What's Good on TV?

Jamie Carlin Watson is Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Chair of the Department of Religion and Philosophy at Young Harris College, Young Harris, Georgia. He has published in the fields of philosophy of science and popular culture and philosophy. His current research is in the epistemology of a priori justification. Robert Arp taught aspects of philosophy at several colleges and universities, including Southwest Minnesota State University, Florida State University, and Saint Louis University. He has published works in many philosophical areas, including philosophy of biology, philosophy of mind, and popular culture and philosophy.

“In short, this is an excellent book: pleasant and easy to read while imparting essential philosophical Knowledge.”  (Times Higher Education Supplement, 24 May 2012)

• Preface xiThe Pilot Episode: Ethics and Popular Culture 1What is Ethics? 1How Do We Make Progress in Ethics ? 9What Does Pop Culture Have to Do with Ethics? 29Series I. Is Anything "Good" on Television?The Nature of Moral ValueEpisode 1: Truth and Nihilism in Ethics 33Introduction 33The case for nihilism 39J. L. Mackie, “The Argument from Queerness,” from Ethics: Inventing Right and Wrong 39The case for realism 41C. S. Lewis, from Mere Christianity 41Case study: The Office (UK), “Work Experience,” series 1 43Study questions 45Alternative case studies 46Episode 2: Normativity – Social, Legal, and Moral 47Introduction 47You promised to play by the rules! 50John Rawls, “Legal Obligation and the Duty of Fair Play” 50What does my neighbor have to do with my goodness? 55John Stuart Mill, “Of the Limits to the Authority of Society over the Individual” from On Liberty 55Case study: The Sopranos, “College,” season 1 57Study questions 60Alternative case studies 60Episode 3: God and Ethics 61Introduction 61What has Athens to do with Jerusalem? 65Plato, Euthyphro 65Does God make the law or does he just let us in on it? 69C. S. Lewis, from The Problem of Pain 69Case study: Law & Order, “God Bless the Child,” season 2 73Study questions 75Alternative case studies 76Series II. What's Right and Wrong? Ethical TheoryEpisode 4: Moral Relativism 79Introduction 79Are we merely products of our culture? 83Ruth Benedict, “A Defense of Ethical Relativism” 83Relativism is unjustified 86James Rachels, “The Challenge of Cultural Relativism” 86Case study 1: Deadwood, “Childish Things,” season 2 91Case study 2: South Park, “Death Camp of Tolerance,” season 6 93Study questions 95Alternative case studies 95Episode 5: Deontology 97Introduction 97Kant’s theory of moral duty 98Immanuel Kant, from Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals 98Case study 1: Arrested Development, “Not without My Daughter,” season 1 105Contemporary Deontology 109Case study 2: Friends, “The One Where Phoebe Hates PBS,” season 5 109Study questions 112Alternative case studies 113Episode 6: Consequentialism 114Introduction 114Mill’s theory of utility 115John Stuart Mill, from Utilitarianism 115Case study 1: Battlestar Galactica, “You Can’t Go Home Again,” season 1 127Case study 2: The Twilight Zone (Newer), “Cradle of Darkness,” season 1 129Study questions 131Alternative case studies 132Episode 7: Virtue Ethics 133Introduction 133Aristotle’s theory of virtue 134Aristotle, from Nicomachean Ethics 134Case study 1: Foyle’s War, “Enemy Fire,” set 3 143Case study 2: Star Trek: The Next Generation, “Hide and Q,” season 1 147Study questions 151Alternative case studies 152Series III. But What's Right When . . . ? Practical EthicsEpisode 8: Environmental Ethics 155Introduction 155Two Approaches to Environmental Ethics 157Silly environmentalists, nature is for people 160William Baxter, “People or Penguins” 160Case study 1: Northern Exposure, “Zarya,” season 6 162Case study 2: Family Guy, “It Takes a Village Idiot, and I Married One,” season 5 165Study questions 168Alternative case studies 169Episode 9: Animal Welfare 170Introduction 170Two Dead Ends 171Three Approaches to Animal Welfare 173Animals are morally valuable, but not as valuable as adult humans 179Mary Anne Warren, “Difficulties with the Strong Rights Position” 179Case study 1: Bones, “Finger in the Nest,” season 4 182Case study 2: House, M.D., “Babies and Bathwater,” season 1 184Study questions 187Alternative case studies 188Episode 10: Abortion 189Introduction 189One Common Assumption 190Six Fallacies to Avoid 191Judith Jarvis Thomson and the Violinist Argument 197Mary Anne Warren and the Space Explorer 200Abortion is wrong for the same reason that killing adults is wrong 202Don Marquis, “Why Abortion is Immoral” 202Case study 1: Law & Order, “Dignity,” season 20 203Case study 2: Maude, “Maude’s Dilemma – Parts 1 and 2,” season 1 206Study questions 208Alternative case studies 209Episode 11: Homosexuality 210Introduction 210Arguments Against the Permissibility of Homosexuality 213Arguments for the Permissibility of Homosexuality 216Additional Concerns 220New natural law theory and the morality of homosexuality 220Stephen Macedo, “Homosexuality and the Conservative Mind”; Robert George and Bradley Gerard, “Marriage and the Liberal Imagination” 220Case study 1: Law & Order, “Manhood,” season 3 225Case study 2: Family Guy, “You May Now Kiss the . . . Uh . . . Guy Who Receives,” season 4 227Study questions 230Alternative case studies 231Episode 12: Punishment and Capital Punishment 232Introduction 232Theories of Punishment 234Arguments For and Against Capital Punishment 241Capital punishment is unjustified 244Jeffrey Reiman, “The Justice of the Death Penalty in an Unjust World” 244Case study 1: Star Trek: The Next Generation, “The Hunted,” season 3 246Case study 2: Oz, “Capital P,” season 1 249Study questions 252Alternative case studies 253Episode 13: Assisted Suicide 254Introduction 254A Few Terms 255Three Moral Arguments Against the Permissibility of Assisted Suicide 256Moral and Practical Arguments for the Permissibility of Assisted Suicide 260The good of society depends on assisted suicide 261Daniel Callahan, “Aging and the Ends of Medicine” 261Case study 1: Picket Fences, “Abominable Snowman,” season 2 262Case study 2: Scrubs, “My Jiggly Ball,” season 5 266Study questions 268Alternative case studies 269The Epilogue: Does TV Erode Our Values? 270The Moral Influence of Television 270The Debate Over Censorship 271A Kantian Reason not to Censor 272Case study 1: Family Guy, “PTV,” season 4 273Utilitarian Reasons not to Censor 274Moral Reasons to Censor 275Exploitation, Objectification, and TV 277Case study 2: Toddlers & Tiaras (any episode) 279Reality TV and Psychological Harm 283That’s All Folks! 286Study questions 286References 288Index 295