An interesting story on the BBC caught our collective eye, about the use of popular comics such as Spidermaan and Batman at university level philosophy courses. Comics are also widely used by EFL teachers working abroad with children as visually stimulating storyboards make learning both fun and effective. Now, the EFL teacher can bring morality and ethical questions into the mix, but perhaps for a bit older student.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-10900068
For years, fans of the Batman comics have puzzled over a mystery at the heart of the series: why doesn't Batman just kill his arch-nemesis, the murderous Joker?
The two have engaged in a prolonged game of cat-and-mouse. The Joker commits a crime, Batman catches him, the Joker is locked up, and then invariably escapes.
Wouldn't all this be much simpler if Batman just killed the Joker? What's stopping him?
Enter philosopher Immanuel Kant and the deontological theory of ethics.
At least, that's how the discussion progresses in a growing number of philosophy classes in the US.
Cultural and media studies have paved the way for universities to incorporate pop culture into their curriculum. These days it is not uncommon to find a television studies class alongside 17th-Century literature in the course listings of an English department.
Now, philosophy professors are finding superheroes and comic books to be exceptionally useful tools in helping students think about the complex moral and ethical debates that have occupied philosophers for centuries.
Read the rest of the story at the link above and remember - with great power comes great responsibility.
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