Delight Springs

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

A graphic evil genius

Spent some time yesterday reviewing a new philosophical graphic novel. The publisher sent me a chapter on Descartes, featuring a demonic green female "evil genius." Is that misogynistic? No more, I suppose, than Boethius's Lady Philosophy, "a woman of a countenance exceeding venerable," or Nietzsche's "supposing truth is a woman" (with whom we are "inexpert"). Less, in fact. But why was the demon in a bikini? Oh yeah, they want to sell some books.

Two years ago I did the Intro course on a graphic novel theme. Philosophy forBeginners was okay...



And Logicomix:An Epic Search for Truth was better.



Russell (whose relationships with women arguably had their sexist aspect) later and wisely got off the Royal Road, which was always a detour to dogmatism. The "conquest of happiness" is not accomplished via total certainty. But he had to travel that road for a while, to discover that lower-case truth.

Now, I have the delicious task of cashing in my reviewer's Honorarium: $300 worth of the publisher's books. That won't take long.




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