“The creation of film was as if meant for philosophy – meant to reorient everything philosophy has said about reality and its representation, about art and imitation, about greatness and conventionality, about judgement and pleasure, about scepticism and transcendence, about language and expression” (Stanley Cavell, Contesting Tears).

This course aims to explore the hypothesis that film may reorientate philosophy, even as philosophy may illuminate film.

The course will proceed by viewing films in conjunction with philosophical texts with a view to their mutual illumination. Some texts will be philosophically inspired commentaries on film or treatments of the intersections of film and philosophy. Others are selected for a philosophical content that resonates with and is ‘reoriented’ by the film viewed. The course also examines philosophical approaches to the aesthetics and phenomenology of film and looks at the idea that in the twentieth century our understanding of materiality, images and representation is fundamentally transformed by the experience of cinema.

One 2,500 word essay, plus other components chosen from shorter written exercises, tutorial participation and tutorial presentations.

A one-hour lecture, a one hour tutorial and a screening per week.

6 units of Philosophy or 6 units of Film

* Chris Falzon, Philosophy Goes to the Movies: An Introduction to Philosophy (Routledge, London and New York 2002)