Let Gilligan's Island teach you about situational ethics. Learn about epistemology from The Brady Bunch. Explore Aristotle's Poetics by watching 24. Television has grappled with a wide range of philosophical conundrums. According to the networks, it's the ultimate source of all knowledge in the universe! So why not look to the small screen for answers to all of humanity's dilemmas? There's not a single issue discussed by the great thinkers of the past that hasn't been hashed out between commercials in shows like Mad Men and Leave It to Beaver. So fix yourself a snack, settle into the couch, grab the remote...and prepare to be enlightened.
This collection of essays by philosophers who are also fans does a deep probe of the Sopranos, analyzing the adventures and personalities of Tony, Carmella, Livia, and the rest of television's most irresistible mafia family for their metaphysical, epistemological, value theory, eastern philosophical, and contemporary postmodern possibilities. No prior philosophical qualificationsor mob connections are required to enjoy these musings, which are presented with the same vibrancy and wit that have made the show such a hit.
Despite their central role in many forms of music-making, drummers have been largely neglected in the scholarly literature on music and education. But kit drummers are increasingly difficult to ignore. While exponents of the drum kit are frequently mocked in popular culture, they are also widely acknowledged to be central to the musical success and aesthetic appeal of any musical ensemble in which they are found. Drummers are also making their presence felt in music education, with increasing opportunities to learn their craft in formal contexts. Drawing on data collected from in-depth interviews and questionnaires, Gareth Dylan Smith explores the identities, practices and learning of teenage and adult kit drummers in and around London. As a London-based drummer and teacher of drummers, Smith uses his own identity as participant-researcher to inform and interpret other drummers' accounts of their experiences. Drummers learn in multi-modal ways, usually with a keen awareness of exemplars of their art and craft. The world of kit drumming is highly masculine, which presents opportunities and challenges to drummers of both sexes. Smith proposes a new model of the 'Snowball Self', which incorporates the constructs of identity realization, learning realization, meta-identities and contextual identities. Kit drummers' identities, practices and learning are found to be intertwined, as drummers exist in a web of interdependence. Drummers drum; therefore they are, they do, and they learn - in a rich tapestry of means and contexts.
Finally, a book that delves into the warped and obsessive mind of today's golfer. Whether your idea of golf is an occasional round with fellow duffers at the local muni or frequent forays to far-flung courses in search of the perfect round, you'll identify with this book like no other. Popular golf humorist George Fuller will have you laughing as he makes light of the idiosyncrasies of otherwise sane people who are addicted to this holy, wholly frustrating game. I Golf, Therefore I Am—Nuts! brings out the humor in situations that all golfers can relate to: Looking for Mulligan, the patron saint of forgiveness The hype architects and developers use when describing a new course Quirks, quips, and superstitions from the PGA Tour If your eyes light up every time you read about a new driver, your TiVo has golf programming that originally aired in 2004, you receive holiday cards from greenskeepers, or your golf wardrobe doubles as business casual, then I Golf, Therefore I Am—Nuts! is for you.
The author of Jim Morrison: Dark Star tells the story of his entre into the exponentially growing cult of the iPod and the phenomenon that has revolutionized the way in which we hear music.
Once again there's good news for those of us who rage at the evening news, shake our heads at Washington's business-as-usual, or watch as politicians carom helplessly between political crises and sex scandals: Dennis Miller is back with his third installment of hilarious observations, I Rant, Therefore I Am. Dennis Miller first gained national acclaim as the wise-guy anchor of "Weekend Update" on "Saturday Night Live." When HBO premiered his weekly talk show in April 1994, both critics and fans enthusiastically agreed: "Dennis Miller Live" was the most refreshing talk show on television. The accolades have continued to pour in. In September 1994, Dennis and his staff won an Emmy Award for writing and have been regularly nominated since. When he takes the stage, the audience demands, "The rants, the rants, the rants," and once again, Dennis Miller delivers the goods. Fans of his smart, quirky, irreverent style of humor are in for another treat-this set of rants is even funnier than the last two rounds. Dennis Miller keeps on ranting in I Rant, Therefore I Am, and speaks his mind on topics like: MODELS-"How ironic that the most exquisite-looking people in the world should end up choosing the profession that requires them to spend all day by the phone waiting for the most hideous people to call them." COLLEGE-"I don't think you should have to pay back college loans unless you get a job in your field. Put some pressure on the school. If I can't pay my bills, I'm not paying yours." CONSUMERS-"You know how to tell when you've got a shopping problem? When the lights in the department store momentarily dim after they slide your credit card through the thing." FAITH-"I envy people who can just let go and totally commit. I, on the other hand, can't even hear the title of the show 'Touched by an Angel' without thinking that a professional baseball player is being sued for sexual harassment." ASTRONAUTS-"Anybody who would strap themselves onto a giant deodorant spray can, set off a series of explosions under their ass until they've been blasted into the icy vacuum of deep space, and then step outside to take a walk must have more balls than a twenty-four-hour Tokyo driving range."
Back in the early 1600s, Rene Descartes, the father of modern philosophy was struggling with the meaning of life, and wondering if he really existed, or if he was just some kind of awareness fl oating around in the universe. He fi nally resolved that he really did exist. His proof was stated, I think, therefore I am. Too bad for him there werent any old time cowboys around yet, or they could have saved him all that soul searching. Very early in the life of a cowboy, as he picks himself up out of a pile of rocks after being bucked off his horse, he knows for absolute certain of his existence. In the words of author and old time cowboy, Jon Garate, I HURT, THEREFORE I AM. Who would ever believe that growing up as a wild cowboy in the Old West would nurture the developing mind of a self-made philosopher? Herein, a reader can harvest-in-full, or glean piece-meal, nuggets ofhorse sense (country wisdom), feasting on the thoughts and ideas presented throughout this work of art.
You have a great pleasure waiting for you in this collection of essays, stories and reminiscences. The author has wide-ranging interests from such things as social issues and religion to the solar system and the psychology of the dreaming mind. His ideas will surprise and delight you and you will be intrigued by the unexpected slant he gives to old controversies as he searches for new answers. Humor is never far away. If he does fall into preaching in his discussions of economics and land use it is because he believes that a lack of attention to the forces at work are leading us toward disaster. In another mood which he labels Irish sentiment he tugs at our heart strings with his account of a simple thing like the death of a pet guinea pig. The selections are seldom longer than a few pages but the impact of each is to leave you with a satisfied feeling and the realization that you have something new to think about.
