From Plato’s Cave to the Multiplex: Contemporary Philosophy and Film

This is a rich and varied collection of articles that both offer philosophical analyses of film and reflect on philosophical questions through film. The pieces range widely, from discussions of specific films and the work of particular directors, to reflections on cinematic techniques and on the medium of cinema in general. Here, cinema enters into a genuinely productive interaction with philosophy. We see how philosophical perspectives and methods are able to inform the critical analysis of film, how films can concretely explore and make use of philosophical perspectives, and how film can challenge and provoke philosophical reflection. Some of the articles address familiar themes in the developing philosophy and film literature in fresh ways, while others make surprising and revealing new connections between philosophical perspectives and cinema. Either way, the results are always interesting and illuminating, and demonstrate once again how fruitful the bringing together of philosophy and film can be.