Jim Henson and Philosophy

Jim Henson’s creations have inspired generations with characters that are among the world’s most recognizable cultural icons. From Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy and their Muppet friends to the legendary Sesame Street and Children’s Television Workshop, Henson revolutionized children’s educational entertainment. Combining live action and puppeteering into fantastical narratives like The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth, as well as the whimsical Fraggle Rock and The Storyteller, Henson transformed imagination into reality, weaving together powerful philosophical messages on identity, community, diversity, love, death, and friendship. Henson never shied away from exploring deep questions, nor did he underestimate the ability of children (or adults) to grapple with profound philosophical questions. Jim Henson and Philosophy explores the entertaining and educational world of the genius’s creations, revealing what it is about Henson’s world that has touched us so deeply and improved our lives in such meaningful ways.


Contributions by: Lauren Ashwell, Kimberly Baltzer-Jaray, David R. Burns, Samantha Brennan, Amanda Cawston, Brooke Covington, Christopher M. Culp, Ryan Cox, Natalie M. Fletcher, Victoria Hubbell, Dena Hurst, Christopher Ketcham, S. Evan Kreider, Shaun Leonard, Jennifer Marra, Michael J. Muniz, Laurel Ralston, Rhona Trauvitch, and Sheryl Tuttle Ross

Timothy M. Dale is an assistant professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse, where he teaches courses on political philosophy. He is coeditor of the collections Homer Simpson Ponders Politics: Popular Culture as Political Theory (2013) and Homer Simpson Marches on Washington: Dissent in American Popular Culture (2010).
Joseph J. Foy is associate campus dean at the University of Wisconsin-Waukesha. He edited the award-winning Homer Simpson Goes to Washington: Politics as Popular Culture (2008) and SpongeBob Square Pants and Philosophy (2011), and co-edited Homer Simpson Ponders Politics: Popular Culture as Political Theory (2013) and Homer Simpson Marches on Washington: Dissent in American Popular Culture (2010).