Abstracts and subsequent essays should be philosophically substantial but accessible, written to engage the intelligent lay reader. Contributors of accepted essays will receive an honorarium.
Details on topics and themes after the jump
*Dungeons & Dragons and Philosophy*
Edited by Christopher Robichaud
*The Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series*
To propose ideas for future volumes in the Blackwell series please contact the Series Editor, William Irwin, at wtirwin@kings.edu.
If you have comments or criticisms for the series, please read “Fancy Taking a Pop?” at http://www.philosophypress.co.uk/?p=1131 and join the discussion in the comments section.
Abstracts and subsequent essays should be philosophically substantial but accessible, written to engage the intelligent lay reader. Contributors of accepted essays will receive an honorarium.
**
*Possible themes and topics might include, but are not limited to, the
following*:
How much of our moral character is in our control? A look at Drizzt Do’Urdenin
*The Forgotten Realms*; Environmental ethics and *Dark Sun*: What’s so
wrong about defiling magic?;
Sturm Brightblade and the nature of honor in * Dragonlance*;
Goldmoon and the role of faith and ministry in *Dragonlance*;
Evil and corruption in *Ravenloft*;
The morality of punishment in *Ravenloft *;
*Planescape: *The metaphysics of The Great Wheel;
Can we know the future? The metaphysics and epistemology of divination spells;
Polymorphing and personal identity: Did my character survive being changed into a frog?;
Animal rights: Is it ethical to summon intelligent animals to fight on our side?; Psionics and the philosophy of mind;
Necromancy: What’s wrong about using the dead?;
Are dragons persons?;
Do demons and devils have free will?;
What is it like to be a beholder? Philosophy of perception and the *Dungeons & Dragons* bestiary;
I pull out my longsword and attack! When is violence a morally acceptable solution?;
Plundering Castle Greyhawk: Property rights and ruins;
Roll your save: Objective versus subjective probability in *Dungeons & Dragons*;
Collaborative storytelling and the philosophy of fiction in *Dungeons & Dragons;
*Buxom barbarians: The portrayal of women in *Dungeons & Dragons*;
Lawful good vs. chaotic evil: the moral spectrum in *Dungeons & Dragons*;
Kill the wizard: Spellcasters and the morality of power;
The paladin’s dilemma: When should the rule of law be respected and when should it be resisted?;
Okay, so you all meet at a tavern one day. Adventuring parties and the nature of group cohesion;
My god is better than your god: Polite and impolite disagreement in a world of many deities.
*Submission Guidelines:*
1. Submission deadline for abstracts (100-500 words) and CV’s: January 30, 2012
2. Submission deadline for first drafts of accepted papers: July 30, 2012
Kindly submit abstract (with or without Word attachment) and CV by email
to: Christopher Robichaud (cjrobichaud@gmail.com)
Check out the series website: http://andphilosophy.com/