Game of Thrones and Philosophy (Blackwel Philosophy and Pop Culture)

Are honor and virtue necessary for happiness, or do they get in the way?Can wargs, direwolves, and other magical beings reveal truths about consciousness and our own reality?Does prophecy show that we are mere pawns of destiny, or are we free to live authentic lives?If ever a story was ripe for philosophical analysis, George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series is. In Westeros and beyond the Narrow Sea, Martin’s fantasy world is filled with dozens of complex characters in conflict with themselves and others, facing self-doubt, moral hazard, deception, uncertainty, hubris, and social and political unrest. While the Seven Kingdoms have been plunged into war, beyond the Wall, the horrors of winter are coming. And far away, a young queen wrestles with her destiny as she journeys to reclaim her home. This insightful guide draws on the works of Machiavelli, Hobbes, Descartes, Augustine, Plato, Aristotle, and many other great philosophers to analyze key characters and plotlines while exploring themes of war, honor, knowledge, morality, gender politics, and more.