Phil/m/osophy
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Instructor:
Jack Purcell
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Spring 2001
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Philosophy
360
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the
class
During the course of the
semester we will view four films, read essays either directly or indirectly
associated with those films, and discuss both the films and essays. The
structure of the course will go as follows:
-
For the week following each film showing, students will conduct an “open
discussion” of the film viewed the preceding week.
The instructor will attempt to stay out of these discussions.
This is not to foster chaos. Instead
each student is to be prepared to say something about the film. Through
discussion you will be expected to listen and to argue for a particular
viewing of the film. It is hoped
that you will try to incorporate the readings and discussion so as to come to have a
sophisticated understanding of the film.
That is, it is hoped that you will not just react to the films, but that
you will think about it -- in terms of its content, its structure, its
cinematography, its narrative, its direction, etc. Upon request I will give you a list of questions that may
help guide you in viewing of each of the films.
- For the second
half of the class following the film viewing, I will discuss the film,
incorporating some philosophical interpretation of the film (which is not to
be taken as definitive, but is intended to give you something else to think
about for each of the films). It is hoped that we’ll see how movies can be
related to certain philosophical texts and problems, and how they can raise
philosophical issues that are unique to cinema itself.
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The second week following the showing of the film will be devoted to
discussing the essays assigned for reading.
It is intended that these sessions be oriented toward discussion of the
essays and their relevance to the film(s) we’ve viewed in class.
-
We will then view another film and repeat the circuit mentioned above,
throughout the semester.
the films
We
will view each of the following films in class:
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Ghost Dog
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1984
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The Matrix
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Vertigo
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the
readings
The
following books (and additional essays) will be used:
Miyamoto
Musashi, The Book of Five Rings
Sam
Hamill and J.P. Seaton (tr), The
Essential Chuang Tzu
Albert
Borgmann, Crossing the Postmodern Divide
Jean-Francois
Lyotard, The
Differend
Slajov
Zizek, Looking
Awry
Handouts
hints
on film viewing
It is suggested that you
take notes during the viewing of each film.
This will be of inestimable value in thinking and writing about the
films. It may also be helpful to
rent the films to view again, i.e. after they have been shown in class.
If you wish to do so, since there are only a limited number of copies of
these films available locally, it might help to make a “film party” out of
it, so that you can maximize the number of people who will be able to see it
again. Again, I will also hand out
a list of questions that can be helpful for thinking about films.
course
requirements
There will be two papers
required for this course, each of them 8 - 12 pages long (typed, double-spaced). The first paper will be due around mid-term.
The second paper will be due during exam week.
Additionally, you will be evaluated on class participation in the film
discussions and in the essay discussions.
Calendar
January
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Sunday
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Monday
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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Saturday
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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8
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9
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10
Intro
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11
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12
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13
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14
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15
MLK
Day
No
Classes
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16
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17
Ghost
Dog
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18
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19
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20
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21
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22
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23
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24
Discussion
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25
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26
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27
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28
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29
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30
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31
Lecture
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February
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Sunday
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Monday
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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Saturday
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
The Matrix
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8
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9
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10
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11
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12
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13
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14
Discussion
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15
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16
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17
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18
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19
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20
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21
Lecture
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22
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23
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24
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25
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26
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27
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28
1984
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March
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Sunday
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Monday
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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Saturday
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1
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2
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3
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4
Mid-Term
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5
Mid-Term
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6
Mid-Term
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7
Paper Due
Discussion
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8
Mid-Term
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9
Mid-Term
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10
Mid-Term
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11
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12
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13
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14
Lecture
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15
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16
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17
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18
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19
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20
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21
Discussion
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22
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23
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24
Spring Break
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25
Spring Break
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26
Spring Break
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27
Spring Break
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28
Spring Break
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29
Spring Break
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30
Spring Break
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31
Spring Break
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April
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Sunday
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Monday
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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Saturday
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1
Spring Break
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2
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3
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4
Vertigo
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5
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6
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7
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8
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9
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10
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11
Discussion
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12
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13
No Classes
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14
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15
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16
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17
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18
Lecture
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19
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20
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21
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22
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23
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24
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25
Final Class
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26
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27
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28
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29
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30
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May
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Sunday
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Monday
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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Saturday
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1
Last Day of Classes
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2
Finals
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3
Finals
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4
Finals
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5
Finals
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6
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7
Finals
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8
Finals
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9
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10
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11
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12
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13
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14
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15
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16
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17
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18
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19
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20
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21
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22
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23
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24
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25
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26
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27
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28
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29
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30
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31
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