Gregory Bassham & Eric Bronson 
The Hobbit and Philosophy 
For When You’ve Lost Your Dwarves, Your Wizard, and Your Way

A philosophical exploration of J.R.R. Tolkien’s beloved classic–just in time for the December 2012 release of Peter Jackson’s new film adaptation, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit is one of the best-loved fantasy books of all time and the enchanting ‘prequel’ to The Lord of the Rings. With the help of some of history’s great philosophers, this book ponders a host of deep questions raised in this timeless tale, such as: Are adventures simply ‘nasty, disturbing, uncomfortable things’ that ‘make you late for dinner, ‘ or are they exciting and potentially life-changing events? What duties do friends have to one another? Should mercy be extended even to those who deserve to die?

* Gives you new insights into The Hobbit’s central characters, including Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf, Gollum, and Thorin and their exploits, from the Shire through Mirkwood to the Lonely Mountain

* Explores key questions about The Hobbit’s story and themes, including: Was the Arkenstone really Bilbo’s to give? How should Smaug’s treasure have been distributed? Did Thorin leave his ‘beautiful golden harp’ at Bag-End when he headed out into the Wild? (If so, how much could we get for that on e Bay?)

* Draws on the insights of some of the world’s deepest thinkers, from Confucius, Plato, and Aristotle to Immanuel Kant, William Blake, and contemporary American philosopher Thomas Nagel

From the happy halls of Elrond’s Last Homely House to Gollum’s ‘slimy island of rock, ‘ this is a must read for longtime Tolkien fans as well as those discovering Bilbo Baggins and his adventures ‘there and back again’ for the first time.

Table of Content

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: Thag You Very Buch x

Introduction: Never Laugh at Live Philosophers 1

Gregory Bassham and Eric Bronson

PART ONE DISCOVER YOUR INNER TOOK

1 The Adventurous Hobbit 7

Gregory Bassham

2 ‘The Road Goes Ever On and On’: A Hobbit’s
Tao 20

Michael C. Brannigan

3 Big Hairy Feet: A Hobbit’s Guide to Enlightenment
32

Eric Bronson

4 Bilbo Baggins: The Cosmopolitan Hobbit 45

Dennis Knepp

PART TWO THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE SLIMY

5 The Glory of Bilbo Baggins 61

Charles Taliaferro and Craig Lindahl-Urben

6 Pride and Humility in The Hobbit 74

Laura Garcia

7 ‘My Precious’: Tolkien on the Perils of
Possessiveness 90

Anna Minore and Gregory Bassham

8 Tolkien’s Just War 103

David Kyle Johnson

9 ‘Pretty Fair Nonsense’: Art and Beauty in The
Hobbit 118

Philip Tallon

10 Hobbitus Ludens: Why Hobbits Like to Play and Why We Should,
Too 129

David L. O’Hara

PART THREE RIDDLES AND RINGS

11 ‘The Lord of Magic and Machines’: Tolkien on
Magic and Technology 147

W. Christopher Stewart

12 Inside The Hobbit: Bilbo Baggins and the Paradox of Fiction
161

Amy Kind

13 Philosophy in the Dark: The Hobbit and Hermeneutics 176

Tom Grimwood

PART FOUR BEING THERE AND BACK AGAIN

14 Some Hobbits Have All the Luck 193

Randall M. Jensen

15 The Consolation of Bilbo: Providence and Free Will in
Middle-Earth 206

Grant Sterling

16 Out of the Frying Pan: Courage and Decision Making in
Wilderland 218

Jamie Carlin Watson

17 There and Back Again: A Song of Innocence and Experience
235

Joe Kraus

CONTRIBUTORS: Our Most Excellent and Audacious Contributors
251

INDEX: The Moon Letters 257

About the author

Gregory Bassham is Chair of the Philosophy Department at King’s College and a professor of philosophy. He edited The Ultimate Harry Potter and Philosophy and co-edited The Chronicles of Narnia and Philosophy (Open Court) and The Lord of the Rings and Philosophy.

Eric Bronson is a visiting professor in the Humanities Department at York University in Toronto, Canada. He is the editor of Poker and Philosophy (2012), and co-editor of The Lord of the Rings and Philosophy (2003) and Baseball and Philosophy (2011).

William Irwin is Professor of Philosophy at King’s College. He originated the philosophy and popular culture genre of books as coeditor of the bestselling The Simpsons and Philosophy and has overseen recent titles including House and Philosophy, Batman and Philosophy, and Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy.