An accessible and engaging journey through the philosophical themes and concepts of Ted Lasso

Ted Lasso and Philosophy explores the hidden depths beneath the vibrant veneer of AppleTV’s breakout, award-winning sitcom. Blending philosophical sophistication with winsome appreciation of this feel-good comedy, the collection features 20 original essays canvassing the breadth of the series and carefully considering the ideas it presents, including the goal of competition, the role of mental health, sportsmanship, revenge versus justice, the importance of friendship, the imperative of respect for persons, humility, leadership, identity, character growth, courage, journalistic ethics, belief, forgiveness, what love looks like, and just how evil tea is. In a nod to the show’s many literary allusions, the compilation concludes with a whimsical appendix that catalogs the books most significant to Ted Lasso’s themes and characters. If football is life, as Dani Rojas fondly repeats, then this book’s a fitting primer.

• Covers the full breadth of the original Ted Lasso series, including the third season
• Explores every major character and all of the show's significant subplots and elements
• Written in the spirit of the show, with in-jokes that will appeal to Ted Lasso fans
• Features an introduction that guides readers through the book’s materials
• Includes Beard's Bookshelf, a bibliography of the most significant books shown or alluded to in the series

Ted Lasso and Philosophy is for the curious, not judgmental. Sport is quite the metaphor, and we can’t wait to unpack it with you.

MARYBETH BAGGETT is Professor of English at Houston Christian University. She is co-author of Telling Tales: Intimations of the Sacred in Popular Culture and The Morals of the Story: Good News about a Good God, which won Christianity Today’s 2019 Award of Merit for Apologetics and Evangelism.

DAVID BAGGETT is Professor of Philosophy at Houston Christian University and Director of the Center for the Foundations of Ethics. He is the author or editor of fifteen books, including a tetralogy on the moral argument for God’s existence.

Notes on Contributors

A Taste of Athens

I. Do the Right-est Thing

1.            On the Pitch with Saint Augustine, Sean Strehlow

2.            Isaac Finds His Flow, Elizabeth Schiltz 

3.            Ted Talk, Precursive Faith, and the Ethics of Belief, David Baggett 

4.            Is Ted an Egoist?, Robert Begley and Carrie-Ann Biondi 

II. The Best Versions of Ourselves

5.            Fear’s a Lot Like Underwear, Corey Latta

6.            Lassoing Aristotle, Joseph Forte

7.            Ted Lasso’s Personal Dilemm a Squad, R. Keith Loftin 

8.            The Affable Gaffer, Andy Wible

III. Man City

9.            Poop in the Punchbowl, Caleb Husmann and Elizabeth Kusko

10.         Doing Masculinity Better, Marcus Arvan 

11.         Inverting the Gender Pyramid, Willie Young

12.         Who is Right, Ted or Beard?, Mike Austin

IV. Mostly Football Is Life

13.         Amplifying Emotion and Warmth at Richmond, Lance Belluomini

14.         Is This All Indeed a Simulation?, Andrew Zimmerman Jones

15.         Kansas City Candide Meets Compassionate Camus, Kimberly Blessing

16.         Ted’s Chestertonian Optimism, Austin M. Freeman

V. Smells Like Potential

17.         What To Do with Tough Cookies, David Baggett and Marybeth Baggett

18.         Stoic Bossgirl, Elizabeth Quinn

19.         Why a Headbutt Would Have Hurt Nate Less, Georgina Mills

20.         Is Rupert Beyond Redemption?, Marybeth Baggett

Beard’s Bookshelf

Starting Lineup

Index