Philosophy Goes To The Movies

P H I L O S O P H Y G O E S TO T H E M OV I E S ‘Philosophy Goes to the Movies is very clearly and engagingly written. . . . It has a particular claim on the attention of those preparing students for a systematic study of philosophy, one that distinguishes it from any other introductory book I know of.’ Stephen Mulhall, University of Oxford ‘I think this is an excellent text. Falzon is in control of his material. He writes clearly and at a level that undergraduates can understand. He seems as comfortable describing films as he is explaining the nature of a philosophical problem. . . . It will make an outstanding text to use in introductory philosophy classes.’ Thomas Wartenburg, Mount Holyoke College, USA Philosophy Goes to the Movies is a new kind of introduction to philosophy that makes use of film to help us understand philosophical ideas and positions. Drawing on arthouse movies like Cinema Paradiso and Hollywood blockbusters such as The Matrix, Christopher Falzon introduces and discusses central areas of philosophical concern, including: • • • • • • the theory of knowledge the self and personal identity ethics social and political philosophy science and technology critical thinking. Falzon draws from the ideas of a diverse selection of thinkers, from Plato and Descartes to Marcuse and Foucault. Ideal for the beginner, this book guides the student through philosophy using lively and illuminating cinematic examples including Total Recall, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Antz and Wings of Desire. It will also appeal to anyone interested in the philosophical dimensions of cinema. Christopher Falzon is Lecturer in Philosophy at Newcastle University, Australia. He is the author of Foucault and Social Dialogue (Routledge, 1998). P H I L O S O P H Y G O E S TO T H E M OV I E S An introduction to philosophy Christopher Falzon London and New York First published 2002 by Routledge 11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2002. Disclaimer: For copyright reasons, some images in the original version of this book are not available for inclusion in the eBook. © 2002 Christopher Falzon All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data A catalog record for this book has been requested ISBN 0–415–23740–8 (hbk) ISBN 0–415–23741–6 (pbk) ISBN 0-203-46942-9 Master e-book ISBN ISBN 0-203-77766-2 (Adobe eReader Format) F O R P E N N Y, S A R A H A N D J O S H UA CONTENTS Acknowledgements ix Introduction 1 Philosophy and film 3 The philosophical approach 7 Overview of the book 12 1 Plato’s picture show – the theory of knowledge 17 Plato’s cave 19 Descartes, dreams and demons 25 Rationalism