Alice In Wonderland - Pop Culture and Philosophy

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Alice in Wonderland has always been a big part of our popular culture, clearly evidenced right now with the opening of yet another adaptation of the story, this time in 3D by director, Tim Burton. From references in the television show Lost to the Jefferson Airplane song "White Rabbit", Alice is everywhere. Many common quotes from "Off with his head" to "curiouser and curiouser" have come from the Alice books. Is all this just because of the popularity of the story, or the many meanings behind it?

A new book in the Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series, Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy explores the philosophical meanings in the Alice books. I say books plural because what we think of as Alice in  Wonderland is actually a compilation of two books: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel, Through the Looking Glass. Both Tim Burton's new adaptation and this philosophy book combine the two stories.

From the back cover of Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy:
"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland has fascinated children and adults alike for generations...Is it all just nonsense? Was Carroll under the influence? This book probes the deeper underlying meaning in the Alice books and reveals a world rich with philosophical life lessons"

If ever there was a story that was meant to be analyzed for its philosophical meanings, Alice's adventures is it. Chapters include "Unruly Alice: A feminist View of Some Adventures in Wonderland", "Reasoning Down the Rabbit hole: Logical Lessons in Wonderland and "How Deep Does the Rabbit-Hole Go?: Drugs and Dreams, Perception and Reality".

Are you going to see the Tim Burton movie this weekend? If the movie gets you thinking, Alice in Wonderland and Philosophy might be the perfect book for you to turn to. If you are interested in other pop culture and philosophy books, see Television Makes Philosophy More Relatable and Final Fantasy and Philosophy.