Description
Book SynopsisFeaturing significant revisions and updates,
Classic Questions and Contemporary Film: An Introduction to Philosophy, 2nd Edition uses popular movies as a highly accessible framework for introducing key philosophical concepts
- Explores 28 films with 18 new to this edition, includingEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Hotel Rwanda, V for Vendetta,andMemento
- Discusses numerous philosophical issues not covered in the first edition, including a new chapter covering issues of personal identity, the meaningfulness of life and death, and existentialism
- Offers a rich pedagogical framework comprised of key classic readings, chapter learning outcomes, jargon-free argument analysis, critical thinking and trivia questions, a glossary of terms, and textboxes with notes on the movies discussed
- Revised to be even more accessible to beginning philosophers
Table of ContentsPreface ix
Acknowledgments xii
About the Website xiii
Philosophy, Rhetoric, and Argument 1
1.1 Historical Setting: Plato, Gorgias 2
1.2 Discussion and Analysis 6
1.3 Films 23
Thank You for Smoking (2005) 23
Minority Report (2002) 27
The Emperor’s Club (2002) 31
1.4 Synthesis, Review, and Going Forward 34
Epistemology and Skepticism 37
2.1 Historical Setting: Descartes, Meditations I and II 38
2.2 Discussion and Analysis 44
2.3 Films 59
The Matrix (1999) 59
Inception (2010) 62
Vanilla Sky (2001) 66
2.4 Synthesis, Review, and Going Forward 69
God, Creation, and Evil 71
3.1 Historical Setting: Paley, The Argument from Design 72
3.2 Discussion and Analysis 74
3.3 Films 91
Bruce Almighty (2003) 91
Creation (2009) 94
Schindler’s List (1993) 98
3.4 Synthesis, Review, and Going Forward 101
Freedom, Fate, and Determinism 104
4.1 Historical Setting: D’Holbach, System of Nature 105
4.2 Discussion and Analysis 109
4.3 Films 121
The Adjustment Bureau (2011) 121
Gattaca (1997) 124
Run, Lola, Run (1998) 128
4.4 Synthesis, Review, and Going Forward 132
Mind, Body, and Consciousness 134
5.1 Historical Setting: Descartes, Meditation VI 135
5.2 Discussion and Analysis 138
5.3 Films 156
Being John Malkovich (1999) 156
Bicentennial Man (1999) 159
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) 163
5.4 Synthesis, Review, and Going Forward 166
Ethical Foundations and Moral Truth 169
6.1 Historical Setting: Sumner, Folkways 170
6.2 Discussion and Analysis 173
6.3 Films 190
Hotel Rwanda (2004) 190
Frailty (2001) 194
The Cider House Rules (1999) 197
6.4 Synthesis, Review, and Going Forward 200
Ethics and Values 203
7.1 Historical Setting: Reid, Of the First Principles of Morals 204
7.2 Discussion and Analysis 208
7.3 Films 221
Saving Private Ryan (1998) 221
Horton Hears a Who! (2008) 225
Groundhog Day (1993) 228
7.4 Synthesis, Review, and Going Forward 232
The State, Social Contracts, and Justice 235
8.1 Historical Setting: Hobbes, Leviathan 236
8.2 Discussion and Analysis 240
8.3 Films 256
Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (2005) 256
V for Vendetta (2005) 259
Serenity (2005) 263
8.4 Synthesis, Review, and Going Forward 266
The Human Condition 269
9.1 H istorical Setting: Russell, The Value of Philosophy 270
9.2 Discussion and Analysis 273
9.3 Films 288
Memento (2000) 288
A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (2001) 292
Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989) 296
9.4 Synthesis, Review, and Going Forward 299
Appendix
A.1 A Deductive Logic Primer 302
A.2 Film 312
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1974) 312
Glossary 316
Index 323
