Serial Killers - Philosophy for Everyone investigates our profound intrigue with mass-murderers. Exploring existential, ethical and political questions through an examination of real and fictional serial killers, philosophy comes alive via an exploration of grisly death. Presents new philosophical theories about serial killing, and relates new research in cognitive science to the minds of serial killers Includes a philosophical look at real serial killers such as Ian Brady, Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer and the Zodiac killer, as well as fictional serial killers such as Dexter and Hannibal Lecter Offers a new phenomenological examination of the writings of the Zodiac Killer Contains an account of the disappearance of one of Ted Bundy's victims submitted by the organization Families and Friends of Missing Persons and Violent Crime Victims Integrates the insights of philosophers, academics, crime writers and police officers

Serial Killers - Philosophy for Everyone investigates ourprofound intrigue with mass-murderers. Exploring existentialethical and political questions through an examination of real andfictional serial killers, philosophy comes alive via an explorationof grisly death.* Presents new philosophical theories about serial killing, andrelates new research in cognitive science to the minds of serialkillers* Includes a philosophical look at real serial killers such asIan Brady, Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer and theZodiac killer, as well as fictional serial killers such as Dexterand Hannibal Lecter* Offers a new phenomenological examination of the writings ofthe Zodiac Killer* Contains an account of the disappearance of one of Ted Bundy'svictims submitted by the organization Families and Friends ofMissing Persons and Violent Crime Victims* Integrates the insights of philosophers, academics, crimewriters and police officers

Foreword viiiJohn M. DorisAcknowledgments xiS. WallerIntroduction: Meditations on Murder, or What is so Philosophical about Serial Killers? 1S. Waller and William E. DealPart I I THINK THEREFORE I KILL: The Philosophical Musings of Serial Killers 151 Man is the Most Dangerous Animal of All: A Philosophical Gaze into the Writings of the Zodiac Killer 17Andrew M. Winters2 A Philosophy of Serial Killing: Sade, Nietzsche, and Brady at the Gates of Janus 29David Schmid3 The Situation of the Jury: Attribution Bias in the Trials of Accused Serial Killers 41Mark AlfanoPart II Can You Blame Them? Ethics, Evil, And Serial Killing 514 Serial Killers as Practical Moral Skeptics: A Historical Survey with Interviews 53Amanda Howard5 Are Psychopathic Serial Killers Evil? Are They Blameworthy for What They Do? 66Manuel Vargas6 Sympathy for the Devil: Can a Serial Killer Ever Be Good? 78Matthew BrophyPart III DANGEROUS INFATUATIONS: The Public Fascination with Serial Killers 917 The Allure of the Serial Killer 93Eric Dietrich and Tara Fox Hall8 Dexter's Dark World: The Serial Killer as Superhero 103Susan AmperPart IV A EULOGY FOR EMOTION: The Lack of Empathy and the Urge to Kill 1159 Killing with Kindness: Nature, Nurture, and the Female Serial Killer 117Elizabeth Schechter and Harold Schechter10 It Puts the Lotion in the Basket: The Language of Psychopathy 129Chris Keegan11 Are Serial Killers Cold-Blooded Killers? 141Andrew TerjesenPart V Creepy Cognition: Talking and Thinking About Serial Killers 15312 The Serial Killer was (Cognitively) Framed 155William E. Deal13 Wolves and Widows: Naming, Metaphor, and the Language of Serial Murder 166Wendy M. Zirngibl14 An Arresting Conversation: Police Philosophize about the Armed and Dangerous 178S. Waller (with Diane Amarillas and Karen Kos)Part VI Psycho-ology: Killer Mindsets and Meditations on Murder 18915 Psychopathy and Will to Power: Ted Bundy and Dennis Rader 191Richard M. Gray16 The Thread of Death, or the Compulsion to Kill 206J. S. PivenA Solemn Afterword: A Message from the Victim's Network 218Mary MillerA Timeline of Serial Killers 222Amanda HowardNotes on Contributors 226