Many students in modern academies find the idea of studying philosophy dull and dusty—an old practice with little relevance in today’s world. And who can blame them, when most of the texts used in these classes are decades or even centuries old?

But you don’t have to reach back to ancient Greece or Renaissance Europe, or even early 1900s America to see examples of some major philosophical ideas at work. Modern comic book characters often exhibit these belief systems with remarkable detail, and just a brief overview of each hero’s motivations can serve as quite an introduction to these philosophical viewpoints.

Utilitarianism: Ozymandias from Watchmen

If you haven’t read the Watchmen, and you don’t like stories spoiled, you should probably skip this section. In the Watchmen world, Ozymandias is the billionaire smartest-man-in-the-world ex-vigilante who ultimately calls all of the shots, though he does it from behind the scenes. Far too late, his ex-teammates figure out that he was orchestrating the destruction of several of the world’s largest cities, which lead to the death of billions of innocent people. He pins the bombing on Dr. Manhattan, and later explains that his plan was the lesser of two evils: unite the world against an imaginary common enemy by killing billions, or allow it to dissolve into nuclear warfare that would kill everyone.

Regardless of the outcome of Ozymandias’ plan, it’s his motivations that are most fascinating philosophically. His dichotomous view of the world leads to a question at the heart of utilitarianism: which option results in the least harm? While John Stuart Mill, one of utilitarianism’s biggest proponents, might object to the way Ozymandias implements the ideas, he couldn’t argue that it was definitely a utilitarian course of action. The lack of desire for personal gain is most notable here—if Ozymandias were only doing it for his own good, it would be in conflict with the idea of a greater good.

Nihilism: The Comedian from Watchmen

Edward Blake, better known as the Comedian from the Watchmen universe, sees the entire world as a meaningless, cruel joke, which he takes as permission to do whatever he wants whenever he wants without consequence. Essentially, the Comedian has no moral code, and simply sees everyone as an enemy of sorts. While this is a simplified version of his character—he shows several moments of humanity and compassion, especially toward his daughter, Laurie—his complete disregard for others and his firm belief that life has no intrinsic value makes him a poster child for the philosophical ideas of nihilism.

Nihilism comes originally from theological arguments against rationalism, and was initially proposed by Friedrish Heinrich Jacobi. The idea was later further developed by Soren Kierkegaard with the idea that individuals were not inherently valuable, but it didn’t come out in its current form until the famous philosopher Neitzsche got his hands on it. That is when the idea of the world having no intrinsic value first surfaced—the form of nihilism that the Comedian so accurately embodies.

Determinism: Doctor Manhattan from Watchmen

In the Watchmen universe, Doctor Manhattan is essentially a god. After a nuclear accident in his lab, he is blown to bits and then resurrects himself as a mostly all-knowing, all powerful creature. Doctor Manhattan can see into the future, which leads him to believe that nothing can be changed—all that he sees must come to past. He even goes so far as to abandon the planet, knowing that nothing he can do will save it. This resignation is in keeping with one of the founding principles of theological debate: determinism.

Determinism says that everything that happens is pre-ordained (usually by god, but there are some softer theories like biological determinism that merely point out that we have no control over our cells, which make up our every action and decision). There is nothing you can do to fight against determinism—it has already been decided for you, and all you can do it let it happen. This idea comes into direct conflict with the idea of free will, which is why there has been so much theological debate on the subject. While Doctor Manhattan’s version of determinism doesn’t include a god, his firm belief that his visions must come true lead him to believe that he cannot influence what happens in the future and it is better to leave things to their own devices.

Idealism: Superman

Superman is the poster child of comic books. As one of the first comic book heroes, he quickly became a staple image of Americana, and his wild popularity in the 50s was unprecedented. But what is it about Superman that made him so popular? His super strength? His x-ray vision? No—it was his unfailing devotion to do what was right and see the best in people. Despite some questionable writing in the 70s and 80s, Superman has remained a bastion of goodness, almost to the point of pacifism, which makes him an idealist.

Idealism as a philosophy mostly focuses on the value of the human spirit, but it also requires that followers always see the best in people, because all are the same. Superman’s refusal to step outside of his moral box reflects this viewpoint, especially as he is determined to use his powers for good only—never evil. Many superheroes actually fall into this category (Captain America, Spiderman, etc.), but Superman is the biggest and best example because of his iconic status in our culture.

Pragmatism: Iron Man

This runaway-superhero from the Marvel universe is best known for his carelessness and bravado, often flaunting the rules and rolling through attractive young girls on the side. He’s one of the few heroes who doesn’t go to the ends of the earth to conceal his identity as playboy-genius-millionaire Tony Stark, and seems largely driven by impulse. For this reason, you might think he’s a strange choice for pragmatism—a philosophy essentially concerned with reconciling the difference between science and theology through careful consideration and rational thought. But despite his public persona, Stark is actually an intensely introspective person, as well as incredibly scientific. He doesn’t disregard the rules without forethought. He considers consequences. His brashness is often countered by concern for those he cares about and a level of calculated thinking not seen in many other superheroes. In this way, he is practically the walking embodiment of pragmatism, always walking the line between the scientific and the emotional.

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