Customer Reviews
A Fun Read: Take it for what it is 
2005-12-10
While the contributors only gloss the topics, it is better than reading a romance novel. If you want a better look at begging level philosophy, buy an introduction to philosophy text book: you can look at X university's philosophy department's webpage and see what they are using for intro classes. If you want some fun reading that will gloss some philosophical issues, read this book.
Save your time 
2005-11-14
I bought this book because all the positive reviews convinced me that it might be worth reading. My hunch wasted more than a few hours of my life.
The book uses the Harry Potter series as a springboard to discuss various philosophical problems. After finishing the book, though, I can't say that I've gained any deeper understanding of philosophy, or Harry Potter, whatsoever.
Take, for instance, ethics. One writer essentially summarizes one aspect the naturalist view (if God doesn't exist, then morality doesn't either) and the Christian view (God does exist, and morality is indispensable). The end. To say that the editors skim the surface with this work is akin to saying that Plato liked to think about stuff.
Next, consider the editor's treatment of courage. Says the writer: readers, you can build up courage by preparation. No really, hear me out on this! Know that if you fail there will be consequences. Friends can give you support too. Says the reader: oh my god. I can't believe I just used my hard-earned cash on this. This will be the most expensive toilet paper I've ever purchased.
Perhaps I was expecting too much. Perhaps I was wrong for being disappointed at receiving a collection of infuriatingly childish essays vaguely connecting Harry Potter to philosophy with all the grace of a floundering fish washed up onto the shore.
Perhaps I was wrong. But I seriously doubt it. If you're expecting what I was from this book--some food for thought--look elsewhere. It does not provoke thought, nor does it provide entertainment.
In this book's stead, I recommend the enlightening "Looking for God in Harry Potter" by John Granger. I am hardly religious but the truth is the Potter series is religious in tone, very much so in fact. Granger contends that the Potter series is classically symmetrical and alchemical in form. He provides insights rather than platitudes. Sadly, editors, branding a book with Aristotle's moniker and mentioning him once every 40 pages does not make your work profound. It only underscores just how profound it is not.
Surprise, surprise! 
2005-09-22
Having read most of the other 'Potter Parasite' books, I started reading this book with the printed words filing through the front of my head while plotting the scathing review in the back. A quarter of the way through, I couldn't put it down. It actually makes thinking and logic fun. It makes broccoly taste like chocolate. Thanks!
Concise, entertaining, and practical reading! 2005-09-19
I am a philosophy major turned law student. It has been almost three years since my last philosophy class, and I am more than a little rusty on what I learned in college in my philosophy classes.
This book was fabulous! Using the Potter series as a springboard, Baggett's book explores disparate philosophical topics in a lucid, precise, and interesting manner. The book is separated into sixteen short essays that average about 7-10 pages. Each essay covers a different philosophical topic and illustrates its point by using examples from the Potter series. The essays are remarkably palatable and easy to read--I found that I could enjoy an essay before bed or on a short car trip.
Each essay is entertaining and educational. Want to know about Aristotilean ethics? Read Steve Patterson's essay on Ambition. There are also essays covering feminism, racial discrimination, and morality.
I would highly recommend this book to all readers, whether they're professional philosophers, armchair philosophers, or avid Potter fans. Where else can you gain a rudimentary understanding of the philosophy of Space and Time in just over thirteen pages?
Harry Potter and Philosophy: If Aristotle Ran Hogwarts 
2005-09-14
The value of this series is that it places philosophical concepts in the context of a story. Often people are intimidated by philosophy because the language is so abstract and the context coceptual. Because these essays connect to a story, the writers remain much more concrete. The reader is able better visualize the conceptual and discover new ways of thinking about the world and relationships that make it work.
1 great essay, 1 good essay, and 14 essays to waste your time 
2007-09-02
After finishing book 7, but before rereading all of the HP books, I wanted to read something that was about the HP books, to see what other people had to say.
This book, consisting of 16 essays, is not about the Harry Potter books. Rather, it uses the characters and events in the Harry Potter books to illustrate the philosophical arguments that are studied at University level in Philosophy 101. For the most part, it won't add to you knowledge of Harry Potter, but it will make you glad you don't have to take Philosophy 101 again (or for the first time).
The essay "Magic, Science, and the Ethics of Technology" is an exception to the overall quality of the book. This is an outstanding essay, that focuses on magic in the HP books and its relationship to science and technology. The authors have thought out the issues very clearly, and this essay does shed significant light on the HP books. In brief, magic is seen as a proto-science, roughly comparable to the field of 'Natural Philosophy' as was studied in Europe just before the dawn of the scientific age. Magic has natural laws that are followed, and the students at Hogwarts have to learn these laws. It's not just waving a wand and having any desire 'magically' brought about. And they also have to learn the ethical principles involved in using magic. A brilliant, wonderful essay here.
The good essay is "Feminism and Equal Opportunity: Hermione and the Women of Hogwarts". In brief, this essay discusses how the Wizarding world is one in which there is pretty much full equality between the sexes, and everyone in the books just assumes it. As but one example, several of the players on the Irish Quidditch World Cup team are women, but this is only mentioned in passing, since it's no big deal that women are on the same world championship team with men.
The rest of the essays are a complete waste of time. They are nothing but empty philosophical concepts, basically empty words chasing other empty words in circles. (In the philosophical debate on whether ethics and metaphysics are worth studying or are the results of linguistic errors, I come down on the side of the Ordinary Language Philosophers like Wittgenstein.) As examples, taking several pages to discuss the real-world possibility of apparating as traveling through 'real' worm-holes, and discussing the paradoxes of time travel misses the point of Harry Potter.
If you want to know more about HP, read 'Unlocking Harry Potter' by John Granger.
Without the essay on Magic and Science, I would have given the book a 1. But I don't think one excellent essay out of 16 can raise the rating to a 3. So I'll leave it at 2.
A Good Excuse to Enjoy Harry Potter as an Adult 2007-06-04
I very much enjoyed reading "Harry Potter and Philosophy: If Aristotle Ran Hogwarts". As one who reads the Potter books mostly for the escapism, it was interesting to have the help of professional philosophers help me delve into the deeper meanings contained in the books. This book also helped me to appreciate JKR's talent even more. I believe she must have more than a cursery knowledge of philosophy herself. My favorite essays were "Feminism and Equal Opportunity:Herminone and the Women of Hogwarts", "Heaven, Hell and Harry Potter" "Magic,Muggles and Moral Imagination" and "The Prophecy-Driven Life: Foreknowledge and Freedom at Hogwarts" All of the essays had at least one "ah HA" moment where the brain went into high gear and really started purring. The essay "Space, Time and Magic" caused the usual brain cramp that all time travel conundrums do and I enjoyed it as much as I always enjoy such discussions with the addition that new concepts were introduced of which I had previously been unaware. I was not aquainted with the terms "tensed" and "tenseless" time. This book is probably not for the expert philosopher as these concepts will be basics but for someone of my experience (almost none) studying philosophy,it was a great read. Just like a good movie, don't leave before the credits are done; the bios at the end are amusing.
Common Sense Revealed 2007-01-18
To begin with, the subtitle should read:
If Aristotle Ran Hogwarts he wouldn't change a thing.
These Philosophers praise J.K. Rowlings for her character development of both the good and bad people in the books. They recognise, describe and praise her treatment of them and find her ideas mirrored in other philosphers. It's a fun read most of the time but to me the praise of that most uncommon of all qualities 'Common Sense' found in Rowlings was a pleasure.
Interesting perspective 2006-08-19
I read this book not expecting any great new philosophies or insights into old ones. I was pleasantly surprised. As a person that has read many of the older philosophical texts, I know how hard it is to sometimes understand the reasonings and logic presented. I think this book presents its ideas in a very clear way that even the youngest audiences of Harry Potter would be able to have a good introduction to philosophical thought.
Entertaining enlightenment 2006-01-12
As a Harry Potter fan, I pick up almost anything with Harry in the title. Often, I put it back down after a cursory glance. Not this time!
This book is a collection of essays on philosophical questions raised in the Harry Potter series. It would be a good adjunct for anyone taking a college level philosophy course, to see a practical application of using philosophy to aid in understanding literature - or the use of literature to understand philosophy!
