Details

Preface ix <p>Acknowledgments xii</p> <p>About the Website xiii</p> <p><b>Philosophy, Rhetoric, and Argument 1</b></p> <p>1.1 Historical Setting: Plato, Gorgias 2</p> <p>1.2 Discussion and Analysis 6</p> <p>1.3 Films 23</p> <p>Thank You for Smoking (2005) 23</p> <p>Minority Report (2002) 27</p> <p>The Emperor’s Club (2002) 31</p> <p>1.4 Synthesis, Review, and Going Forward 34</p> <p><b>Epistemology and Skepticism 37</b></p> <p>2.1 Historical Setting: Descartes, Meditations I and II 38</p> <p>2.2 Discussion and Analysis 44</p> <p>2.3 Films 59</p> <p>The Matrix (1999) 59</p> <p>Inception (2010) 62</p> <p>Vanilla Sky (2001) 66</p> <p>2.4 Synthesis, Review, and Going Forward 69</p> <p><b>God, Creation, and Evil 71</b></p> <p>3.1 Historical Setting: Paley, The Argument from Design 72</p> <p>3.2 Discussion and Analysis 74</p> <p>3.3 Films 91</p> <p>Bruce Almighty (2003) 91</p> <p>Creation (2009) 94</p> <p>Schindler’s List (1993) 98</p> <p>3.4 Synthesis, Review, and Going Forward 101</p> <p><b>Freedom, Fate, and Determinism 104</b></p> <p>4.1 Historical Setting: D’Holbach, System of Nature 105</p> <p>4.2 Discussion and Analysis 109</p> <p>4.3 Films 121</p> <p>The Adjustment Bureau (2011) 121</p> <p>Gattaca (1997) 124</p> <p>Run, Lola, Run (1998) 128</p> <p>4.4 Synthesis, Review, and Going Forward 132</p> <p><b>Mind, Body, and Consciousness 134</b></p> <p>5.1 Historical Setting: Descartes, Meditation VI 135</p> <p>5.2 Discussion and Analysis 138</p> <p>5.3 Films 156</p> <p>Being John Malkovich (1999) 156</p> <p>Bicentennial Man (1999) 159</p> <p>Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) 163</p> <p>5.4 Synthesis, Review, and Going Forward 166</p> <p><b>Ethical Foundations and Moral Truth 169</b></p> <p>6.1 Historical Setting: Sumner, Folkways 170</p> <p>6.2 Discussion and Analysis 173</p> <p>6.3 Films 190</p> <p>Hotel Rwanda (2004) 190</p> <p>Frailty (2001) 194</p> <p>The Cider House Rules (1999) 197</p> <p>6.4 Synthesis, Review, and Going Forward 200</p> <p><b>Ethics and Values 203</b></p> <p>7.1 Historical Setting: Reid, Of the First Principles of Morals 204</p> <p>7.2 Discussion and Analysis 208</p> <p>7.3 Films 221</p> <p>Saving Private Ryan (1998) 221</p> <p>Horton Hears a Who! (2008) 225</p> <p>Groundhog Day (1993) 228</p> <p>7.4 Synthesis, Review, and Going Forward 232</p> <p><b>The State, Social Contracts, and Justice 235</b></p> <p>8.1 Historical Setting: Hobbes, Leviathan 236</p> <p>8.2 Discussion and Analysis 240</p> <p>8.3 Films 256</p> <p>Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (2005) 256</p> <p>V for Vendetta (2005) 259</p> <p>Serenity (2005) 263</p> <p>8.4 Synthesis, Review, and Going Forward 266</p> <p><b>The Human Condition 269</b></p> <p>9.1 H istorical Setting: Russell, The Value of Philosophy 270</p> <p>9.2 Discussion and Analysis 273</p> <p>9.3 Films 288</p> <p>Memento (2000) 288</p> <p>A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (2001) 292</p> <p>Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989) 296</p> <p>9.4 Synthesis, Review, and Going Forward 299</p> <p>Appendix</p> <p>A.1 A Deductive Logic Primer 302</p> <p>A.2 Film 312</p> <p>Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1974) 312</p> <p>Glossary 316</p> <p>Index 323</p>

<b>Dean A. Kowalski</b> is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Wisconsin-Waukesha. He is the author of <i>Classic Questions and Contemporary Film</i> (2005) and <i>Moral Theory at the Movies</i> (2012). He is the editor of <i>Steven Spielberg and Philosophy</i> (2008), <i>The Philosophy of The X-Files</i> (2009), and <i>The Big Bang Theory and Philosophy</i> (Wiley, 2012), and the coeditor of <i>The Philosophy of Joss Whedon</i> (2011).

<p>“A great blend of classic sources, modern movies, and critical analysis. This is the perfect textbook for teaching and learning philosophy through film.”<br /><b>William Irwin</b>, King’s College, General Editor of the <i>Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series</i></p> <p>“Dean Kowalski has produced a textbook that is both comprehensive and accessible to students. One of the marvelous qualities of the book is that it has high expectations of students. The selections of readings, the student guides, and, most impressively, the range of films discussed makes this an excellent introduction to philosophical thought and, equally important, a model for how to engage students with philosophy through the use of film. The latter takes real skill and Kowalski is an expert guide. The integration of a wide range of films along with the readings, exposition, and applications will provide any student with an excellent foundation in philosophy and should spark that wonder in students to which all philosophy classes aspire.”<br /><b>James B. South</b>, Marquette University</p> <p>Fully revised and updated, <i>Classic Questions and Contemporary Film: An Introduction to Philosophy, Second Edition</i>, aims to excite and motivate students to do philosophy by introducing them to core philosophical concepts through explorations of popular movies. The new edition includes discussion of eighteen additional films, including Inception, V for Vendetta, and Hotel Rwanda, and coverage of fresh topics such as rhetoric and sophistry, Plato’s Republic, and religious experience. A new chapter on the human condition, which includes discussions of personal identity, the meaningfulness of life and death, and existentialism, has also been added. The features that made the first edition so successful have been kept and enhanced. Each chapter opens with a classic philosophical reading, and offers a rich pedagogical framework, including learning outcomes, jargon-free argument analysis, critical thinking and trivia questions, and textboxes with helpful notes on the movies discussed. These features provide readers with the tools they need to make the leap from reading about philosophy to doing philosophy. Engaging and thought-provoking, Classic Questions and Contemporary Film, Second Edition, offers a wealth of insights into the myriad critical philosophical issues raised in popular films.</p>

<p>“A great blend of classic sources, modern movies, and critical analysis. This is the perfect textbook for teaching and learning philosophy through film.” <b>William Irwin</b>, King's College, General Editor of the Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series <br /><br /></p> <p>"Dean Kowalski has produced a textbook that is both comprehensive and accessible to students. One of the marvelous qualities of the book is that it has high expectations of students. The selections of readings, the student guides, and, most impressively, the range of films discussed makes this an excellent introduction to philosophical thought and, equally important, a model for how to engage students with philosophy through the use of film. The latter takes real skill and Kowalski is an expert guide. The integration of a wide range of films along with the readings, exposition, and applications will provide any student with an excellent foundation in philosophy and should spark that wonder in students to which all philosophy classes aspire." <b>James B. South</b>, Marquette University</p>

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