The Transformation of Walter White: A Case Study in Bad Faith

This chapter investigates one of the most intriguing and complex concepts of Jean-Paul Sartre’s philosophy—his theory of bad faith. Sartre defines bad faith as the ultimate self-deception whereby people are able to scrupulously convert themselves into wha

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Kevin S. Decker, David R. Koepsell, Robert Arp

Philosophy and Breaking Bad

Kevin S. Decker • David R. Koepsell • Robert Arp Editors

Philosophy and Breaking Bad

Editors Kevin S. Decker Eastern Washington University Cheney, USA

Robert Arp Independent Scholar Overland Park, Kansas, USA

David R. Koepsell Comision Nacional de Bioetica, Mexico

ISBN 978-3-319-40342-7 (Hardcover) ISBN 978-3-319-40665-7 (Softcover) DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-40343-4

ISBN 978-3-319-40343-4

(eBook)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016959579 © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2017 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. Cover design by Samantha Johnson Printed on acid-free paper This Palgrave Macmillan imprint is published by Springer Nature The registered company is Springer International Publishing AG The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland

For Suzanne, Vanessa, and Susan

TO W.W. MY STAR, MY PERFECT SILENCE

vii

CONTENTS

Part 1

“We Tried to Poison You”: Breaking Evil

1

What’s Stopping Me: Breaking Bad and Virtue Ethics Jen Baker

2

Eichmann in Albuquerque Karen Adkins

3

Empathy and Evil: Drug-Dealing Murderers Are People Too Charlene Elsby and Rob Luzecky

Part 2

4

“I Am the One Who Knocks”: The Shadow of Death and the Meaning of Life

In the Shadow of the Sickness Unto Death: Walter White’s Transformation into the Knight of Meth Frank Scalambrino

5

Death Is Easy If You’re Dead Christopher Ketcham

6

Cosmic Justice in Breaking Bad: Can Sociopaths and  Antiheroes Lead Meaningful Lives? Kimberly Blessing

1 3

17

35

45

47

63

77

ix

x

CONTENTS

7

Law and Morality in Breaking Bad: The Aesthetics of Justice David Koepsell

Part 3

8

9

The Crumbling Patriarchy and Triumphant Feminist Ethic of Care in Breaking Bad Leigh Kolb What Bad Is Not: Breaking Bad, Apophatic and  Dramaturgic Continua from Creator to Viewer, and a Poetics of the Philosophy of Religion Jesse Abbot

Part 4 10

“I Wi