TEACHING STUDENTS TO THINK PHILOSOPHY IN FILM. PHILOSOPHICAL IDEAS AND PHILOSOPHERS Two ways of incorporating philosophy into film: ideas and philosophers.

TEACHING STUDENTS TEACHING STUDENTS TO THINKTO THINK

PHILOSOPHY IN FILMPHILOSOPHY IN FILM

PHILOSOPHICAL IDEAS AND PHILOSOPHICAL IDEAS AND PHILOSOPHERSPHILOSOPHERS

Two ways of incorporating philosophy into Two ways of incorporating philosophy into film: ideas and philosophers.film: ideas and philosophers.

Ideas: we do this anyway through theme. Ideas: we do this anyway through theme. Just emphasise the philosophical ideas.Just emphasise the philosophical ideas.

Philosophers: find a philosopher whose Philosophers: find a philosopher whose ideas are explored. Explore that ideas are explored. Explore that philosopher’s theories and then look at philosopher’s theories and then look at other philosophers that oppose those other philosophers that oppose those ideas.ideas.

FREAKY FREAKY FRIDAYFRIDAY

THE PROBLEM OF PERSONAL IDENTITYTHE PROBLEM OF PERSONAL IDENTITY

HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF YOU HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF YOU BECAME YOUR MOTHER?BECAME YOUR MOTHER?

WHAT HAPPENS IN FREAKY WHAT HAPPENS IN FREAKY FRIDAY?FRIDAY?

A busy psychologist and her image-A busy psychologist and her image-conscious daughter are always arguing.conscious daughter are always arguing.

Each one feels that the other one does not Each one feels that the other one does not understand her point of view.understand her point of view.

Each one feels that the other one’s life is Each one feels that the other one’s life is easier to live.easier to live.

They swap and are trapped in one They swap and are trapped in one another’s bodies.another’s bodies.

WHAT IS BEING SWAPPED?WHAT IS BEING SWAPPED?

MINDMIND BODYBODY SOULSOUL CONSCIOUSNESSCONSCIOUSNESS IDENTITYIDENTITY PERSONALITYPERSONALITY

WHAT IS THE MIND?WHAT IS THE MIND?

WHAT IS THE BODY?WHAT IS THE BODY?

WHAT IS THE SOUL?WHAT IS THE SOUL?

WHAT IS CONSCIOUSNESS?WHAT IS CONSCIOUSNESS?

WHAT IS IDENTITY?WHAT IS IDENTITY?

WHAT IS PERSONALITY?WHAT IS PERSONALITY?

PHILOSOPHERSPHILOSOPHERS

RENE DESCARTESRENE DESCARTES

The mind-body problemThe mind-body problem JOHN LOCKEJOHN LOCKE

The idea of consciousnessThe idea of consciousness

RENE DESCARTESRENE DESCARTES

There are two main beliefs: There are two main beliefs: 1. MATERIALISM: The mind is part of our brain; 1. MATERIALISM: The mind is part of our brain;

our thoughts and feelings are nothing more than our thoughts and feelings are nothing more than physical processes taking place in our brain.physical processes taking place in our brain.

All experiences are caused by our sensory All experiences are caused by our sensory organs sending electrical impulses to our organs sending electrical impulses to our brains.brains.

The mind is part of the body and they cannot be The mind is part of the body and they cannot be separated.separated.

CARTESIAN PHILOSOPHYCARTESIAN PHILOSOPHY 2. DUALISM: The mind is not part of our 2. DUALISM: The mind is not part of our

physical body and is separate from the physical body and is separate from the brain.brain.

It interacts with the brain, but is not the It interacts with the brain, but is not the same thing as the brain.same thing as the brain.

Our thoughts, feelings, emotions etc. are Our thoughts, feelings, emotions etc. are something extra: something in addition to something extra: something in addition to just physical impulses. just physical impulses.

We can therefore separate our minds and We can therefore separate our minds and our brain.our brain.

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE?WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE?

I believe that my mind is part of my brain.I believe that my mind is part of my brain. I believe that my mind is separate from my I believe that my mind is separate from my

brain and body.brain and body. I believe that my mind is the same as my I believe that my mind is the same as my

soul.soul. I believe in re-incarnation.I believe in re-incarnation. I believe that my mind defines my identity.I believe that my mind defines my identity.

JOHN LOCKE: THE IDEA OF JOHN LOCKE: THE IDEA OF CONSCIOUSNESSCONSCIOUSNESS

Personal identity depends on Personal identity depends on consciousness.consciousness.

We are identified as the same person if we We are identified as the same person if we are conscious of our past and future are conscious of our past and future thoughts and actions in the same way as thoughts and actions in the same way as we are conscious of our present thoughts we are conscious of our present thoughts and actions.and actions.

A soul can be re-incarnated, but it is not a A soul can be re-incarnated, but it is not a consciousness.consciousness.

Souls and ThoughtsSouls and Thoughts

Souls are thinking substances. They are not Souls are thinking substances. They are not thoughts; they are things that think.thoughts; they are things that think.

The relation between a soul and its thoughts The relation between a soul and its thoughts can be likened to the relation between a can be likened to the relation between a pincushion and its pins.pincushion and its pins.

Just as a pincushion can have different pins Just as a pincushion can have different pins in it at different times, the same soul can in it at different times, the same soul can have different thoughts in it at different times.have different thoughts in it at different times.

SOME PERSONAL IDENTITY SOME PERSONAL IDENTITY PUZZLESPUZZLES

The ship of TheseusThe ship of Theseus Suppose that the planks in Theseus’s ship Suppose that the planks in Theseus’s ship

have been replaced one by one over the have been replaced one by one over the years until none of the original planks years until none of the original planks remained.remained.

Suppose further that the original planks Suppose further that the original planks were saved and put back into their original were saved and put back into their original order.order.

Which ship is identical to the original?Which ship is identical to the original?

SOME PERSONAL IDENTITY SOME PERSONAL IDENTITY PUZZLESPUZZLES

The brave Officer and the senile GeneralThe brave Officer and the senile General A brave officer who skillfully stole a flag from an A brave officer who skillfully stole a flag from an

enemy also stole an apple from an orchard when enemy also stole an apple from an orchard when he was a boy. As the officer ages, he becomes a he was a boy. As the officer ages, he becomes a senile general. As a senile general, he senile general. As a senile general, he remembers stealing the flag, but does not remembers stealing the flag, but does not remember stealing the apple. According to remember stealing the apple. According to Locke, the senile general is identical to the Locke, the senile general is identical to the brave officer, but not identical to the boy.brave officer, but not identical to the boy.

SOME PERSONAL IDENTITY SOME PERSONAL IDENTITY PUZZLESPUZZLES

Locke’s Tale of the Prince and the CobblerLocke’s Tale of the Prince and the Cobbler ““For should the Soul of a Prince, carrying For should the Soul of a Prince, carrying

with it the consciousness of the Prince’s with it the consciousness of the Prince’s past life, enter and inform the Body of a past life, enter and inform the Body of a Cobbler…every one sees, he would be the Cobbler…every one sees, he would be the same Person with the Prince.”same Person with the Prince.”

Thought Experiment: The Thought Experiment: The King of ChinaKing of China

Suppose someone offered to make you the Suppose someone offered to make you the King of China on the condition that you lose King of China on the condition that you lose all of your memories.all of your memories.

In such a case, it’s doubtful that you would be In such a case, it’s doubtful that you would be around to enjoy the wealth even though, around to enjoy the wealth even though, presumably, your soul would be.presumably, your soul would be.

So having the same soul may not be a So having the same soul may not be a necessary condition for being the same necessary condition for being the same person.person.

SOME EXPRESSIONS ABOUT SOME EXPRESSIONS ABOUT THE MINDTHE MIND

What’s on your mind? What’s on your mind? Are you losing your mind? Are you losing your mind?

    Are you out of your mind?   Are you out of your mind?   A mind is a terrible thing to A mind is a terrible thing to

waste.  waste.   You are always on my You are always on my

mind.mind. Great minds think alike!Great minds think alike! Free your mind.    Free your mind.     It is a matter of mind over It is a matter of mind over

matter.matter.

iin one's mind's eyen one's mind's eye iin one's right mindn one's right mind know one's own mindknow one's own mind Load off one's mindLoad off one's mind make up one's mindmake up one's mind meeting of the mindsmeeting of the minds never mindnever mind of two mindsof two minds

EXPRESSIONS ABOUT THE EXPRESSIONS ABOUT THE MINDMIND

bear in mindbear in mind blow one's mindblow one's mind boggle the mindboggle the mind bring to mindbring to mind call to mindcall to mind cross one's mindcross one's mind change one's mindchange one's mind   come to mindcome to mind frame of mindframe of mind go out of one's mindgo out of one's mind

one-track mindone-track mind   on one's mindon one's mind open mindopen mind out of sight (out of mind)out of sight (out of mind) piece of one's mindpiece of one's mind presence of mindpresence of mind prey on one's mind prey on one's mind read someone's mindread someone's mind Put one's mind at restPut one's mind at rest slip one's mindslip one's mind speak one's mindspeak one's mind

AND EVEN MORE AND EVEN MORE EXPRESSIONS…EXPRESSIONS…

its all in your mindits all in your mind don't minddon't mind put your mind to itput your mind to it mind bendingmind bending narrow mindednarrow minded messing with your mindmessing with your mind mind gamesmind games mind is like a spongemind is like a sponge keep in mind keep in mind 

OTHER FILMS THAT EXPLORE OTHER FILMS THAT EXPLORE THIS IDEA…THIS IDEA…

CAN YOU THINK OF ANY CAN YOU THINK OF ANY MORE?MORE?

YEAR 9 FILMSYEAR 9 FILMS

Freaky Friday and the Problem of Freaky Friday and the Problem of Personal Identity: Descartes, Locke, Reid. Personal Identity: Descartes, Locke, Reid. Philosophical puzzles: Ship of Theseus.Philosophical puzzles: Ship of Theseus.

Jurassic Park and the Ethics of Cloning.Jurassic Park and the Ethics of Cloning.

Meet the Robinsons: paradoxes of time Meet the Robinsons: paradoxes of time travel.travel.

YEAR 10 FILMSYEAR 10 FILMS

Back to the Future and the Paradoxes of Back to the Future and the Paradoxes of Time Travel.Time Travel.

Any Harry Potter: good vs. evilAny Harry Potter: good vs. evil

The Day the Earth Stood Still: ecological The Day the Earth Stood Still: ecological ethics- Picardethics- Picard

Year 11 FilmsYear 11 Films

The Matrix: Reality, Truth and Freedom. The Matrix: Reality, Truth and Freedom. Plato, Baudrillard, Foucault, Descartes etc.Plato, Baudrillard, Foucault, Descartes etc.

A.I: What defines Life or Are Computers A.I: What defines Life or Are Computers capable of independent thought and/or capable of independent thought and/or emotions? Turing test, Searle.emotions? Turing test, Searle.

YEAR 12 FILMSYEAR 12 FILMS

The Prestige: the ethics of cloning, identityThe Prestige: the ethics of cloning, identity

Gattaca: Fate vs. Free willGattaca: Fate vs. Free will

I-Robot: Can machines think?I-Robot: Can machines think?

YEAR 13 FILMSYEAR 13 FILMS

Fight Club: Existentialism, Nihilism and Fight Club: Existentialism, Nihilism and Identity. Kierkegaard, NietzscheIdentity. Kierkegaard, Nietzsche

Being John Malkovic: Existentialism, Being John Malkovic: Existentialism, Cartesian DualismCartesian Dualism

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Kant and the morality of memoryKant and the morality of memory

WHERE TO AFTER THAT?WHERE TO AFTER THAT?

Encourage students to research a Encourage students to research a particular philosopher and his/her theoriesparticular philosopher and his/her theories

Or a particular idea and all the Or a particular idea and all the philosophies linked to that ideaphilosophies linked to that idea

Then look at other texts that use the same Then look at other texts that use the same ideas- evaluate to what extentideas- evaluate to what extent

Find similar ideas/theories in the texts you Find similar ideas/theories in the texts you studystudy