Film and Philosophy: Taking Movies Seriously

by Daniel Shaw

Overview

This introductory volume presents an overview of the philosophy of film, a burgeoning sub-discipline of Aesthetics. It offers a sampling of paradigmatic instances of philosophers and philosophical film theorists discussing the movies in a fashion that takes cinema as seriously as any other Fine Art, leaving little doubt that doing philosophy of film is a serious intellectual enterprise.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781905674701
Publisher:	Columbia University Press
Publication date:	12/25/2008
Series:	Short Cuts
Pages:	144
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.00(h) x (d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Daniel Shaw is professor of philosophy at Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania, where he is also the editor of Film and Philosophy, the journal of the Society for the Philosophic Study of the Contemporary Visual Arts (SPSCVA). His publications include, amongst others, Dark Thoughts: Philosophic Reflections on Cinematic Horror (2003).

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements vii

Introduction: talking about films philosophically 1

1 Philosophical film theorists 6

2 Pioneering film-philosophy 20

3 Cognitive legitimacy 27

4 Themes, genres and enquiries 35

Notes 116

Filmography 117

Bibliography 121

Index 130

What People are Saying About This

Thomas Wartenberg

Daniel Shaw is to be congratulated for writing a clear and concise introduction to the burgeoning field of philosophy and film. Because it discusses contributions made from a variety of different perspectives, this book is an excellent place for anyone to begin their acquaintance with the diverse contributions philosophers have made to the study of film.

Cynthia Freeland

The field of philosophy and film has burgeoned in recent years. Its many participants debate both theoretical issues and the meaning of individual films, from Citizen Kane to Alien, from Rules of the Game to Hannibal. This well-organized book covers a remarkable amount of ground in a short space in a style that is clear and blessedly free of jargon. The volume includes a diversity of views and topics which will be welcomed by students and general readers and will prove engaging and provocative for specialists as well.

Deborah Knight

This lucid and lively book introduces virtually all key topics at the intersection of film and philosophy. After a sympathetic overview of film theory, it discusses the work of a surprisingly wide range of film-philosophers (with a chapter each devoted to Stanley Cavell and Noël Carroll), makes a strong case for the philosophical study of film and gives a thorough overview of topics including philosophical film genres, cinematic emotions, movies and morality, and the question of whether films can actually do philosophy.

Cynthia Freeland

The field of philosophy and film has burgeoned in recent years. Its many participants debate both theoretical issues and the meaning of individual films, from Citizen Kane to Alien, from Rules of the Game to Hannibal. This well-organized book covers a remarkable amount of ground in a short space in a style that is clear and blessedly free of jargon. The volume includes a diversity of views and topics which will be welcomed by students and general readers and will prove engaging and provocative for specialists as well.

— Cynthia Freeland, University of Houston

Editorial Reviews

A thoughtful introduction to examining how philosophy responds to films, and how films explore philosophical ideas.

Off Screen - Daniel Garrett

A thoughtful introduction to examining how philosophy responds to films, and how filmsexplore philosophical ideas.

— Daniel Garrett

Off Screen