the Hulk. His lifetime goal is to meet Evil Deadpool for a chimichanga.

KRISTA BONELLO RUTTER GIAPPONE completed her PhD on punk and alternative comedy at the University of Kent, and is an Assistant and Associate Lecturer at the Universities of Kent and Malta. She has published in the areas of comedy, critical theory, and videogames, and has delivered a number of papers and lectures on movies. Small wonder then that she is a fan of the Bwa-ha-ha Giffen school of OTT comic-book superheroism, with its awkward ambushes and heckles, and of the irrepressibly Mouthy Merc. She spends a lot of her time slipping between fictional worlds, and has found one guide in Deadpool, chaotic companion on a quixotic quest.

RHIANNON GRANT works in the areas of philosophy of religion, Wittgenstein, Quaker studies, and gender and sexuality. Despite this, she also finds time to follow several comic books and practice the ancient pacifist martial arts of stubbornness and pedantry. You wouldnt ask Deadpool to take his mask off, so dont ask whats under her hat.

COREY HORN is an undergraduate senior at Eastern Washington University. He focuses on social and political theory, as well as human rights and virtue ethics, but most of all he likes to read comics, watch superhero movies, and discuss why they are all just a bunch of losers.

JOHN V. KARAVITIS. You may not know that Johns life is as exciting and action-packed as the opening car chase/action sequence of the movie Deadpool. Yes, the world of popular culture and philosophy is truly one of intense, non-stop thrills, chills, and spills! (Wait, did I say as exciting and action-packed? I surely must have meant as much of a train wreck. Yes, of course. What was I thinking?)

CHRISTOPHER KETCHAM earned his doctorate at the University of Texas at Austin. He teaches business and ethics for the University of Houston downtown. His research interests are risk management, applied ethics, social justice, and East-West comparative philosophy. He has done recent work in the philosophical ideas of forgiveness, Emmanuel Levinass responsibility, Gabriel Marcels spirit of abstraction, space ethics, the ego in Buddhism and lots of chapters in Popular Culture and Philosophy volumes. Not to brag, but as you are reading this, I am watching you. See that surveillance camera over there. Deadpool says, Hi! You wont know what hit you when he does. Have a nice day.

WILLIAM R. LIVINGSTON is a graduate student in religious studies at Florida State University. He has written on the topics of bioethics, fantasy, myth, justice, race, and sex, in relation to such popular culture icons as Harry Potter and the Marvel universe.

DANIEL MALLOY teaches philosophy at Aims Community College in Greeley, Colorado. He has published numerous chapters on the intersections of popular culture and philosophy, including contributions on Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, Spider-Man, Iron Man, and the Avengers. Daniel doesnt particularly like chimichangas, but he loves saying the word: Chimichanga. Chimichanga. Chimichanga. Enchilada, please. Enchilada. Enchilada. Enchilada.

JACOB THOMAS MAY is an avid philosophizer and constant reader of these books. He often sits and argues with (close?) friends about Batman or Goku vs. Superman and other nerdy stuff no one cares about. Hes constantly looking for that something that will turn him into a super(hero?) like Deadpool and help get ALL THE THINGS. Until then, hes content to keep wasting time with these chapters and hoping the world zombie apocalypse doesnt pass him by.

SHAWN MCKINNEY is a philosophy instructor at Hillsborough Community College SouthShore. He has been reading comics so long that he remembers when Cable was more popular than Deadpool. Hes happier than Wade Wilson regrowing a hand to finally team-up superhero comics and philosophy.

LOUIS MELANON tries to break the fourth wall but can never find the camera. He is a PhD candidate at the George Washington University and faculty member at the National Intelligence University. The lawyers say he has to put in: The views expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Defense Intelligence Agency, Department of Defense, or the US government. Lawyers suck.