<![CDATA[Philosophy in the Cinema - Weekly Posts]]>Thu, 15 Mar 2012 21:34:07 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[Last post!]]>Thu, 15 Mar 2012 21:31:53 -0800http://www.philosophyinthecinema.com/2/post/2012/03/last-post.htmlHi all,

In this last post I just wanted to give you a link to download the list of short essay questions in case you lose yours or didn't make it to our last class meeting. You can download them by clicking HERE. Also, let me remind you that if you choose to complete all of the essay questions ahead of time, you will receive 10 points extra credit.

I've enjoyed being part of the class with you all this quarter. Have an enjoyable spring break and I'll see you at 5 PM on Thursday March 22nd. ]]><![CDATA[Seventh and Final Short Essay Question]]>Thu, 15 Mar 2012 21:31:31 -0800http://www.philosophyinthecinema.com/2/post/2012/03/seventh-and-final-short-essay-question.htmlYou need to write on the following if you haven't written on any of the short essay questions since the first exam, and it is due by the beginning of our next (last) class meeting, Thursday March 22nd. Your answer should be at least 350 words in length. Here is the question:

The film brings up a question that is a difficult one for Jews, Christians, and Pagans alike: if your God commands you to kill someone, should you do it? (It’s in the book of Genesis, the story of Abraham and Isaac, where Abraham is commanded by God to kill his only son Isaac. Abraham consents, but God stops him, just as he’s about to plunge the knife into his son’s chest. See chapter 22 for the specifics.) With that in mind, would James' system allow the Summerislanders to feel justified in killing Sgt. Howie? Why or why not?
 ]]><![CDATA[Is faith reasonable?]]>Thu, 08 Mar 2012 22:29:45 -0800http://www.philosophyinthecinema.com/2/post/2012/03/is-faith-reasonable.htmlHi again. Here is the last podcast for the course. In this podcast I will discuss both of the essays for this coming week, as well as introducing you to our last film, The Wicker Man. Before you listen, remember that you'll need to read the essays by W.K. Clifford and William James that are listed on the course calendar. Both are available on the internet.  If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email me using the link to the right.

See you on Thursday!
Faith Podcast
File Size: 24007 kb
File Type: mp3
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]]><![CDATA[Sixth Short Essay Question]]>Thu, 08 Mar 2012 22:29:36 -0800http://www.philosophyinthecinema.com/2/post/2012/03/sixth-short-essay-question.htmlIf you choose to write on the following question, it will be due by the beginning of our next class meeting, Thursday March 15th. Your answer should be at least 350 words in length. Here is the question:

What is the best possible excuse God could have for allowing the plague to afflict the people in the film? Do you think that McCabe would accept this excuse? Why or why not? Is the main point of the film pessimistic (we’re here to suffer and then die) or is it ultimately hopeful (does it suggest that there may be a good end after all)?
]]><![CDATA[Fifth Short Essay Question]]>Thu, 01 Mar 2012 21:38:31 -0800http://www.philosophyinthecinema.com/2/post/2012/03/fifth-short-essay-question1.htmlIf you choose to write on the following question, it will be due by the beginning of our next class meeting, Thursday March 8th. Your answer should be at least 350 words in length. Here is the question:

Who is the character being played by John Malkovich at the end of the film? (In other words, after Dr. Lester and company ‘move in’ so-to-speak.) Explain what a dualist would say, what the bodily criterion would say, what the memory criterion would say, what the psychological continuity criterion would say, and what Derek Parfit would say. Finally, explain what you would say is the answer and why.
]]><![CDATA[If God exists, why is there evil?]]>Thu, 01 Mar 2012 21:34:45 -0800http://www.philosophyinthecinema.com/2/post/2012/03/if-god-exists-why-is-there-evil.htmlHi again. Here is the seventh podcast for the course. In this podcast I will discuss both of the essays for this coming week, as well as introducing you to our next film, The Seventh Seal. Before you listen, remember that you'll have to photocopy our first essay, B.C. Johnson's " God and the Problem of Evil" which is available for photocopying in the library. Read it along with our second reading, Herbert McCabe's "Evil". A link to this essay is provided in the course calendar. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email me using the link to the right.

See you on Thursday!
Evil Podcast
File Size: 25177 kb
File Type: mp3
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]]><![CDATA[Are we always the same person?]]>Thu, 23 Feb 2012 21:47:05 -0800http://www.philosophyinthecinema.com/2/post/2012/02/are-we-always-the-same-person.htmlHi again. Here is the sixth podcast for the course. In this podcast I will discuss both of the essays for this coming week, as well as introducing you to our next film, Being John Malkovich. Before you listen, remember that you'll have to photocopy our first essay, Jeffrey Olen's "Personal Identity and Life After Death" which is available for photocopying in the library. Read it along with our second reading, Derek Parfit and Godfrey Vesey's dialogue "Brain Transplants and Personal Identity: A Dialogue". A link to this essay is provided in the course calendar. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email me using the link to the right.

See you on Thursday!
Identity Podcast
File Size: 12111 kb
File Type: mp3
Download File
]]><![CDATA[Fourth short essay question]]>Thu, 23 Feb 2012 21:46:51 -0800http://www.philosophyinthecinema.com/2/post/2012/02/fourth-short-essay-question.htmlIf you choose to write on the following question, it will be due by the beginning of our next class meeting, Thursday March 1st. Your answer should be at least 350 words in length. Here is the question:

Are the replicants persons? That is, are they beings which are intelligent, self-aware, who experience emotions, who truly understand the meanings of words, and who have what have been called human rights? Use the film and the essays to support your position.
]]><![CDATA[AI Podcast]]>Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:22:39 -0800http://www.philosophyinthecinema.com/2/post/2012/02/ai-podcast.htmlHi again. Here is the fifth podcast for the course. In this podcast I will discuss both of the essays for this coming week, as well as introducing you to our next film, Blade Runner. Before you listen, be sure to download the first reading, Alan Turing's "Computing Machinery and Intelligence", and read it along with our second reading, John Searle's "Is the Brain's Mind a Computer Program?". Links to both of these essays are provided in the course calendar. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email me using the link to the right.

See you on Thursday!
AI Podcast
File Size: 12677 kb
File Type: mp3
Download File
]]><![CDATA[Third Short Essay Question, and info about extra credit!]]>Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:52:01 -0800http://www.philosophyinthecinema.com/2/post/2012/02/third-short-essay-question-and-info-about-extra-credit.html
Hi there,
After class I was reminded that in the exam guidelines I said that if you write on all of the essay questions for the exam next week, you will get 10 points extra credit. That is indeed the case. So, if you have all of the essay exam essays completed by the time class begins next Thursday, you will get ten points extra credit.

Next: You need to write on the following if you didn't write on either of the first two questions, and it is due by the beginning of our next class meeting, Thursday February 16th. Your answer should be at least 350 words in length. Here is the question:

What would Sartre say Albert’s problem is? What would Leopold say Brad’s problem is? Explain.

Also, in case you missed class or lose your copy of the essay questions for the next exam you can download them by clicking HERE.

Finally, let me take one more opportunity to remind you that you need to select your term paper film by our next class meeting. So far the following films are already taken:
Pan's Labrynth, Fight Club, Before Sunset, V is for Vendetta, Trekkies, The Dark Knight,                                                                          Donnie Darko, Eternal Sunshine, Paprika, Before Sunrise, Into the Wild, 12 Monkeys, Minority Report, The Truman Show, and Enlightenment Guaranteed
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