Dexter and Philosophy
Page 1
Table of Contents
Popular Culture and Philosophy
Title Page
Dedication
Acknowledgements
Know Thyself?
BODY PART I - Maiming and Necessity
Chapter 1 - The Killing Joke
What Is a Superhero?
Deeds Not Words
Origin Stories: The Orphan Makes Good
The Superhero Syndrome
The Only Truly Decent Man Left on the Planet
Chapter 2 - Dexter’s Pointy Ears
Dexter’s Loss Is Our Gain
The Spock Problem
The Dexter Problem
As Goes Dexter, So Go We?
The Good Life and The Dexter-like Life
Chapter 3 - Dearly Damaged Dexter
You’re a Killer, I Catch Killers
I’ve Always Sensed There Was Something Off about Him
A Little Bird with a Broken Wing
You Can’t Help What Happened to You. But You Can Make the Best of It
Chapter 4 - Can We Blame a Man with No Choice?
How Much Control Does Dexter Have Over the Butcher’s Knife?
Does Inevitability Absolve Us?
Judge Frankfurt Rules Dexter Guilty
Any Way You Slice It
Almost Caught!
Chapter 5 - What Dexter Doesn’t Know Can Hurt You
Reasonable Doubts
Bodies of Evidence
Hey Dex, Is Your Spidey-Sense Tingling Yet?
More than a Feeling?
Chapter 6 - Dexter the Self-Interpreting Animal
Dexter’s Inescapable Framework
Has Dexter Overcome Humanity?
The Need for Recognition
A Story in Search of a Narrator
Chapter 7 - Is Dexter Morgan Practically Perfect in Every Way?
Groomin’ Lumen
Corrupting the Youth of Miami
The Homicidal Imperative?
Kickin’ It New School
I’ve Got No Strings . . .
BODY PART II - The Cut of Dexter’s Jib
Chapter 8 - Dexter’s Mirror
The Seduction of Blood
The Void, Dread, and Murder
Dexter’s Ritual Transcendence of Death
All for Love
Chapter 9 - A Very Special Kind of Monster
Corpses and Nothingness
Violence and the Return of the Abject
Taking Out the (Six) Garbage (Bags)
Kicking the Dark Passenger
Rule Number One
Chapter 10 - The Sublime Dexter
The Power of the Sublime
The Passions Aroused by the Sublime
Look for Something Bludgeony
Dexter’s Aesthetics
Chapter 11 - Dexter’s Specimens
Try Our New Dahmerland Section at Specimens ‘R’ Us
Counting Specimen Slides
Dexter, Specimen Maker
Buddy’s Bones
Born Free of All That’s Human
Pulled Pork Sandwiches and the Sexual Politics of Meat
You Kidnapped a Cop This Time, You Know? Not Some Invisible Hooker
Designing Women in Dexter
Homosocially Yours, Dexter
Specimen Watching
BODY PART III - What Would Dexter Do?
Chapter 12 - Pathetic Rule Follower or Vigilante Hero?
What Is a Moral Code?
Weird but Likeable Psychopath?
Emotions, and Rules, and Morality (Oh My!)
Good? Evil? Icky? Sticky?
Vigilante Hero?
Chapter 13 - Deontology in Dahmerland
Why Might Dexter Be Amoral?
The Three Moral Theories
Dexter’s Deadly Virtues
The Dark Defender and the Needs of the Many
Dexter’s Dark Deontology
You Control Your Urges—They Do Not Control You
Chapter 14 - Best of Luck, Dexter!
Picking Up the Dark Passenger
Better You than Me, Dex!
Teaching the Code of Harry
. . . And No More Fucking Remorse
Where the Bodies Lie
Chapter 15 - Why Kill or Not Kill? That Is the Question
The Mind Thinking about Its Sense of Duty
Dexter Doing His Duty Dutifully?
The Mind Serves the Heart
Harry’s House
Dexter Is a Needy Ned
De-Deontologizing Dexter
BODY PART IV - Bad Blood and Bad Behavior
Chapter 16 - The Discipline of Dexter’s Punishment
The Wimpiness of Modern Punishment
Following Harry’s Code
You Can’t Always Kill Whom You Want
One Minute, You’re on Top of the World, the Next, Dexter’s Table
Dexter Is the Sovereign We’ve Been Waiting For
The Final Thrust to the Abdomen
Chapter 17 - Dexter the Busy Bee
Killing Killers, Saving Lives
The Thrill of the Kill
Bad Motives, Good Actions
Enter the Man-Devil
A Poem that Will Live in Infamy
A Second Look at Dexter’s Motives
Chapter 18 - You Hurt Her, You Hurt Me
Why Does Dexter Need a Family if Blood Is His Life?
Dexter’s Awkward Sexual Advances
Sex, Power, and Knowing Thyself
Morgan or Moser?
Chapter 19 - Dexter’s Whiteness
The Problem of Whiteness
The Invisible Killer
Murder and the Mise-en-Scène of Whiteness
Death, Sex, and Dexter
Chapter 20 - Happiness, Dexter Style
One Code to Kill Them All
Dexter: The Family Man?
Beyond the Code, Beyond the Lies
Can a Serial Killer Be Happy?
BODY PART V - Dexter’s Bloodline
Chapter 21 - Dexter Unmasked
Everyday Masks
Nietzsche’s Masks
Dark Passengers
True Blood
Deeply Dissecting Dexter
Chapter 22 - Neither Man nor Beast
Being Bad Feels So Good
The Self-Controlled Person
The Morally Strong Person
The Morally Weak Person
The Self-Indulgent Person
The Beast and the Saint
Locating Dexter on the Scale
Fine, I’m a Sociopath, but Do I Have to Feel Bad About it?
But Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?
Becoming a Real Boy
Chapter 23 - Dexter SPQR
Nietzsche’s Bay Harbor Beast
Conscience and Guilt
What Have the Romans Ever Done for Us?
The Ethics of Dexter’s Appeal
Chapter 24 - Dexter’s Look
Bad Faith
Dexter as Master
Caught in the Act
Look at What You’ve Done!
Bad or Bad Faith?
Chapter 25 - Safe Dex
Dexter the Just Man
Rooting for a Killer
Our Killers, Right or Wrong
The Retribution of Raffles
Enter the Bulldog
Enter the Saint
Decline of the Vigilante Novel
Dexter, Hero of Our Time
The Perps
Index
Copyright Page
Popular Culture and Philosophy ®
Series Editor: George A. Reisch
VOLUME 1
Seinfeld and Philosophy: A Book about
&nbs
p; Everything and Nothing (2000)
VOLUME 2
The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D’oh!
of Homer (2001)
VOLUME 3
The Matrix and Philosophy: Welcome to
the Desert of the Real (2002)
VOLUME 4
Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Philosophy:
Fear and Trembling in Sunnydale (2003)
VOLUME 5
The Lord of the Rings and Philosophy:
One Book to Rule Them All (2003)
VOLUME 9
Harry Potter and Philosophy:
If Aristotle Ran Hogwarts (2004)
VOLUME 12
Star Wars and Philosophy: More Powerful
than You Can Possibly Imagine (2005)
VOLUME 13
Superheroes and Philosophy: Truth,
Justice, and the Socratic Way (2005)
VOLUME 17
Bob Dylan and Philosophy: It’s Alright
Ma (I’m Only Thinking) (2006)
VOLUME 18
Harley-Davidson and Philosophy:
Full-Throttle Aristotle (2006)
VOLUME 19
Monty Python and Philosophy: Nudge
Nudge, Think Think! (2006)
VOLUME 24
Bullshit and Philosophy: Guaranteed to
Get Perfect Results Every Time (2006)
VOLUME 25
The Beatles and Philosophy: Nothing You
Can Think that Can’t Be Thunk (2006)
VOLUME 26
South Park and Philosophy: Bigger,
Longer, and More Penetrating (2007)
Edited by Richard Hanley
VOLUME 28
The Grateful Dead and Philosophy:
Getting High Minded about Love and
Haight (2007) Edited by Steven Gimbel
VOLUME 29
Quentin Tarantino and Philosophy:
How to Philosophize with a Pair of Pliers
and a Blowtorch (2007) Edited by
Richard Greene and K. Silem Mohammad
VOLUME 30
Pink Floyd and Philosophy: Careful with
that Axiom, Eugene! (2007) Edited by
George A. Reisch
VOLUME 31
Johnny Cash and Philosophy: The
Burning Ring of Truth (2008) Edited by
John Huss and David Werther
VOLUME 32
Bruce Springsteen and Philosophy:
Darkness on the Edge of Truth (2008)
Edited by Randall E. Auxier and Doug
Anderson
VOLUME 33
Battlestar Galactica and Philosophy:
Mission Accomplished or Mission Frakked
Up? (2008) Edited by Josef Steiff and
Tristan D. Tamplin
VOLUME 34
iPod and Philosophy: iCon of an ePoch
(2008) Edited by D.E. Wittkower
VOLUME 35
Star Trek and Philosophy: The Wrath of
Kant (2008) Edited by Jason T. Eberl and
Kevin S. Decker
VOLUME 36
The Legend of Zelda and Philosophy:
I Link Therefore I Am (2008) Edited by
Luke Cuddy
VOLUME 37
The Wizard of Oz and Philosophy:
Wicked Wisdom of the West (2008) Edited
by Randall E. Auxier and Phillip S. Seng
VOLUME 38
Radiohead and Philosophy: Fitter Happier
More Deductive (2009) Edited by Brandon
W. Forbes and George A. Reisch
VOLUME 39
Jimmy Buffett and Philosophy: The
Porpoise Driven Life (2009) Edited by
Erin McKenna and Scott L. Pratt
VOLUME 40
Transformers and Philosophy (2009)
Edited by John Shook and Liz
Stillwaggon Swan
VOLUME 41
Stephen Colbert and Philosophy:
I Am Philosophy (And So Can You!)
(2009) Edited by Aaron Allen Schiller
VOLUME 42
Supervillains and Philosophy: Sometimes,
Evil Is Its Own Reward (2009) Edited by
Ben Dyer
VOLUME 43
The Golden Compass and Philosophy: God
Bites the Dust (2009) Edited by Richard
Greene and Rachel Robison
VOLUME 44
Led Zeppelin and Philosophy: All Will Be
Revealed (2009) Edited by Scott Calef
VOLUME 45
World of Warcraft and Philosophy: Wrath
of the Philosopher King (2009) Edited by
Luke Cuddy and John Nordlinger
Volume 46
Mr. Monk and Philosophy: The Curious
Case of the Defective Detective (2010)
Edited by D.E. Wittkower
Volume 47
Anime and Philosophy: Wide Eyed
Wonder (2010) Edited by Josef Steiff and
Tristan D. Tamplin
VOLUME 48
The Red Sox and Philosophy: Green
Monster Meditations (2010) Edited by
Michael Macomber
VOLUME 49
Zombies, Vampires, and Philosophy: New
Life for the Undead (2010) Edited by
Richard Greene and K. Silem Mohammad
VOLUME 50
Facebook and Philosophy: What’s on Your
Mind? (2010) Edited by D.E. Wittkower
VOLUME 51
Soccer and Philosophy: Beautiful
Thoughts on the Beautiful Game (2010)
Edited by Ted Richards
VOLUME 52
Manga and Philosophy: Fullmetal
Metaphysician (2010) Edited by Josef
Steiff and Adam Barkman
VOLUME 53
Martial Arts and Philosophy: Beating
and Nothingness (2010) Edited by
Graham Priest and Damon Young
VOLUME 54
The Onion and Philosophy: Fake News
Story True, Alleges Indignant Area
Professor (2010) Edited by Sharon M. Kaye
VOLUME 55
Doctor Who and Philosophy: Bigger on
the Inside (2010) Edited by Courtland
Lewis and Paula Smithka
VOLUME 56
Dune and Philosophy: Weirding Way of
the Mentat (2011) Edited by Jeffery
Nicholas
VOLUME 57
Rush and Philosophy: Heart and Mind
United (2011) Edited by Jim Berti and
Durrell Bowman
VOLUME 58
Dexter and Philosophy: Mind ove Spatter
(2011) Edited by Richard Greene, George
A. Reisch, and Rachel Robison
IN PREPARATION:
Halo and Philosophy (2011) Edited by Luke Cuddy
Spongebob Squarepants and Philosophy (2011) Edited by Joseph Foy
Sherlock Holmes and Philosophy (2011) Edited by Josef Steiff
Philip K. Dick and Philosophy (2011) Edited by D.E. Wittkower
Inception and Philosophy (2011) Edited by Thorsten Botz-Bornstein
Breaking Bad and Philosophy (2012) Edited by David R. Koepsell
Curb Your Enthusiasm and Philosophy (2012) Edited by Mark Ralkowski
The Rolling Stones and Philosophy (2012) Edited by Luke Dick and Gearge A. Reisch
For full details of all Popular Culture and Philosophy® books, visit www.opencourtbooks.com.
For Brandy Burfield
Acknowledgments
Working on this project has been a pleasure, in no small part because of the many fine folks who have assisted us along the way. In particular a debt of gratitude is owed to David Ramsay Steele at Open Court, the contributors to this volume, and our respective academic departments at UMass Amherst, Northwestern University, and Weber State University. Finally, we’d like to thank those family members, students, friends, and colleagues with whom we’ve had fruitf
ul and rewarding conversations on various aspects of all things Dexter as they relate to philosophical themes.