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Harry Potter and Philosophy: If Aristotle Ran Hogwarts | 
 enlarge | Creators: David Baggett, Shawn E. Klein, William Irwin
Publisher: Open Court
Category: Book
List Price: $17.95
Buy Used: $5.95
You Save: $12.00 (67%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  16 reviews
Sales Rank: 13412
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 250
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 8.9 x 6 x 0.4
ISBN: 0812694554
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.914
EAN: 9780812694550
ASIN: 0812694554
Publication Date: September 10, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Harry Potter has put a spell on millions of readers, and they all want to find out more about the deeper meaning of his adventures. In Harry Potter and Philosophy, 17 experts in the field of philosophy unlock some of Hogwarts' secret panels, uncovering surprising insights that are enlightening both for wizards and for the most discerning muggles. Individual chapters look at such topics as life revealed in the Mirror of Erised; the ethics of magic; Moaning Myrtle, Nearly Headless Nick, and the relation of the mind to the brain; and the character of Hermione as a case of "sublimated feminism." Also examined in this witty collection are how Aristotle would have run a school for wizards; whether the Potter stories undermine religion and morality; how to tell good people from evil ones through the characters in these novels; and what dementors and boggarts can teach readers about happiness, fear, and the soul.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 11 more reviews...
 1 great essay, 1 good essay, and 14 essays to waste your time September 1, 2007
2 out of 5 found this review helpful
After finishing book 7, but before rereading all of the HP books, I wanted to read something that was about the HP books, to see what other people had to say.
This book, consisting of 16 essays, is not about the Harry Potter books. Rather, it uses the characters and events in the Harry Potter books to illustrate the philosophical arguments that are studied at University level in Philosophy 101. For the most part, it won't add to you knowledge of Harry Potter, but it will make you glad you don't have to take Philosophy 101 again (or for the first time).
The essay "Magic, Science, and the Ethics of Technology" is an exception to the overall quality of the book. This is an outstanding essay, that focuses on magic in the HP books and its relationship to science and technology. The authors have thought out the issues very clearly, and this essay does shed significant light on the HP books. In brief, magic is seen as a proto-science, roughly comparable to the field of 'Natural Philosophy' as was studied in Europe just before the dawn of the scientific age. Magic has natural laws that are followed, and the students at Hogwarts have to learn these laws. It's not just waving a wand and having any desire 'magically' brought about. And they also have to learn the ethical principles involved in using magic. A brilliant, wonderful essay here.
The good essay is "Feminism and Equal Opportunity: Hermione and the Women of Hogwarts". In brief, this essay discusses how the Wizarding world is one in which there is pretty much full equality between the sexes, and everyone in the books just assumes it. As but one example, several of the players on the Irish Quidditch World Cup team are women, but this is only mentioned in passing, since it's no big deal that women are on the same world championship team with men.
The rest of the essays are a complete waste of time. They are nothing but empty philosophical concepts, basically empty words chasing other empty words in circles. (In the philosophical debate on whether ethics and metaphysics are worth studying or are the results of linguistic errors, I come down on the side of the Ordinary Language Philosophers like Wittgenstein.) As examples, taking several pages to discuss the real-world possibility of apparating as traveling through 'real' worm-holes, and discussing the paradoxes of time travel misses the point of Harry Potter.
If you want to know more about HP, read 'Unlocking Harry Potter' by John Granger.
Without the essay on Magic and Science, I would have given the book a 1. But I don't think one excellent essay out of 16 can raise the rating to a 3. So I'll leave it at 2.
A Good Excuse to Enjoy Harry Potter as an Adult June 4, 2007
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
I very much enjoyed reading "Harry Potter and Philosophy: If Aristotle Ran Hogwarts". As one who reads the Potter books mostly for the escapism, it was interesting to have the help of professional philosophers help me delve into the deeper meanings contained in the books. This book also helped me to appreciate JKR's talent even more. I believe she must have more than a cursery knowledge of philosophy herself. My favorite essays were "Feminism and Equal Opportunity:Herminone and the Women of Hogwarts", "Heaven, Hell and Harry Potter" "Magic,Muggles and Moral Imagination" and "The Prophecy-Driven Life: Foreknowledge and Freedom at Hogwarts" All of the essays had at least one "ah HA" moment where the brain went into high gear and really started purring. The essay "Space, Time and Magic" caused the usual brain cramp that all time travel conundrums do and I enjoyed it as much as I always enjoy such discussions with the addition that new concepts were introduced of which I had previously been unaware. I was not aquainted with the terms "tensed" and "tenseless" time. This book is probably not for the expert philosopher as these concepts will be basics but for someone of my experience (almost none) studying philosophy,it was a great read. Just like a good movie, don't leave before the credits are done; the bios at the end are amusing.
Common Sense Revealed January 17, 2007
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
To begin with, the subtitle should read:
If Aristotle Ran Hogwarts he wouldn't change a thing.
These Philosophers praise J.K. Rowlings for her character development of both the good and bad people in the books. They recognise, describe and praise her treatment of them and find her ideas mirrored in other philosphers. It's a fun read most of the time but to me the praise of that most uncommon of all qualities 'Common Sense' found in Rowlings was a pleasure.
Interesting perspective August 19, 2006
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
I read this book not expecting any great new philosophies or insights into old ones. I was pleasantly surprised. As a person that has read many of the older philosophical texts, I know how hard it is to sometimes understand the reasonings and logic presented. I think this book presents its ideas in a very clear way that even the youngest audiences of Harry Potter would be able to have a good introduction to philosophical thought.
 Entertaining enlightenment January 12, 2006
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
As a Harry Potter fan, I pick up almost anything with Harry in the title. Often, I put it back down after a cursory glance. Not this time!
This book is a collection of essays on philosophical questions raised in the Harry Potter series. It would be a good adjunct for anyone taking a college level philosophy course, to see a practical application of using philosophy to aid in understanding literature - or the use of literature to understand philosophy!
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