The Philosophy of Crime: Exploring Right, Wrong, and Human Nature

Investigative journalist, author, and podcaster James Renner tackles the biggest questions behind our obsession with true crime—why is true crime so popular, is it ethical for journalists to cover true crime, how can lawyers defend guilty people, why does the United States still have the death penalty—and looks to classical philosophy for answers. As readers learn about the details of famous crimes, they also discover the ideas of philosophers like Aristotle, Nietzsche, and Michele Foucault that elucidate the deeper meanings behind the cases. Based on episodes of Renner’s popular podcast of the same name, the book expands on the subjects introduced in the podcast to get to the heart of deeper philosophical questions, including the nature of truth, morality and ethics, the self and the other, consciousness, the human tendency toward goodness, and more. New subjects exclusive to the book include guardian angels and crime scenes, psychopaths and the bicameral mind, and the boogeyman effect.

The book draws on real-world cases of murder and mystery like:

• the kidnapping and murder of Amber Hagerman—the little girl who inspired Amber Alert;
• the horrors of Ted Bundy, Charles Manson, and the Son of Sam;
• Maura Murrey, who vanished into the wintery New Hampshire woods one night and was never seen again;
• the West Memphis Three, wrongfully convicted of murder and finally freed after decades in prison, but only after being coerced to plead guilty;
• and many more!

Also using lesser known but equally fascinating crimes from ages past, the book provides new insights and stories that will engage the most ardent true crime reader, as well as the armchair philosopher.

Praise for the author's previous books:

“Renner . . . is just plain fun to read. . . . He’s also shamelessly entertaining.” —Marilyn Stasio, New York Times, about True Crime Addict

“An entrancing, brilliant next step for fans of the podcast Serial, Netflix’s Making a Murderer, and other true crime cases.” —Library Journal, about True Crime Addict

“Punctuated by moments of desperate tenderness, this unusually demanding and grim tale provokes troubling reflections on guilt and innocence, good and evil, revenge and redemption.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review), about The Man from Primrose Lane

“Packed with thrills.” —Publishers Weekly, about The Great Forgetting

“A tale you won’t forget.” —New York Post, about The Great Forgetting