The Princess Bride and Philosophy: Inconceivable!

Popular Culture and Philosophy #98

by Richard Greene (Editor), Rachel Robison-Greene (Editor)

The Princess Bride is the 1987 satirical adventure movie that had to wait for the Internet and DVDs to become the most quoted of all cult classics. The Princess Bride and Philosophy is for all those who have wondered about the true meaning of “Inconceivable!,” why the name “Roberts” uniquely inspires fear, and whether it’s a miracle to restore life to someone who is dead, but not completely dead.

The Princess Bride is filled with beliefs that go beyond the evidence, and philosophy can help us to decide when such beliefs can be justified.

Westley, Buttercup, Prince Humperdinck, Inigo Montoya, the giant Fezzik, and the Sicilian Vizzini keep on reappearing in these pages as examples of philosophical ideas. Is it right for Montoya to kill the six-fingered man, even though there is no money in the revenge business? What’s the best way to deceive someone who knows you’re trying to deceive him? Are good manners a kind of moral virtue? Could the actions of the masked man in black truly be inconceivable even though real? What does ethics have to say about Miracle Max’s pricing policy? How many shades of meaning can be conveyed by “As You Wish”?

Genres: Nonfiction, Philosophy, Pop Culture, Essays

288 pages, Paperback

First published December 8, 2015

Reviews

[Adam]

Fun. Whimsical. Uneven. Too fan-ish at times. When the book explored the darker side of morality (i.e. What was Westley REALLY like as Dread Pirate Roberts?), the book soared. But when it got too kitschy (i.e. Who really should have won the Battle of Wits?), it felt rather boring and cutesy.

[Will · Rating 4 out of 5]

The dread publisher Open Court issues a fine array of devil philosophers analyzing the story for issues of identity, ethics, and life, the universe and everything. Particularly engaging is the essay on the phenomenon of annoyance, which keeps telling us how annoying it is to have to deal with it. Ah, but what if your ambition is to write the definitive work on annoyance?

[Ivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worth it just for the essay by me on (that moron) Aristotle.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love it but it was a lot of philosophy.

[Kasey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping for a more analytical conversation of the text, but some of the ideas seemed a little non-cohesive and more aimed at a chuckle here and there.

[Mary Foxe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Skimmed. Okay addition to the series.

[Phyllis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read most of this book in conjunction with my book club’s discussion of William Goldman’s “The Princess Bride.” None of the nearby libraries had this book available in print, which is why I only read part of the book.

I found many of the chapters well-written. Each chapter contained well-thought out explorations of “TPB’s” themes and connections to classic philosophy. I can recommend this book as a nice companion to “TPB,” particularly if you want to delve into the genius of the novel.

[Hina Ansari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent entry to the pop culture and philosophy series. If you’re a fan of the princess bride and like to get your noodle working, this is a book you’ll enjoy!

[Jeremy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy these popular philosophy books. The other one I've read was The Chronicles of Narnia and Philosophy: The Lion, the Witch, and the Worldview. This is of a similar bent. It's a good thing I read The Princess Bride, because this book is not just about what's in the movie.

The essays wee good, explaining philosophical ideas with examples from The Princess Bride. I enjoyed the Narnia one better, but this was still an interesting read.