Serial Killers - Philosophy for Everyone - by Fritz Allhoff & S Waller (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Serial Killers - Philosophy for Everyone investigates our profound intrigue with mass-murderers. Exploring existential, ethical and political questions through an examination of real and fictional serial killers, philosophy comes alive via an exploration of grisly death.

• Presents new philosophical theories about serial killing, and relates new research in cognitive science to the minds of serial killers
• Includes a philosophical look at real serial killers such as Ian Brady, Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer and the Zodiac killer, as well as fictional serial killers such as Dexter and Hannibal Lecter
• Offers a new phenomenological examination of the writings of the Zodiac Killer
• Contains an account of the disappearance of one of Ted Bundy's victims submitted by the organization Families and Friends of Missing Persons and Violent Crime Victims
• Integrates the insights of philosophers, academics, crime writers and police officers

From the Back Cover

They terrify us, and yet we love to read about them, to watch films about them, and some even fantasize about meeting them; this is the horror-pleasure reaction to serial killers whose gruesome acts hold a deep and disturbing lure.

Serial Killers - Philosophy for Everyone offers a philosophical examination of real and fictional serial killers, and investigates our profound intrigue with serial murderers. Authors from various academic fields, as well as true crime writers and police officers, delve into such questions as:

• What drives people to kill repeatedly?
• Can a serial killer be good and moral?
• What is it about serial killers that fascinates us?
• Do serial killers such as Ian Brady, Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer, and the Zodiac Killer, or fictional characters such as Dexter or Hannibal Lecter, make us understand ourselves differently?

Investigating existential, ethical, and political questions via real murder cases, this is a philosophical examination of our enduring fascination with these grisly figures.

Review Quotes

"I found this book enlightening in many ways and on some things I'm not going to make too many mistakes if I use such people in any of my stories. I should also point out that none of the material is too graphic and centres mostly on what makes serial killers tick even if there is no precise pattern." (SFCrowsnest.co.uk, 1 April 2011)

"If you're a Dexter fan looking for someplace to start in learning about real-life serial killers, this is a solid and fairly complete volume to start with. At a slim 248 pages, it's also ideal for those who don't have the time to invest in a larger volume. As the title of the series implies, this really is a book that's accessible to everyone." (Digital Air Waves, November 2010)

"There is very little to complain about here. The language used is simple and it certainly leaves the reader with plenty of food for thought." (Curious Book Fan, November 2010)

"One thing I can say about this book, is it stays in your head, at least parts of it. Weeks after reading Serial Killers, Philosophy for Everyone, I still can't help but come back to the section concerning Dexter and how peoples outlook on a serial killer changes based on what they know of a serial killers background and family life. The book is definitely a conversation starter, having many since adding it to my coffee table books. You can always tell whose interested and who tries to pretend they don't see it." (Gatekeeper Chronicles blog, November 2010)

About the Author

Editor
S. Waller is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Montana State University Bozeman. Her areas of research are philosophy of neurology, philosophy of cognitive ethology (especially dolphins, wolves, and coyotes), and philosophy of mind, specifically the parts of the mind we disavow.

Series Editor
Fritz Allhoff is an Assistant Professor in the Philosophy Department at Western Michigan University, as well as a Senior Research Fellow at the Australian National University's Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics. In addition to editing the Philosophy for Everyone series, Allhoff is the volume editor or co-editor for several titles, including Wine & Philosophy (Wiley-Blackwell, 2007), Whiskey & Philosophy (with Marcus P. Adams, Wiley, 2009), and Food & Philosophy (with Dave Monroe, Wiley-Blackwell, 2007).