The Big Lebowski and Philosophy

Keeping Your Mind Limber with Abiding Wisdom

By: William Irwin, Peter S. Fosl

Narrated by: Darren Stephens

Celebrate the Dude with an abiding look at the philosophy behind The Big Lebowski.

Is the Dude a bowling-loving stoner or a philosophical genius living the good life? Naturally, it's the latter, and The Big Lebowski and Philosophy explains why. Enlisting the help of great thinkers like Plato and Nietzsche, the book explores the movie's hidden philosophical layers, cultural reflection, and political commentary. It also answers key questions, including:

The Dude abides, but is abiding a virtue? Is the Dude an Americanized version of the Taoist way of life? How does The Big Lebowski illustrate the Just War Theory? How does bowling help Donny, Walter, and the Dude oppose nihilism?

Yes, the Dude is deep, and so is this book. Don't watch the movie - or go to Lebowski Fest - without it. This book:

• Explores many of The Big Lebowski's key themes, such as nihilism, war and politics, money and materialism, idealism and morality, history, and more
• Gives you new perspective on the movie's characters: the Dude, the Big Lebowski, Walter Sobchak, Donny, Maude Lebowski, Bunny Lebowski, and others
• Helps you appreciate the Coen Brothers classic even more with the insights of Aristotle, Epicurus, Kant, Derrida, and other philosophical heavyweights

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2012 John Wiley and Sons (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Worth reading but uneven

Most of the essays raise and discuss a fascinating philosophical issue arising out of the movie, even if the particular conclusions are not all that convincing. Some of them are a bit more forced and impassible and less interesting, but as a whole, the volume gives you a lot to think about, and helps elucidate some of the themes that the movie, the big Lebowski grapples with.

Reads like atudents essays

Really simplistic projection of theorie into the movie by a newbie. Read a as if it were students' assignment.