Initially, I set this page up as a Glossary of Terms page, to provide an up-to-date list of all the key philosophical concepts described on my site (with direct links to the sections of the individual pages and posts that describe them in more detail). I have since expanded it to also provide links to posts where I describe the theories of major philosophers (and other thinkers) by name. And I’ve also now included an extra reference section for specific comics writers at the end.
All entries are in alphabetical order by main concept or last name, to facilitate your search. For each entry links are provided in relative order of significance (i.e., the greatest discussion is the first link, followed by the second, etc.).
Philosophical Terms
- Absurdism – Vision, 8 Deaths of Spider-Man
- Act utilitarianism – Charles Xavier
- Altruism – Can Caring be Wrong?, Superman
- Amoral – Mister Sinister
- Applied ethics (practical ethics) – The Power Fantasy, Powers, Dream Girls
- Arrow of time – Power Fantasy End of History
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) – 1st anniversary, Ethics and AI, AI-free
- Bias – Ethics 101, Moral Thinking
- Buddhism – FML comix, Battleworld
- Buddhism, comparison to Stoicism – FML comix
- Care ethics – Can Caring be Wrong?, Ethics 101, FML comix, Captain Marvel, Clea, Jeff the Land Shark, Superman, Supergirl, Kitty Pryde, Ms. Marvel, Invisible Woman, Moon Knight, Battleworld, Doctor Strange of Asgard, Dream Girls
- Care ethics, criticism of – Can Caring be Wrong?
- Cognitive bias – Ethics 101
- Compatibilism – Vision
- Confucianism – Fantastic Four
- Consequentialism – Ethics 101, Charles Xavier, Why be Moral?, A.X.E.: Judgment Day Conclusion, Doctor Strange, Doctor Strange of Asgard, Deena Pilgrim, Moon Knight, Reed Richards, Superman, Dream Girls
- Christianity – A.X.E.: Judgment Day Conclusion, The Power Fantasy, Absolute Wonder Woman, Moon Knight
- Christianity, Catholicism – The Power Fantasy, Daredevil, Nightcrawler
- Criminal justice system – Powers
- Cultural relativism – Mystique
- Death – 8 Deaths of Spider-Man
- Deontology – Ethics 101, Why be Moral?, Superman, Daredevil, Captain America, Christian Walker, Enki Sunrise, Moon Knight, The Human Torch, Dream Girls
- Deontological moral intuitionism – Jeff the Land Shark, The Power Fantasy, Dream Girls
- Determinism – Vision
- Dialogic vs dielectic – Can Caring be Wrong?, Dream Girls, Powers
- Divine command theory – Moon Knight, The Power Fantasy
- Dual process model of human cognition – Moral Thinking, Superman
- Egoistic consequentialism – Lex Luthor, Magneto, Sebastian Shaw, Doctor Doom, Mister Sinister, Dream Girls, Ultron
- Effective altruism – Can Caring be Wrong?, Superman
- Epicurean paradox (Epicurus’ Trilemma) – The Power Fantasy
- Epicureanism – Jeff the Land Shark
- Epistemology – Battleworld
- Eternalism – Power Fantasy End of History
- Ethical egoism – Magneto, Lex Luthor, Sebastian Shaw, Doctor Doom, Mister Sinister, Ultron
- Ethical hedonism – Jeff the Land Shark
- Ethical intuitionism – Jeff the Land Shark, The Power Fantasy
- Ethical pragmatism – The Power Fantasy
- Ethics – Ethics 101
- Exemplarist moral theory – Battleworld
- Existentialism – 8 Deaths of Spider-Man, Vision, Dream Girls
- Existential crisis – 8 Deaths of Spider-Man
- Free will – Vision
- Game theory – The Power Fantasy
- Gender bias – Ethics 101
- Gender identity – Dream Girls
- Human rights – Introduction to X-Men, Dream Girls
- Identity metaethics – Vision, 8 Deaths of Spider-Man
- Intersectionality – Dream Girls
- Judaism – Magneto, The Thing, A.X.E.: Judgment Day Conclusion
- Kantian ethics – Superman, Why be Moral?, Powers, The Power Fantasy, Power Fantasy End of History
- Libertarianism – Vision
- Machiavellianism – Charles Xavier
- Mental health/illness – Moon Knight
- Meta-ethics – Ethics 101, Can Caring be Wrong?, Mystique, Battleworld
- Moral intuition – Ethics 101
- Moral intuitionism – Jeff the Land Shark, The Power Fantasy, Dream Girls
- Moral particularism – Wolverine
- Moral relativisim – Mystique
- Multiverse – Marvel/DC
- Myth, power of – Launch post
- Negative responsibility – Redemption of Charles Xavier, The Power Fantasy
- Neuromorality – Moral Thinking
- Neuroticism – Spider-Man
- Normative ethics – Ethics 101
- Nihilism – 8 Deaths of Spider-Man, Vision, The Power Fantasy
- Objectivism – Doctor Strange
- Occam’s razor – A.X.E.: Judgment Day Conclusion
- Pareidolia – Fantastic Four vol 8 issue #4
- Personality – Spider-Man
- Prediction (and postdiction) – Vision
- Psychodynamic theory – Daredevil
- Rational egoism – Doctor Doom, Lex Luthor, Mister Sinister, Ultron
- Retributive justice – Moon Knight
- Rule utilitarianism – Charles Xavier, Power Fantasy Intro, A.X.E.: Judgment Day Conclusion, Superman, Ethics 101, Doctor Strange Asgard, Jeff, Power Fantasy End of History
- Sacrifice – Secret Wars
- Ship of Theseus (aka Theseus’ paradox) – Vision
- Situational ethics – Absolute Wonder Woman, Battleworld, Dream Girls, Moon Knight
- Social Darwinism – Sebastian Shaw
- Stoicism – Absolute Wonder Woman, FML comix, 8 Deaths of Spider-Man, Supergirl
- Stoicism, comparison to Buddhism – FML comix
- Subjectivism – Mystique
- Suffering – Battleworld, Dream Girls, Supergirl
- Transference, psychological – Charles Xavier
- Trolley problem – Ethics 101
- Trans philosophy – Dream Girls
- Unreliable narrator – Supergirl
- Utilitarianism – Charles Xavier, The Power Fantasy, Why be Moral?, Doctor Strange, Moon Knight, Reed Richards, Ethics 101
- Utilitarianism, act utilitarianism – Charles Xavier, The Power Fantasy intro
- Utilitarianism, criticism – Redemption of Charles Xavier, The Power Fantasy (1), The Power Fantasy (2), Why be Moral?
- Utilitarianism, preference utilitarianism – Wonder Woman
- Utilitarianism, rule utilitarianism – Charles Xavier, Power Fantasy Intro, A.X.E.: Judgment Day Conclusion, Superman, Ethics 101, Doctor Strange Asgard, Jeff, Power Fantasy End of History
- Virtue consequentialism – A.X.E.: Judgment Day Conclusion
- Virtue ethics – A.X.E.: Judgment Day Conclusion, Thor, Absolute Wonder Woman, Spider-Man, Superman, Ethics 101, Powers, Supergirl, Captain America, Magneto, Why be Moral?, The Thing, 8 Deaths of Spider-Man, Doctor Strange of Asgard, Battleworld, Power Fantasy End of History
- Virtue ethics, criticism – A.X.E.: Judgment Day Conclusion, Absolute Wonder Woman
Philosophers & Thinkers
- Adams, Robert – Moon Knight
- Aquinas, Thomas – Power Fantasy Intro, Daredevil, Moon Knight, Why be Moral?, Power Fantasy End of History, Battleworld
- Ashoka – FML comix
- Asimov, Isaac – Moon Knight, Battleworld, Vision
- Aurelius, Marcus – FML comix, Wonder Woman, 8 Deaths
- Aristotle – A.X.E.: Judgment Day Conclusion, Spider-Man, Thor, Superman, Xavier’s Redemption, 8 Deaths, FML comix, Why be Moral?, Powers, Jeff, Supergirl, Doctor Strange Asgard, Battleworld
- Beauvoir, Simone de – Dream Girls, Vision
- Beckett, Samuel – 8 Deaths
- Bentham, Jeremy – Charles Xavier, Power Fantasy Intro, Vision, Why be Moral?, Doctor Strange, Doctor Strange Asgard, Secret Wars, Powers
- Blake, William – Secret Wars
- Brandt, Richard – Charles Xavier, Power Fantasy Intro, A.X.E.: Judgment Day Conclusion, Ethics 101, Doctor Strange Asgard, Jeff, Superman
- Buddha, The (Siddhartha Gautama) – FML comix, 8 Deaths, A.X.E.: Judgment Day Conclusion, Power Fantasy Intro, Battleworld
- Butler, Judith – Dream Girls
- Camus, Albert – Vision, 8 Deaths, Secret Wars, Power Fantasy End of History, Dream Girls
- Campbell, Joseph – Launch
- Christ, Jesus – Wonder Woman, Battleworld, A.X.E.: Judgment Day Conclusion, Dream Girls, Moon Knight, Power Fantasy Intro
- Clarke, Arthur C. – Daredevil
- Confucius – Fantastic Four, Can Caring be Wrong?, Why be Moral?, A.X.E.: Judgment Day Conclusion
- Crane, Stephen – Thor, Supergirl
- Darwin, Charles – Sebastian Shaw
- De Neys, Wim – Moral Thinking
- Descartes, René – Vision, Secret Wars
- Einstein, Albert – Powers
- Epictetus – FML comix, 8 Deaths
- Epicurus – Jeff, Power Fantasy Intro
- Fletcher, Joseph – Wonder Woman, Battleworld, Moon Knight, Dream Girls, A.X.E.: Judgment Day Conclusion
- Freud, Sigmund – Daredevil
- Frost, Robert – FML comix
- Gilligan, Carol – Can Caring be Wrong?, FML comix, Moon Knight, Jeff, Battleworld, Doctor Strange Asgard, Superman, Supergirl
- Greene, Joshua – Moral Thinking
- Hobbes, Thomas – Vision, Power Fantasy Intro
- Hume, David – Battleworld, Vision, Power Fantasy Intro
- Insel, Thomas – Moon Knight
- Ishiguru, Kazuo – Supergirl, Power Fantasy End of History
- Kahneman, Daniel – Moral Thinking
- Kalanithi, Paul – Battleworld, Supergirl
- Kant, Immanuel – Superman, Spider-Man, Power Fantasy Intro, Powers, Wonder Woman, Moon Knight, Why be Moral?, Can Caring be Wrong?, Secret Wars
- Kierkegaard, Søren – Secret Wars
- Kohlberg, Lawrence – Can Caring be Wrong?
- Larkin, Philip – Power Fantasy Intro
- Locke, John – 8 Deaths
- Machievelli, Niccolo – Charles Xavier
- Manson, Mark – FML comix
- Mill, John Stuart – Charles Xavier, Power Fantasy Intro, Vision, Why be Moral?, Doctor Strange, Doctor Strange Asgard
- Nietzsche, Friedrich – Vision, Secret Wars, 8 Deaths, Power Fantasy Intro, Superman
- Ockham (Occam), William of – A.X.E.: Judgment Day Conclusion, Moral Thinking
- Piaget, Jean – Can Caring be Wrong?
- Pirsig, Robert – Power Fantasy End of History
- Plato – Superman
- Rand, Ayn – Doctor Strange, Superman
- Ross, W.D. – Jeff, Power Fantasy Intro
- Russell, Bertrand – Power Fantasy Intro
- Sagan, Carl – Powers
- Sartre, Jean-Paul – 8 Deaths, Vision, Secret Wars, Dream Girls
- Seneca – FML comix, 8 Deaths
- Singer, Peter – Wonder Woman
- Socrates – Superman
- Spinoza, Baruch – Secret Wars
- Tennyson, Alfred (Lord) – Supergirl
- von Helmholtz, Hermann – Vision
- von Neumann, John – Power Fantasy Intro
- White, Mark D. – Spider-Man, Captain America
- Williams, Bernard – Xavier’s Redemption, Power Fantasy Intro, Vision, Jeff
- Zagzebski, Linda – Battleworld
Comics Writers
- Aaron, Jason – Thor, Daredevil, Doctor Strange, Moon Knight
- Ahmed, Saladin – Daredevil
- Allen, Ashley – Magik, X-Men
- Axelrod, Jadzia – Dream Girls
- Ayodele, Murewa – Storm, Can Caring be Wrong?, Xavier’s Redemption
- Bemis, Max – Moon Knight
- Bendis, Brian Michael – Powers, Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, Captain Marvel, Reed Richards, Invisible Woman, Moon Knight, Superman
- Brubaker, Ed – Captain America, Charles Xavier
- Brunner, Frank – Doctor Strange, Clea
- Byrne, John – Superman, Invisible Woman, Reed Richards, Fantastic Four, X-Men, Magneto
- Buccellato, Brian – Superman
- Carey, Mike – Xavier’s Redemption
- Cates, Donny – Doctor Strange, Doctor Strange Asgard, Thor
- Claremont, Chris – Charles Xavier, X-Men, Captain Marvel, Magneto, Doctor Strange, Clea, Battleworld, Destiny, Kitty Pryde
- Coates, Ta-Nehisi – Captain America
- DeConnick, Kelly Sue – FML comix, Captain Marvel, Eisner Reading, Battleworld
- Defalco, Tom – Fantastic Four
- DeMatteis, J.M. – Captain America, Magneto, About Site
- Ditko, Steve – Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, Clea
- Dixon, Chuck – Moon Knight
- Duggan, Gerry – X-Men, Magneto, Charles Xavier, Xavier’s Redemption
- Ellis, Warren – Moon Knight, Doctor Strange, Superman
- Ennis, Garth – Superman
- Englehart, Steve – Doctor Strange, Clea, Captain America
- Ewing, Al – Magneto, Charles Xavier, Xavier’s Redemption, Magneto, Storm, X-Men, Isca, Battleworld
- Ewing, Eve – Kitty Pryde, X-Men, Battleworld
- Gage, Christos – Battleworld
- Gillen, Kieron – Power Fantasy Intro, Power Fantasy End of History, A.X.E.: Judgment Day Conclusion, A.X.E.: Judgment Day Intro, X-Men, Charles Xavier, Captain America, Xavier, Daredevil, Xavier’s Redemption, Sinister, Thor, Emma Frost, Exodus, Phoenix, Destiny, Nightcrawler, Mystique, Sebastian Shaw, Eisner Reading
- Gillis, Peter – Captain America, Battleworld, Doctor Strange, Clea, About Site
- Grønbekk, Torunn – Thor, Magik
- Hickman, Jonathan – Reed Richards, Invisible Woman, Fantastic Four, X-Men, Charles Xavier, Magneto, Doctor Strange, Clea, Isca
- Hurwitz, Gregg – Moon Knight
- Huston, Charlie – Moon Knight
- Ireland, Justina – 8 Deaths, Spider-Man
- Johns, Geoff – Superman
- Jurgens, Dan – Superman
- Kelly, Collin – Xavier’s Redemption
- Kelly, Joe – 8 Deaths, Spider-Man, Magneto
- Kesel, Karl – The Thing, Superman
- King, Tom – Supergirl, Vision
- Kirby, Jack – X-Men, Fantastic Four, Captain America, Charles Xavier, Magneto, Thor
- Kirkman, Robert – Superman
- Landy, Derek – Doctor Strange Asgard, 8 Deaths
- Lanzing, Jackson – Xavier’s Redemption
- Lee, Stan – Spider-Man, X-Men, Fantastic Four, Doctor Strange, Daredevil, Charles Xavier, Magneto, Thor
- Lemire, Jeff – Moon Knight
- Lieber, Larry – Thor
- MacKay, Jed – Moon Knight, Clea, Doctor Strange, X-Men, Magneto, Xavier’s Redemption, Cyclops, Kid Omega, The Thing, Battleworld
- Maines, Nicole – Dream Girls
- Maggin, Elliot – Superman
- McCloud, Scott – Comics
- McKelvie, Jamie – Ms. Marvel
- Millar, Mark – Captain America, Superman, Reed Richards
- Miller, Frank – Daredevil
- Moench, Doug – Moon Knight
- Moore, Alan – Power Fantasy Intro
- Morrison, Grant – Superman, X-Men, Charles Xavier, Kid Omega, Magneto
- Nicieza, Fabian – Magneto
- North, Ryan – FF #4 2025, Human Torch, Reed Richards, Fantastic Four
- Ordway, Jerry – Superman
- Orlando, Steve – Psylocke, Vision
- Pak, Greg – Magneto
- Paknadel, Alex – Magneto, Xavier’s Redemption, Beast
- Pepose, David – Fantastic Four, Invisible Woman
- Percy, Benjamin – Wolverine
- Phillips, Stephanie – Phoenix
- Pilkey, Dav – Comics, Jeff
- Rosenberg, Matthew – Charles Xavier
- Russell, Mark – Superman, Why be Moral?, A.X.E.: Judgment Day Conclusion
- Schultz, Erica – X-Men
- Shalvey, Declan – Mystique
- Shooter, Jim – Secret Wars, Clea, Magneto, Captain America
- Siegel, Jerry – Superman
- Simon, Joe – Captain America
- Simone, Gail – Can Caring be Wrong?, X-Men, Rogue, Xavier’s Redemption, Clea
- Simonson, Louise – Superman
- Simonson, Walt – Thor
- Slott, Dan – Fantastic Four, Reed Richards, The Thing, Invisible Woman
- Snyder, Scott – Superman, Wonder Woman
- Spencer, Nick – Captain America
- Spurrier, Si – Legion, Nightcrawler
- Stern, Roger – Doctor Strange, Clea, Secret Wars, Superman, About Site
- Stohl, Margaret – Captain Marvel
- Straczynski, J. Michael – Captain America, Thor, Spider-Man, Reed Richards
- Taylor, Tom – Superman
- Telgemeier, Raina – Comics
- Thomas, Dann – Doctor Strange, Clea
- Thomas, Roy – Doctor Strange, Clea, Captain Marvel, Vision
- Thompson, Kelly – Wonder Woman, Jeff, Captain Marvel, A.X.E.: Judgment Day Conclusion, Rogue, Eisner Reading, Battleworld
- Vaughn, Brian K. – Doctor Strange
- Waid, Mark – Superman, Invisible Woman, The Thing, Fantastic Four, Vision, Doctor Strange, Dream Girls, Clea
- Whedon, Joss – Charles Xavier
- Williamson, Joshua – Superman
- Wilson, G. Willow – Ms. Marvel
- Wood, Brian – Moon Knight
- Wong, Alyssa – Captain Marvel, Psylocke, X-Men
- Wells, Zeb – Spider-Man, A.X.E.: Judgment Day Conclusion
- Zdarksy, Chip – Daredevil, The Thing, Human Torch, Fantastic Four, Reed Richards
- Zelenetz, Alan – Thor, Moon Knight
P.S.: I’ve made a convenient Starter Pack list of all the comics writers above (as of the start of 2026) who are active on BlueSky.
Last updated June 26, 2026