SpongeBob and Philosophy

Spongebob and Philosophy is a book about that connects a popular cartoon among kids and even young adults to popular philosophical questions and ideas. The book is split into 3 parts: Part One digs deeper into the personalities of each of the main characters and connects their  behavior and way of life to philosophy, Part Two acknowledges the town of Bikini Bottom and the structure if it’s society, and Part Three is filled with miscellaneous topics all related to the cartoon and philosophy. All in all, the book does a great job sparking question about a common cartoon we’ve all probably seen at least a handful of times for those who aren’t fans. However, I chose to focus in on Part One and the traits of the main characters.

First and foremost, our main man, Spongebob Squarepants. Spongebob is the happy, go-getter, energetic main character in the cartoon. He lives life to the fullest and his main priority is living a filling life. This attitude earns him the comparison to Aristotle in the book. “Like Spongebob, Aristotle seeks happiness as the chief good. He defines it as both what ‘we choose always for its own sake, and never with a view to anything further’ and ‘something final and self-sufficient’” (Book I, Section 7) In other words, the two have the common belief that happiness is good in itself, not needing anything else to give it value.  

Secondly, we have Patrick Star who the book describes as, “not the brightest echinoderm in the sea.” In every episode Patrick has a dumb moment but a couple examples include: thinking mayonnaise is a musical instrument and believing ice cream is “shiny.” Although he intellectually limited, he is a very lovable character in the show and remains a loyal friend to Spongebob as they are often seen enjoying their entire days using their imaginations. The only philosophical idea that the book related Patrick Star to is John Stuart Mill’s Hedonistic Utilitarianism. This was the idea that the right action is the one that maximizes happiness for all and defined happiness as “pleasure and the absence of pain.”

Lastly, “Miserable” Squidward as the book names him. He is the Krusty Krab cashier who hates his job and lets it be known. He also believes that Spongebob and Patrick are total idiots. The book says, “Everything about Squidward is gloomy, miserable, and serious.” Squidward's pessimistic approach to life leaves him feeling perpetually unhappy. His philosophy is compared to who the book calls “Philosophy’s own Squidward,” Arthur Schopenhauer. His actual life philosophy was that life is a miserable and futile struggle due to the unhappiness that came from the world. Squidward's demeanor, appearance, and actions deeply reflect Schopenhauer's beliefs.

Obviously there are other main characters like Sandy, Mr.Krabs, and Plankton that play crucial roles in the cartoon but I am going to dive deeper into their philosophical ideas later on. Plankton has his own chapter in the book on how we should be serving him, so that is notable.

Questions:

1. How many parts is the book split into?
2. What philosopher is Spongebob compared to?
3. Aristotle refers to happiness as the “chief” what?
4. What is the name of the philosophical idea most like Patrick Star’s?
5. Which character is compared to German Philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer?

Discussion Questions

1. Did you ever consider these deeper meanings behind the characters’ personalities and ideas before?
2. Which character were you most intrigued by?
3. Do you agree with the philosophy/philosophers paired with each character?