If You Can Read This: The Philosophy of Bumper Stickers

In his latest, author and philosophy teacher Bowen (A Journey Through the Landscape of Philosophy) has a nifty concept that's unfortunately derailed by an arch tone and a strong, if tacit, atheist subtext. Using popular bumper sticker slogans as a lens to explore philosophy, Bowen comes across some interesting questions-""What happens if a horse and cart runs over a chicken and egg?""-that he doesn't seem fully willing to explore; indeed, taking a cue from bumper stickers themselves, Bowen seems all to willing to run through his ideas as quickly as possible: ""To put the cart before the horse and first divulge the solution, the chicken came first."" Though they're perhaps meant to dazzle, Bowen's slaloming through philosophical concepts feel hurried, an attempt to convince readers he's right rather than foster thought. Bowen's book also suffers from anti-religion bias, which he never acknowledges outright but makes clear in repeated (and sometimes highly dubious) claims: ""To update the scorecard tally: The Numbers Killed in the Name of: Religion: 1 million give or take. Nothing: 0."" Further, virtually no theologians are mentioned; one bumper sticker, ""Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy,"" isn't even attributed to its proper source, Martin Luther. Bowen's concept is certainly a clever way to draw in laypeople, but his hubris and narrow-mindedness is a good way to turn them off. Illus.