New book uses The Office to introduce classic philosophy

Most of us would agree that we are who we are. But could it also be said that we are who we think we are? Is that not a contradiction, or is it also inherently true? These are just a few of the questions explored in The Office and Philosophy, a series of essays that use examples from The Office – both the Emmy Award-winning NBC series, as well as the BBC series (created by Ricky Gervais) on which it is based – to explore timeless philosophical questions. Edited by Jeremy Wisnewski, assistant professor of philosophy at Harwick College in New York, it’s the latest in a series of books by Wiley-Blackwell that uses popular movies and TV shows as a vehicle to introduce philosophy. With The Office having recently aired its season finale, it’s a fun way to look back at previous episodes until the show returns in the fall. I recently chatted by phone with Wisnewski about the book; click http://booksden.wordpress.com/2008/06/08/qa-with-jeremy-wisnewski-editor-of-%e2%80%9cthe-office-and-philosophy%e2%80%9d/ to read our conversation.

Ed Robertson

Pop Culture Critic and Television Historian

www.edrobertson.com