Futurama as Philosophy: Wisdom from the Ignorance of a Delivery Boy

Abstract

Futurama is an animated series from creators Matt Groening (creator of The Simpsons) and David X. Cohen (television writer/producer) that centers on the adventures and friendships of twentieth century pizza delivery boy, Philip J. Fry, who gets cryogenically frozen on New Year’s Eve 1999 and unceremoniously revived a 1000 years later. Fry learns to navigate the challenges of the year 3000 with surprising ease alongside a close set of comrades who comprise the thirty-first century delivery crew of Planet Express. More than a fish-out-of-water tale, Futurama explores a vast array of philosophical themes, including environmentalism, animal liberation, friendship, sex, love, suicide, freedom, discrimination, corporate deception and greed, language, and time travel. As if that were not enough, they solve real-life mathematical conundrums, talk to God, and provide a satirical narrative that challenges viewers’ ways of life. This chapter will examine these and other themes to help readers better understand how Futurama does philosophy and ponder the philosophical issues it raises.