'Family Guy and Philosophy: A Cure for the Petarded' by J. Jeremy Wisnewski: Book Review

What can we really learn about philosophy from the absurd antics of television's "Family Guy?"The presumption of such a book like "Family Guy and Philosophy" seems to imply that 200 pages of philosophical ramblings will enlighten us. The contributing essayists of "Family Guy and Philosophy," much like the show's writers, are modest philosophers in their own right, that don't take their insightful brilliance too seriously.

Each of the 17 essays in "Family Guy and Philosophy" draws from, and sometimes stretches, connections between philosophers and Seth MacFarlane's nuclear family set on pop-culture spin cycle. As the "Family Guy and Philosophy" subtitle hints, it is a "Cure for the Petarded", and innocent viewers risk losing the show's Petarded humor in favor of philosophy's curse.

Laughing hysterically at the Griffin family's latest exploits in demented dysfunctions, one doesn't often search for life's lessons. Humor is a subtle teacher, but "Family Guy" doesn't use humor in a way that, say, Shakespeare might. Though, "Family Guy and Philosophy" makes a solid, yet self-critical, stance that the show has galvanized an epic ridiculing of pop-culture and how television shapes social norms. It is a rare opportunity to philosophically deconstruct life's absurdities with anecdotes from a warped reality like "Family Guy." Rare, in the sense that philosophy usually entails trudging through some somber thoughts in order to laugh in the face of ethics, love, death and chickens with a mean left hook. With "Family Guy and Philosophy" we can first laugh in the face of life's troublesome ideas and then attempt to understand them.

This last point is important to note should you even consider turning a page of "Family Guy and Philosophy." By watching the show and bathing in its splendidly distasteful wise cracks you've already laughed in the face of society with philosophers. You've joined a chorus of pop-culture junkies who sing the praise of "kill your television," but only during the commercial breaks. For some, the book provides about as much knowledge as Peter's fatherly mishaps provide for the Griffin family; pure confusion. With such viewers, "Family Guy" is just ridiculously funny and provides a new twist on an overused television format. It's as simple as Manatees pushing cultural references on colorful balls across a fish tank that feeds a joke lottery, ("South Park's" dis of "Family Guy"). Now, if you can think outside of the fish tank, "Family Guy" is laughing in the face of humor itself, and the book can reveal why we are laughing.

Among the most revealing of "Family Guy and Philosophy's" essays sits an understanding of the essence of person-hood; nonetheless through a character like Brian (the Griffin's college educated-alcoholic Dog). One of the most important philosophers of ethics and morality, Immanuel Kant (1724 - 1804), provides a convincing foundation for Brian's civilized behavior in Daniel Malloy's essay, "He Thinks He's People: How Brian Made Personhood for the Dogs". On a surface level this is obvious because Brian dates superficial blondes, drinks martinis and carries a moral compass guiding the Griffins. "Family Guy and Philosophy" digs a little deeper with Malloy's essay, as well as Mark D. White's "Is Brian More of a 'Person' Than Peter? Of Wills, Wantons and Wives".

Although, the alternative to Brian as moral compass comes in Robert Sharp's essay, "The Ego is a Housewife Named Lois." Here Sharp provides a tantalizing construction of Sigmund Freud's psychological triad; the Id, the Ego and the Super-Ego. With Stewie acting out the primal urges of the Id and Brian as his Super-Ego nemesis, the family hinges on the balance of Lois as the Ego. Thankfully, the contributing writers give brief, yet broad strokes of the philosophical, psychological and social landmarks discussed, so the uninitiated are in on the joke. With that, "Family Guy and Philosophy," can also serve a broader purpose as a gateway to the drug of philosophy.

As mentioned before, philosophy is a curse much like a drug infecting your mind and disables you from thinking simply about anything. With philosophy, anything from the sexual complexities of Quagmire to the ultimate destruction of Broccoli by Stewie is a multidimensional quest for wisdom. "Family Guy and Philosophy" traverses a televised reality that is seemingly static to touch upon topics like Racism, Time Travel, Death, The Seven Deadly Sins, Religion and Liza Minnelli. It is not a "fan" book packed with useless trivia; nor is it a profound philosophical statement about society. (Though it does have a convincing essay by Shai Biderman and William J. Devlin about why "Family Guy" is not just a cheap rip-off of "The Simpsons" - good defensive ammo for fans).

The book won't look nice on your coffee table and it will just smell funny if left in your bathroom reading bin. Ultimately, reading "Family Guy and Philosophy" is a lot like picking your nose. There is something up there in your head that you just can't get out, and even if it ruins a perfectly lighthearted family gathering around the television, you're going to dig for it. But, as Chris Griffin says, "What's the use of digging for gold if you can't share it with the townspeople."