House and philosophy : everybody lies / edited by Henry Jacoby.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction : read less, more TV : a cranky, slightly rude introduction / Henry Jacoby -- "Humanity is overrated" : House on life. Selfish, base animals crawling across the earth : House and the meaning of life / Henry Jacoby -- House and Sartre : "hell is other people" / Jennifer L. McMahon -- Is there a superman in the House? : a Nietzschean point of view / David Goldblatt -- House and moral luck / Jane Dryden -- "Welcome to the end of the thought process" : House's logic and method. The logic of guesswork in Sherlock Holmes and House / Jerold J. Abrams -- It explains everything! / Barbara Anne Stock -- The sound of one House clapping : the unmannerly doctor as Zen rhetorician / Jeffrey C. Ruff and Jeremy Barris -- "Being nice is overrated" : House and Socrates on the necessity of conflict / Melanie Frappier -- Is there a Daoist in the House? / Peter Vernezze -- "It is the nature of medicine that you are going to screw up" : House and ethical principles. "You care for everybody" : Cameron's ethics of care / Renee Kyle -- To intubate or not to intubate : House's principles and priorities / Barbara Anne Stock and Teresa Blankmeyer Burke -- House and medical paternalism : "you can't always get what you want" / Mark R. Wicclair -- If the end doesn't justify the means, then what does? / Catherine Sartin -- House vs. Tritter : on the clash of theoretical and practical authority / Kenneth Ehrenberg -- "The drugs don't make me high, they make me neutral" : virtues and character on House. House and the virtue of eccentricity / John R. Fitzpatrick -- Love : the only risk House can't take / Sara Protasi -- A prescription for friendship / Sara Waller -- Diagnosing character : a House divided? / Heather Battaly and Amy Coplan.

"Dr. Gregory House is arguably the most complex and challenging antihero in the history of television, but is there more to this self-important genius than gray matter and ego? This book takes a deeper look at House to reveal the philosophical underpinnings of this popular medical drama and its cane-waving curmudgeon's most outrageous behavior. What emerges is a remarkable character who is part Sherlock Holmes, part Socratic philosopher, part Nietzschean superman, part Taoist rhetorician, and not at all as screwed up as you might think."--Jacket.