Up@dawn 2.0

Friday, April 26, 2019

Game of Thrones and Philosophy

(This is Omar's report. He was having trouble posting it on Blogger so I offered to do It for him on my account. Give all Credit to Omar Aldahiri for the writing of this report.)

The Philosophy of Game of Thrones



Game of thrones is probably one of the most popular shows of the era. The show has won 239 awards and was nominated for 715 including 38 Emmys awards. The show is based on a book called “A Song of Ice and Fire” and has a lot of philosophical point of view, some of the scenes were based on true events that happened in the past, and a lot of the characters have similarity to historical figures and philosophers. There is book called “Game of Thrones and Philosophy: Logic cuts deeper than swords”






The boos is an in-depth look at the philosophical issues behind HBO's Game of Thrones television series and the books that inspired it George R.R. Martin's New York Times bestselling epic fantasy book series, A Song of Ice and Fire, and the HBO television show adapted from it, have earned critical acclaim and inspired fanatic devotion. This book delves into the many philosophical questions that arise in this complex, character-driven series, including: Is it right for a "good" king to usurp the throne of a "bad" one and murder his family? How far should you go to protect your family and its secrets? In a fantasy universe with medieval mores and ethics, can female characters reflect modern feminist ideals? Timed for the premiere of the second season of the HBO Game of Thrones series Gives new perspectives on the characters, storylines, and themes of Game of Thrones Draws on great philosophers from ancient Greece to modern America to explore intriguing topics such as the strange creatures of Westeros, the incestuous relationship of Jaime and Cersei Lannister, and what the kings of Westeros can show us about virtue and honor (or the lack thereof) as they play their game of thrones Essential reading for fans, Game of Thrones and Philosophy will enrich your experience of your favorite medieval fantasy series.
            Characters in the show have different philosophy of surviving or how be on iron throne. I’ll start with Tywin Lannister: ironfisted style of leadership is ruthless, focused on gaining and consolidating power, while also furthering his own cause and historical legacy. As such, Niccolò Machiavelli is likely the first name that comes to mind when you think of Tywin and philosophy.




            Daenerys Targaryen: Daenerys is perceived as standing on the morally high ground. She’s freeing slaves. She’s the Breaker of Chains. She’s righteous and is seen as supporting the greater good, a cause above herself. Which often compared to the French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Rousseau began The Social Contract with, “Man was born free, and he is everywhere in chains.” He was speaking metaphorically on the state of the society he lived in and how it stripped away freedom and humanity.








            Last but not least Ned Stark he ideals he passes to his heir Robb are based on moral absolutism. You must maintain honor and honesty in all circumstances, even those in which negative consequences may arise. You must do what is “absolutely right”. Virtue, as described by Aristotle throughout his Nicomachean Ethics, is about voluntary and habitual actions and self-training, both intellectually and morally. You knowingly and willingly act with your highest character, for the sake of it and not for reward, and this is key–you do it even in spite of consequences.






Many more characters in the show are based on figures if you’re interested about it you can read about it in the link below:

Quiz
1.                  What is the name of the book that’s the show is based on?
2.                  How many awards have the show won?
3.                  Which philosopher is similar to Tywin Lannister?
Discussion questions
·            Are you a fan of Game of thrones? If so, do you agree with the similarity of characters with figures?
·            Do you think the show is living up to the expectations of the fans?
·            Can you relate some of those characters to modern day leaders or important figures in society and if so, who and why?






7 comments:

  1. Very interesting, Omar. Guess I'll have to add this to my binge list (which is beneath my Reading List, so I may not get to it before retiring).

    Just for the record: Aristotle was no moral absolutist.

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    1. 10/10 would recommend watching the show it's easy to say the best show i've seen. That's what i thought but the website confused me a little, Thank you

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    2. Game of Thrones and Philosophy is a great game, I have downloaded a very nice interface and new updates and I know a very good site you can download the APK downloader here https://uptofast.com/apk-downloader/

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  2. As a fan of the series myself, I couldn't agree more with the summaries of each of the philosophical views each of the characters withholds. Summed it up perfectly, Omar.

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    1. Thank you! and that's what i thought too i read that they have a class teaching about the show and defining the characters.

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  3. I really love Game of Thrones because of how it portrays a gritty fantasy world so grounded in realism that one could be forgiven in assuming it was a biopic for the first few episodes. George RR Martin and the show runners did an excellent job of crafting complex and interesting characters (my favorite example being Jaime Lannister, who's grown to be one of my favorite characters).

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    1. That makes the two of us! and yeah i agree with you it is amazing how they control the fans feeling toward some characters like jamie and another good example is Theon Greyjoy, nobody really cared about him until he became one of the most hated characters and than you start to like him again

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