Henry Jacoby 
Game of Thrones and Philosophy 
Logic Cuts Deeper Than Swords

An in-depth look at the philosophical issues behind HBO’s
Game of Thrones television series and the books that
inspired it

George R.R. Martin’s New York Times bestselling epic
fantasy book series, A Song of Ice and Fire, and the HBO television
show adapted from it, have earned critical acclaim and inspired
fanatic devotion. This book delves into the many philosophical
questions that arise in this complex, character-driven series,
including: Is it right for a ‘good’ king to usurp the throne of a
‘bad’ one and murder his family? How far should you go to protect
your family and its secrets? In a fantasy universe with medieval
mores and ethics, can female characters reflect modern feminist
ideals?

* Timed for the premiere of the second season of the HBO Game
of Thrones series

* Gives new perspectives on the characters, storylines, and
themes of Game of Thrones

* Draws on great philosophers from ancient Greece to modern
America to explore intriguing topics such as the strange creatures
of Westeros, the incestuous relationship of Jaime and Cersei
Lannister, and what the kings of Westeros can show us about virtue
and honor (or the lack thereof) as they play their game of
thrones

Essential reading for fans, Game of Thrones and
Philosophy will enrich your experience of your favorite
medieval fantasy series.

Table of Content

FOREWORD by Elio M. Garcia and Linda Antonsson ix

A RAVE N FROM HOUSE WI LEY: Editor’s Note on Spoilers xiii

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: How I Was Spared from Having to Take the Black xv

Introduction: So What if Winter Is Coming? 1
Henry Jacoby

PART ONE ‘YOU WIN OR YOU DIE’

1 Maester Hobbes Goes to King’s Landing 5
Greg Littmann

2 It Is a Great Crime to Lie to a King 19
Don Fallis

3 Playing the Game of Thrones: Some Lessons from Machiavelli 33
Marcus Schulzke

4 The War in Westeros and Just War Theory 49
Richard H. Corrigan

PART TWO ‘THE THINGS I DO FOR LOVE’

5 Winter Is Coming!: The Bleak Quest for Happiness in Westeros 63
Eric J. Silverman

6 The Death of Lord Stark: The Perils of Idealism 75
David Hahn

7 Lord Eddard Stark, Queen Cersei Lannister: Moral Judgments from Different Perspectives 87
Albert J. J. Anglberger and Alexander Hieke

8 It Would Be a Mercy: Choosing Life or Death in Westeros and Beyond the Narrow Sea 99
Matthew Tedesco

PART THREE ‘WINTER IS COMING’

9 Wargs, Wights, and Wolves That Are Dire: Mind and Metaphysics, Westeros Style 115
Henry Jacoby

10 Magic, Science, and Metaphysics in A Game of Thrones 129
Edward Cox

11 ‘You Know Nothing, Jon Snow’: Epistemic Humility Beyond the Wall 142
Abraham P. Schwab

12 ‘Why Is the World So Full of Injustice?’: Gods and the Problem of Evil 154
Jaron Daniël Schoone

PART FOUR ‘THE MAN WHO PASSES THE SENTENCE SHOULD SWING THE SWORD’

13 Why Should Joffrey Be Moral If He Has Already Won the Game of Thrones? 169
Daniel Haas

14 The Moral Luck of Tyrion Lannister 183
Christopher Robichaud

15 Dany’s Encounter with the Wild: Cultural Relativism in A Game of Thrones 194
Katherine Tullman

16 ‘There Are No True Knights’: The Injustice of Chivalry 205
Stacey Goguen

PART FIVE ‘STICK THEM WITH THE POINTY END’

17 Fate, Freedom, and Authenticity in A Game of Thrones 223
Michael J. Sigrist

18 No One Dances the Water Dance 236
Henry Jacoby

19 The Things I Do For Love: Sex, Lies, and Game Theory 250
R. Shannon Duval

20 Stop the Madness!: Knowledge, Power, and Insanity in A Song of Ice and Fire 264
Chad William Timm

CONTRIBUTORS: The Learned Lords and Ladies from beyond the Seven Kingdoms 279

INDEX: From the Archives at Oldtown 287

About the author

HENRY JACOBY teaches philosophy at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. He is the editor of House and Philosophy and a contributor to South Park and Philosophy.

WILLIAM IRWIN is a professor of philosophy at King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. 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 Inception and Philosophy, Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy, and Mad Men and Philosophy.