Aaron Allen Schiller - Stephen Colbert and Philosophy: I Am Philosophy (And So Can You!) (Popular Culture and Philosophy)

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

POPULAR CULTURE AND PHILOSOPHY

PHILOSOPHY / TV and FILM

SCHILLER

tephen T. Colbert,

This smart and lively crew gets it, which Ph.D., D.S.M., D.F.A.,

is to say, they are it-getters. They get is an inspiration to

that Colbert is more than funny, and they billions of Americans.

help all of us better understand that he What other man

has much to teach us about the great

could have won both

philosophical debates of our times.

an Olympic gold

GEOFFREY BAYM, University of North

STEPHEN COLBER

medal and the

Carolina, Greensboro

Nobel Peace

Prize?

Media culpa! If Stephen Colbert

Sadly, until now,

interviewed Plato, what would

Dr. Colbert has

Socrates say? This romp through the

not received

great philosophers and philosophical

adequate

perspectives helps us understand the

adulation by the

immortal question: How do we know

intellectual elite, for

stuff? No manual for wordinistas, this

the simple reason that these ivy-covered book shows us how philosophy offers

invertebrates have no balls and therefore useful correctives to the pitfalls of

dont get it.

truthiness in American life.

W. LANCE BENNETT, co-author of

Meanwhile, Aaron Allen Schiller, under

When the Press Fails: Political Power

deep cover as a so-called professor

and the News Media from Iraq to

of philosophy, has assembled a crack

Katrina

team of professional it-getters, with

more balls than Obamas inauguration.

T

Not since Socrates, has a gadfly stung

They have clandestinely infiltrated the

his State with so much irony. An

Americaphobic cloisters of academe,

AND PHILOSOPHY

American treasure, Stephen Colbert

with but a single fixed and indomitable

is an audacious social philosopher at

purpose: to manufacture and release this heartand here are the essays to prove

awesome weapon of mass destruction,

it. Readers with no background in

Stephen Colbert and Philosophy. When

philosophy will find much truthiness in

the shock and awe die down, philosophy

these pages, and see a whole new side

will be set on its true course: uncovering to their favorite satire.

and expounding the timeless insights of

Stephen Colbert.

STEPHEN T. ASMA, author of The Gods

Drink Whiskey

Stephen Colbert and Philosophy is a

family-friendly product, with very little Aaron Allen Schiller is a baseball fan,

salacious or offensive content, in fact

cyclist, longboarder, cat owner, and

STEPHEN

almost none. Reluctance to purchase

home brewer. He has reportedly told

this book may possibly be a sign of

some of his associates he teaches

disloyalty to our great nation and will

philosophy at the University of

C

unnecessarily prolong the economic

Wisconsin at Milwaukee.

olbert

hard times.

AND PHILOSOPHY

OPEN COURT: CHICAGO AND LA SALLE, ILLINOIS

-FPO BAR CODE

FOR OTHER TITLES IN THE POPULAR CULTURE AND

PRINTER, PLEASE STRIP IN

PHILOSOPHY SERIES, VISIT OPENCOURTBOOKS.COM

ACTUAL BAR CODE HERE.

I AM PHILOSOPHY (AND SO CAN YOU!)

COVER DESIGN & ILLUSTRATION: SHANE ARBOGAST,WWW.SHANEARBOGAST.COM

E D I T E D B Y A A R O N A L L E N S C H I L L E R

Colbert and Philosophy 4/5/09 7:46 PM Page i Stephen Colbert

and Philosophy

Colbert and Philosophy 4/5/09 7:46 PM Page ii Popular Culture and Philosophy

Series Editor: George A. Reisch

VOLUME 1

VOLUME 18

VOLUME 31

Seinfeld and Philosophy: A Book

Harley-Davidson and Philosophy:

Johnny Cash and Philosophy:

about Everything and Nothing

Full-Throttle Aristotle (2006)

The Burning Ring of Truth (2008) (2000)

Edited by Bernard E. Rollin,

Edited by John Huss and David

Carolyn M. Gray, Kerri Mommer,

Werther

VOLUME 2

and Cynthia Pineo

The Simpsons and Philosophy: The

VOLUME 32

Doh! of Homer (2001)

VOLUME 19

Bruce Springsteen and Philosophy:

Monty Python and Philosophy:

Darkness on the Edge of Truth

VOLUME 3

Nudge Nudge, Think Think! (2006) (2008) Edited by Randall E. Auxier

The Matrix and Philosophy:

Edited by Gary L. Hardcastle and

and Doug Anderson

Welcome to the Desert of the Real

George A Reisch

(2002)

VOLUME 33

VOLUME 20

Battlestar Galactica and

VOLUME 4

Poker and Philosophy: Pocket

Philosophy: Mission Accomplished

Buffy the Vampire Slayer and

Rockets and Philosopher Kings

or Mission Frakked Up? (2008)

Philosophy: Fear and Trembling

(2006) Edited by Eric Bronson

Edited by Josef Steiff and Tristan

in Sunnydale (2003)

V

D. Tamplin

OLUME 21

VOLUME 5

U2 and Philosophy: How to

VOLUME 34

The Lord of the Rings and

Decipher an Atomic Band (2006)

iPod and Philosophy: iCon of an

Philosophy: One Book to Rule

Edited by Mark A. Wrathall

ePoch (2008) Edited by D.E.

Them All (2003)

V

Wittkower

OLUME 22

VOLUME 6

The Undead and Philosophy:

VOLUME 35

Baseball and Philosophy:

Chicken Soup for the Soulless

Star Trek and Philosophy: The

Thinking Outside the Batters Box

(2006) Edited by Richard Greene

Wrath of Kant (2008) Edited by

(2004)

and K. Silem Mohammad

Jason T. Eberl and Kevin S.

VOLUME 7

V

Decker

OLUME 23

The Sopranos and Philosophy:

James Bond and Philosophy:

VOLUME 36

I Kill Therefore I Am (2004)

Questions Are Forever (2006)

The Legend of Zelda and

VOLUME 8

Edited by James B. South and

Philosophy: I Link Therefore I Am

Woody Allen and Philosophy:

Jacob M. Held

(2008) Edited by Luke Cuddy

You Mean My Whole Fallacy Is

VOLUME 24

VOLUME 37

Wrong? (2004)

Bullshit and Philosophy:

The Wizard of Oz and Philosophy:

VOLUME 9

Guaranteed to Get Perfect Results

Wicked Wisdom of the West (2008)