Alan Moore’s Watchmen may be the most philosophical work of fiction to ever feature masked vigilantes, a naked blue superhero, and a giant, genetically engineered lynx. Throughout the novel, Moore raises questions about the morality of vigilantism, the fragility of human existence in the age of nuclear weapons, and the ambiguity between heroism and villainy in a morally grey world. However, perhaps the most interesting questions raised by Moore involve those surrounding the character known as Doctor Manhattan. In particular, the way in which Dr. Manhattan perceives time asks the reader to contemplate a theological quandary as old as monotheism: does omniscience negate the concept of free will? It’s a purely philosophical question with no definitive
…show more content…
In that case, what we call "tomorrow" is visible to Him in just the same way as what we call today." All the days are "Now" for Him. He does not remember you doing things yesterday, He simply sees you doing them: because, though you have lost yesterday, He has not. (Lewis 149)
Keep in mind that, unlike Dr. Manhattan, Lewis never argued that this perception limited God, and while Dr. Manhattan can be said to be God-like, he is not in fact God. Nevertheless, the same general explanation can be applied to Dr. Manhattan. He is incapable of affecting change on the timeline because he no longer has a human perspective on temporal events. The very power that allows him to live simultaneously in past, present, and future also makes him a slave to his own destiny. Watchmen is a unique book in the comics medium in many ways, not the least of which is its willingness to tackle heady issues like free will versus determinism with seriousness and depth. The philosophical questions that emerge from the existence of a being like Dr. Manhattan lend the character a memorable quality that surely contributes to his popularity, as well as making readers contemplate issues they might otherwise only encounter in a college theology course. It is apparent after reading Moore’s novel that Dr. Manhattan is a tragic hero in the truest sense. A being bound by his own omniscience, and alienated from humanity by the very power that allowed him to protect
In that case, what we call "tomorrow" is visible to Him in just the same way as what we call today." All the days are "Now" for Him. He does not remember you doing things yesterday, He simply sees you doing them: because, though you have lost yesterday, He has not. (Lewis 149)
Keep in mind that, unlike Dr. Manhattan, Lewis never argued that this perception limited God, and while Dr. Manhattan can be said to be God-like, he is not in fact God. Nevertheless, the same general explanation can be applied to Dr. Manhattan. He is incapable of affecting change on the timeline because he no longer has a human perspective on temporal events. The very power that allows him to live simultaneously in past, present, and future also makes him a slave to his own destiny. Watchmen is a unique book in the comics medium in many ways, not the least of which is its willingness to tackle heady issues like free will versus determinism with seriousness and depth. The philosophical questions that emerge from the existence of a being like Dr. Manhattan lend the character a memorable quality that surely contributes to his popularity, as well as making readers contemplate issues they might otherwise only encounter in a college theology course. It is apparent after reading Moore’s novel that Dr. Manhattan is a tragic hero in the truest sense. A being bound by his own omniscience, and alienated from humanity by the very power that allowed him to protect