A humorous philosophical investigation into the existence of Santa—from a co-executive producer of The Big Bang Theory.
Metaphysics isn’t ordinarily much of a laughing matter. But in the hands of acclaimed comedy writer and scholar Eric Kaplan, a search for the truth about old St. Nick becomes a deeply insightful, laugh-out-loud discussion of the way some things exist but may not really be there. Just like Santa and his reindeer.
Even after we outgrow the jolly fellow, the essential paradox persists: There are some things we dearly believe in that are not universally acknowledged as real. In Does Santa Exist? Kaplan shows how philosophy giants Bertrand Russell and Ludwig Wittgenstein strove to smooth over this uncomfortable meeting of the real and unreal—and failed. From there Kaplan turns to mysticism’s attempts to resolve such paradoxes, surveying Buddhism, Taoism, early Christianity, Theosophy, and even the philosophers at UC Berkeley under whom he studied. Then this dazzling comic writer alights on—surprise—comedy as the ultimate resolution of the fundamental paradoxes of life, using examples from The Big Bang Theory, Monty Python’s cheese shop sketch, and many other delightfully rendered snippets of pop-culture.
Metaphysics isn’t ordinarily much of a laughing matter. But in the hands of acclaimed comedy writer and scholar Eric Kaplan, a search for the truth about old St. Nick becomes a deeply insightful, laugh-out-loud discussion of the way some things exist but may not really be there. Just like Santa and his reindeer.
Even after we outgrow the jolly fellow, the essential paradox persists: There are some things we dearly believe in that are not universally acknowledged as real. In Does Santa Exist? Kaplan shows how philosophy giants Bertrand Russell and Ludwig Wittgenstein strove to smooth over this uncomfortable meeting of the real and unreal—and failed. From there Kaplan turns to mysticism’s attempts to resolve such paradoxes, surveying Buddhism, Taoism, early Christianity, Theosophy, and even the philosophers at UC Berkeley under whom he studied. Then this dazzling comic writer alights on—surprise—comedy as the ultimate resolution of the fundamental paradoxes of life, using examples from The Big Bang Theory, Monty Python’s cheese shop sketch, and many other delightfully rendered snippets of pop-culture.
Ultimately, Kaplan delves deeper into the implications of this deceptively simple revelation, from how our physical brains work to his own personal confrontations with the big questions of our existence: If we’re all going to die, what’s the point of anything? What is a perfect moment? What can you say about God? Or Santa? The answers in this book will cheer the rest of your life.
Editorial Reviews
A witty, provocative, and profound exploration of reality, meaning, morality, and yes, Santa Claus." --The Huffington Post
"Kaplan's deadpan style lets you read this as a serious philosophical treatise -- but you can also take it as a well-done farce." --New York Post
"Kaplan's investigation into the ontology of Santa Claus is erudite, readable and exceedingly funny." --Kirkus Reviews
"Eric Kaplan's Does Santa Exist? is the funniest book of philosophy since...well, ever."
--Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons and Futurama and author of Life in Hell
"If you can put this book down, you should see a doctor. Kaplan's message burrows into the mind, beats up a few beliefs and then leaves with a triumphant bang.” --Michael Gazzaniga, Professor of Psychology University of California Santa Barbara, Director of the SAGE Center for the Study of the Mind, and Founder of the Cognitive Neuroscience Society
“Exceptionally interesting, rigorous and I found it not only weirdly funny but deeply moving.”
--Hubert Dreyfus, Professor of Philosophy, University of California Berkeley, Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
"Kaplan's deadpan style lets you read this as a serious philosophical treatise -- but you can also take it as a well-done farce." --New York Post
"Kaplan's investigation into the ontology of Santa Claus is erudite, readable and exceedingly funny." --Kirkus Reviews
"Eric Kaplan's Does Santa Exist? is the funniest book of philosophy since...well, ever."
--Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons and Futurama and author of Life in Hell
"If you can put this book down, you should see a doctor. Kaplan's message burrows into the mind, beats up a few beliefs and then leaves with a triumphant bang.” --Michael Gazzaniga, Professor of Psychology University of California Santa Barbara, Director of the SAGE Center for the Study of the Mind, and Founder of the Cognitive Neuroscience Society
“Exceptionally interesting, rigorous and I found it not only weirdly funny but deeply moving.”
--Hubert Dreyfus, Professor of Philosophy, University of California Berkeley, Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
About the Author
Eric Kaplan is a co-executive producer of (and writer for) the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory. Previously he wrote for the Late Show with David Letterman, Futurama (for which he won an Emmy Award), and Flight of the Conchords. Kaplan graduated from Harvard and is currently completing his PhD dissertation in philosophy at UC Berkeley.
