Lisa the Skeptic

] Dan O'Brien cited the episode in a discussion of ontology, skepticism, and religious faith, in his book "An Introduction to the Theory of Knowledge".cite book | last =O'Brien | first =Dan | title =An Introduction to the Theory of Knowledge | publisher =Polity | year =2006 | pages =189 | id = | isbn = 0745633161] O'Brien leaves it up to the reader to decide whether or not Lisa was justified in her skepticism. In ', "Lisa the Skeptic" is cited as a prime example of why Lisa is seen as the epitome of a nerd.cite book | last = Irwin | first = William | coauthors = Aeon J. Skoble, Mark T. Conard | title = | publisher = Open Court Publishing |year=2001 | pages = Pages 16, 32, 55, 138, 287 | id = | isbn = 0812694333] The book also cited the episode in noting that Lisa is not infallible, for when the Angel appeared to speak at the end of the episode she became as frightened as everyone else. Lisa's frustration with the marketing gimmick used by the mall developers is seen by Turner's ' as yet another example of her conflict with corporations throughout the series.cite book | last = Turner | first = Chris | title = | publisher = Da Capo Press |year=2005 | pages = Page 172, 227, 267 | id = | isbn = 030681448X] Like O'Brien, Turner also analyzed the episode in the context of Lisa's questions about existentialism, self-absorption, and consumption. In "", the authors discuss Lisa's level of anger displayed in the episode, noting that in this particular case her anger gave her the wherewithal to both confront social injustice, and keep her mind clear for critical thinking.cite book | last = Brown | first = Alan S. | coauthors = Chris Logan | title = | publisher = BenBella Books, Inc. |year=2006 | pages = Page 116 | id = | isbn = 1932100709] Mark Demming of "All Movie Guide" noted that Lisa symbolically stood for the side of reason, while her mother Marge symbolized belief and spirituality in the episode. [cite news
last =Demming | first =Mark | title =The Simpsons: Lisa The Skeptic (1997), Review Summary | work =All Movie Guide | publisher =The New York Times | date = | url =http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/229056/The-Simpsons-Lisa-The-Skeptic/overview | accessdate = 2007-10-29]

Parvin's "The Gospel According to the Simpsons: Leader's Guide for Group Study" is a group study guide companion to Pinsky's "The Gospel According to the Simpsons."cite book | last = Parvin | first = Samuel F. | coauthors = Mark I. Pinsky | title = The Gospel According to the Simpsons: Leader's Guide for Group Study | publisher = Westminster John Knox Press |year=2002| isbn = 066422590X, Pages 15-18.] In the section pertaining to "Lisa the Skeptic," a skeptic is defined as: "a person who doubts, questions, or suspends judgment on ideas generally accepted by others. The study group is asked to debate the episode in the context of skepticism as related to other unexplained phenomena, including UFOs, the Loch Ness Monster, the Abominable Snowman, the Bermuda Triangle, Atlantis, near-death experiences, reincarnation, mediumship, psychics, and fortune-telling. In Pinsky's book itself, he noted that Lisa faced the difficult task of confronting religious hysteria and blind faith, and also attempted to reconcile science within her own belief system. He also wrote that when Lisa asks Stephen Jay Gould to estimate the age of the skeleton, the issue is never raised of why angels or other spiritual entities would even leave skeletons behind in the first place.

Cultural references

The scene in Judge Snyder's courtroom where Lisa is put on trial for stealing the skeleton is seen as a reference to the 1920s Scopes Monkey Trial in Dayton, Tennessee, which dealt with issues of separation of church and state and the debate between creationism and evolution.cite book | last =Pinsky | first =Mark I. | coauthors =Tony Campolo | title =The Gospel According to the Simpsons: The Spiritual Life of the World's Most Animated Family | publisher =Westminster John Knox Press | year =2001 | pages =43, 133, 182 | id = | isbn =0664224199 ] The publicity stunt created by the mall developers in the episode has been compared to scientific hoaxes such as the Cardiff Giant and the Piltdown Man. When Lisa asks if the townspeople are outraged at the end of the episode for being fooled by a publicity stunt, Chief Wiggum is about to answer her but is distracted when he catches sight of a Pottery Barn in the new Heavenly Hills mall. A shot of the diggers in silhouette against the sunset is modeled after "Raiders of the Lost Ark". [cite web | title = The Simpsons | publisher = TheRaider.net | url = http://www.theraider.net/information/influences/the_simpsons.php | accessdate=2008-01-17]

Reception

Donald Liebenson wrote for the "Amazon.com" movie review that "Bart Sells His Soul" and "Lisa the Skeptic" were among the best episodes of "The Simpsons", however he also noted that: "Without being preachy (or particularly funny), this episode is pretty potent stuff," citing its theme of Apocalypse towards the end of the episode. [cite news | last =Liebenson | first =Donald | title =The Simpsons Trick Or Treehouse: Vol. 3 Heaven & Hell (vhs): Amazon.com movie review | work =Amazon.com | date = | url =http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096697/amazon | accessdate = 2007-10-29] "Lisa the Skeptic" was utilized in a Salt Lake City, Utah Episcopal Church Sunday School class in 2003, to stimulate a discussion among fourteen-year olds about belief in angels, and the juxtaposition of science and faith.cite news | last =Jarvik | first =Elaine | title =Sun-Doh! School — Teachers use pop culture to appeal to masses | work = Deseret Morning News | date =December 12, 2003 | url =http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,565038276,00.html | accessdate = 2007-10-29] The episode was compared and contrasted with a passage from Proverbs 14:15.

The episode is used by the Farmington Trust (UK) for Christian religious education, to teach children about skepticism.cite book | last =Taylor | first =Tessa | title =An Introduction to Philosophy: The Wit and Wisdom of Lisa Simpson | publisher =Farmington Institute | date =August Term 2004 | location =St Mary's College, Durham | pages =Pages 30-32 | url =http://www.farmington.ac.uk/documents/new_reports/ME17.pdf | id = | ] The episode is used as a tool, to involve the students in a debate about religion and science, as well as to discuss Lisa's own skepticism, and her respect towards others. A group of "The Simpsons" enthusiasts at Calvin College have also analyzed the religious and philosophical aspects of the episode, including the issue of faith versus science. [cite news | last =VandeBunte | first =Matt | title =The Gospel according to The Simpsons; Calvin students find more than laughs in the hit show | work =Grand Rapids Press | pages =Page B1 | date =December 27, 2003 | ] The episode has been compared with Gabriel García Márquez's short story "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings" and utilized as a teaching tool in a Saugerties, New York grade school class.cite news | last =Staff | title =“A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” & “Lisa the Skeptic”: A Comparison | work =Saugerties Central School District, Saugerties, New York | publisher = saugerties.schoolwires.com | date =July 16, 2007 | url =http://saugerties.schoolwires.com/43912081514458873/lib/43912081514458873/_files/A_Very_Old_Man_With_Enormous_Wings_vs_the_Simpsons.doc | accessdate = 2007-12-02] In an exam on the subject, students were asked to use details from both "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings" and "Lisa the Skeptic", in order to analyze the quotation "Appearances can be deceiving."

See also

*Angels in art
*Publicity stunt
*Sales promotion

References

External links

* [http://www.thesimpsons.com/episode_guide/0908.htm "Lisa the Skeptic"] , at The Simpsons.com
*snpp capsule|5F05
* [http://www.tv.com/the-simpsons/lisa-the-skeptic/episode/1471/summary.html Lisa the Skeptic] , at TV.com
*imdb title|id=0701156|title=Lisa the Skeptic