The Last of Us and Philosophy: Look for the Light

by Charles Joshua Horn (Editor), William Irwin (series_editor)

Did Joel do the right thing when he saved Ellie?

Are those infected by the Cordyceps conscious?

Are communities necessary for human survival and flourishing?

Should Ellie forgive Joel?

Is Abby’s revenge morally justified? Is Ellie’s?

The Last of Us franchise includes two of the best video games ever created and the critically acclaimed HBO series. Renowned for brilliant gameplay and world-class narrative, The Last of Us raises timeless and enduring philosophical questions. Beautiful, thrilling, and tragic, Ellie’s story of survival is as philosophical as it is profound.

The Last of Us and Philosophy brings together an international team of philosophical experts and fans exploring the timeless questions raised by the video games and the show. Drawing insights ranging from Aristotle and Abby to Buddha and Bill, this book elucidates the roles that trust, community, love, justice, and hope play in The Last of Us. Twenty-four original essays cover both The Last of Us Part I and II and the HBO series, offering accessible and nuanced philosophical analysis of Naughty Dog’s amazing world.

Whether you’re a fan of the video games or of the HBO series, The Last of Us and Philosophy will take you on a philosophical journey where you look for the light.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction

224 pages, Paperback

Published September 11, 2024

Reviews

[Luke Glasspool]

I fear I may be copping some of the other books in this series frfr. This do be a good example of how to do public philosophy without being an insufferable neck beard, which is rare atm.

[Claire Dwyer]

Really enjoyed this! Through the 24 different chapters you explore different philosophical themes. Some I liked more than others which makes sense. Reading this has made me appreciate my favourite game even more.

[Trey Lacewell]

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘜𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘗𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘺: 𝘓𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵

While I didn't care for the Batman Philosophy book as a whole, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘜𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘗𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘺: 𝘓𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 is the exact opposite of that. There's a reason why I finished this book in less than a week. I seriously couldn't put the book down. As a whole, this book felt very cohesive and concise, and it felt like one complete novel. Each chapter feels like they belong together, as does each section. The authors and editors did a phenomenal job in connecting these different elements together.

While it's hard for me to narrow it down as to which sections were my favorites, I would have to say that Parts 1 and 2, Joel's Choice and Justice, and Parts 5 and 6, which discuss humanity and religion, are my favorites. The way that this book successfully blended different philosophical topics together and tied it into 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘜𝘴 story, both within the video game series and the HBO Television series, was nothing short of amazing. This book is seriously one of the best books I have ever read.

The philosophers discussed varies from Aristotle and Buddha to Schopenhauer and Kant. This book does a phenomenal job in making the reader think about 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘜𝘴 in more ways than I can even describe, and also makes them think deeper about the story as a whole. It asks interesting questions and answers them with the help of philosophy/philosophers. This book is just as good as the Star Wars philosophy book within the same series. I'm so happy that I own this book.

I would give this book a perfect score of 5/5 or 10/10

[Tex]

“The Last Of Us And Philosophy” (TLOUAP) is a non-fiction book of 24 individual essays edited by Charles Joshua Horn. Each contributor, predominantly consisting of professors of philosophy at leading universities and clinical psychologists, examine some of the philosophical questions raised by and within the internationally acclaimed video game and television series.

TLOUAP is spread across six major themes, namely; Joel’s Choice; Justice; The Individual and Society; Monsters and Us; The Humanity of The Last Of Us; and Religious Considerations at the End of the World.

From the teachings of Aristotle, Socrates, Plato, Schopenhauer, Kant, Thoreau, and Confucius, and theories such as utilitarianism, communitarianism, trust, Nicomachean Ethics, future and value oriented pessimism, philosophical optimism, and dystopian hope TLOUAP provides fascinating philosophical insights into the world’s of Joel, Ellie, and Abby and their respective communities.

TLOUAP will be an incredibly interesting for anyone with an interest in philosophy or an interest in the world and characters of The Last Of Us…and if someone (like myself) has an interest in both then this is captivating and thought provoking from first page until last.

TLOUAP gets 5 “flourishing” philosophies out of 5.

[bibisebi]

A promising book that I hoped would greatly broaden my view on the games and tv show, it did so to mixed results. As a fan of the series, I've seen every video essay on the franchise under the sun, resulting in a majority of the book being a retread of what I heard before in various video essays. Another quarter was actually very profound and eye opening, letting me see the tlou and it's themes in a new light that I haven't thought of before. And finally the last quarter of the book contains some absolutely terrible takes and ideas that genuinely made me question how those authors are considered philosophers but I guess that's what it means to have your viewpoints challenged. Lastly, the book has an over reliance on events and scenes from the HBO tv show rather than from the two games, which disappoints me since I view the show more as a supplementary resource rather than a primary point of canon

[Clay Anderson]

The Last of Us and Philosophy is a sharp, thought-provoking exploration that elevates an already powerful narrative into a deeply philosophical experience. The essays skillfully connect themes of morality, survival, love, and human nature to real-world ethical debates without ever feeling overly academic. Fans of The Last of Us will appreciate how it deepens their understanding of the characters and the difficult choices they face. It’s an engaging, accessible read that lingers in your mind long after you’ve finished it.

[Michael]

The Last of Us and Philosophy:Look for the Light is a solid, albeit briefer, entry in the “And Philosophy” pop culture series. Yes, it’s philosophically light but this entry in particular is thoughtful and engaging.

[Brian Grouhel]

This has been a fascinating book to have read. To go over the thoughts and insights of two dozen minds and their ideas about the interactions between Joel and Ellie in both the game and show versions of The Last Of Us was truly interesting.

[Greyson Carter]

I liked this a lot. Some I connected with more then others but I love looking at media I enjoy and deep dive into it. The last of us always makes me emotional, the first game and show rip me apart and make me sob. It’s such a beautiful conversation about love and what you’re willing to do.

[Paige Sanacora]

5⭐️

All of the thoughts have been provoked. I live and breathe The Last of Us.

[AnnMarie Walker]

3.5 ⭐️ just further cements that TLOU are the best games of all time, but a lot of repetition

[Abby]

A fun, albeit slow read! Lots of fun points for discussion and exploration! Some essays were more intriguing than others but that’s okay!