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<p><i>Acknowledgments: I See These People viii</i></p> <p><b>Introduction: Time to Wake Up 1</b><br /> <i>George A. Dunn</i></p> <p><b>Part I Seeing Eywa: “I’m With Her, Jake. She’s Real!” 5</b></p> <p>1 The Silence of Our Mother: Eywa as the Voice of Feminine Care Ethics 7<br /> <i>George A. Dunn and Nicolas Michaud</i></p> <p>2 “Eywa Will Provide”: Pantheism, Christianity, and the Value of Nature 19<br /> <i>Jason T. Eberl</i></p> <p>3 The Tantra of Avatar 36<br /> <i>Asra Q. Nomani</i></p> <p><b>Part II Seeing the Na’vi: “You Will Teach Him Our Ways” 49</b><br /> <br /> 4 Learning to See the Na’vi 51<br /> <i>Stephanie Adair</i></p> <p>5 It Doesn’t Take an Avatar: How to Empathize with a Blue-Skinned Alien 62<br /> <i>Andrew Terjesen</i></p> <p>6 “I See You” through a Glass Darkly: Avatar and the Limits of Empathy 74<br /> <i>Massimiliano Cappuccio</i></p> <p><b>Part III Seeing Nature: “Try to See the Forest through Her Eyes” 87</b></p> <p>7 Seeing the Na’vi Way: Respecting Life and Mind in All Organisms 89<br /> <i>Kyle Burchett</i></p> <p>8 They’re Not Just Goddamn Trees: Hegel’s Philosophy of Nature and the Avatar of Spirit 104<br /> <i>James Lawler</i></p> <p>9 “Everything Is Backwards Now”: Avatar, Anthropocentrism, and Relational Reason 115<br /> <i>Jeremy David Bendik-Keymer</i></p> <p><b>Part IV Seeing Our Bodies: “They’ve Got Great Muscle Tone” 125</b></p> <p>10 The Identity of Avatars and Na’vi Wisdom 127<br /> <i>Kevin S. Decker</i></p> <p>11 “I Got This”: Disability, Stigma, and Jake Sully’s Rejected Body 139<br /> <i>Ryan Smock</i></p> <p>12 “See the World We Come From”: Spiritual versus Technological Transcendence in Avatar 151<br /> <i>Dan Dinello</i></p> <p><b>Part V Seeing Our Political Communities: “Sky People Cannot See” 165</b></p> <p>13 “We Will Fight Terror with Terror”: Avatar and Just War Theory 167<br /> <i>Joseph J. Foy</i></p> <p>14 The Community and the Individual in Avatar 180<br /> <i>Dale Murray</i></p> <p>15 Avatar and Colonialism 190<br /> <i>Nathan Eckstrand</i></p> <p><b>Part VI Seeing Our Ethical Responsibilities: “Sometimes Your Entire Life Boils Down to One Insane Move” 201</b></p> <p>16 “All That Cheddar”: Lessons in Business Ethics from the RDA Corporation 203<br /> <i>Matthew Brophy</i></p> <p>17 “We Have an Indigenous Population of Humanoids Called the Na’vi”: Native American Philosophy in Avatar 215<br /> <i>Dennis Knepp</i></p> <p>18 I See Animals: The Na’vi and Respect for Other Creatures 226<br /> <i>Wayne Yuen</i></p> <p><b>Part VII Seeing the Movie: “You Are Not Gonna Believe Where I Am” 239</b></p> <p>19 The Digital Cabinet of Curiosities: Avatar and the Phenomenology of 3D Worlds 241<br /> <i>Robert Furze and Pat Brereton</i></p> <p><i>Notes on Contributors: Our Avatar Drivers 252</i></p> <p><i>Index: My Last Video Log 258</i></p>

<p><b>George A. Dunn</b> is Lecturer at the University of Indianapolis, USA, and the Ningbo Institute of Technology, Zhejiang University, China. A writer on pop culture and philosophy, Dunn is the editor of <i>Veronica Mars and Philosophy</i> (2014) and co-editor of <i>Sons of Anarchy and Philosophy</i> (2013), <i>The Hunger Games and Philosophy</i> (2012), and <i>True Blood and Philosophy</i> (2010).</p> <p><b>William Irwin</b> <b>(series editor)</b> is Professor of Philosophy at King’s College, USA. He originated the philosophy and popular culture genre of books as co-editor of the bestselling <i>The Simpsons and Philosophy</i> and has overseen titles including <i>House and Philosophy, Batman and Philosophy</i>, and <i>South Park and Philosophy</i>.

<p><B>PHILOSOPHY/POP CULTURE</B></p> <p><b>What is empathy and can the Na’vi <i>tsaheylu</b></i><BR><b>help us to achieve it?</b> <p><b>How are mind, body, and personal identity<BR>related for an avatar driver?</b> <p><b>Does it take an avatar to understand and value the culture<BR>of the Na’vi?</b> <p><b>What can we learn from the Na’vi about respecting<BR>the natural world?</b> <p><b>Can religious beliefs help to foster a concern<BR>for the environment?</b> <p>James Cameron’s critically acclaimed movie <i>Avatar</i> was nominated for nine Academy Awards and received countless accolades for its breathtaking visuals and use of 3D technology. But beyond its cinematic splendor, can <i>Avatar</i> also offer us insights into environmental ethics, business ethics, empathy, disability, and the relationship between mind and body? Can getting to know the Na’vi, an alien species, enlarge our vision and help us to “see” both our world and ourselves in new ways? <p>Written by an esteemed group of philosophers and fellow fans, the book explains philosophical concepts in a fun and accessible manner that will appeal to all levels of readers. It explores issues such as religion, morality, aesthetics, empathy, identity, the relationship of mind and body, environmental and business ethics, technology, and just war theory. It examines a wide range of topics from James Cameron’s blockbuster, including attitudes toward nature, our responsibilities to nonhuman species, colonialism, disability, and communitarian ethics. Full of philosophical insights for even the most knowledgeable film buff, this is an engaging look at one of the most thought-provoking and popular movies of recent years. <p>To learn more about the Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture series, visit <b>www.andphilosophy.com</b>

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