Final Exam Preparation

Philosophy 398 L Dr. Lawler: Philosophy in Pop Culture

You should be able to explain the main philosophical ideas developed in the course, and
show how they are helpful in making sense of themes raised in the examples of popular
culture discussed in the course. The course covered certain basic ideas of the thought of
Plato, Kant, and Hegel.
A Summary of ant!s philosophy
0) Kants critique of scientific reason in the context of morality
If science, with its deterministic perspective, is about reality, then morality is
impossible.
But empiricism !ume) denies such laws
Kant critici"es !umes empiricism, but also defends both science and morality.
!ow#
In this way Kant continues the tradition of $ationalism startin% with &escartes.
!ow does &escartes rationalism correspond to modern science, as opposed to
'ristotles empiricism#
But &escartes position results in a dualism of free spirit and deterministic
matter. Kants solution to !umes problem also solves this problem of determinism.
! "oral experience # relation of duty and desire$ explain this experience of morality
with examples.
%! How to know what is our duty&
Three formulations of the 'ategorical (mperative
)! *ill the maxim of one+s action as a universal law
)%! Treat others as beings with goals of their own, not merely as means to one+s
own goals
),! -ct always as a member of a .kingdom of ends/ 0ointly willing with all of
humanity. 1 2elative economic goals of utility and exchange value should be
subordinate to humanity as having intrinsic or absolute worth.
,! Keystone of "orality$ the Highest 3ood )0ust society!
4! -ntinomy of Practical 2eason
5! 6olutions to -ntinomy
)! -ppearance and reality
Problem of science and morality
Kant+s response to Hume+s empiricism and his 'opernican 2evolution in
Philosophy
)%! 7rom Knowledge to 8elief$ the Postulates of morality
7reedom
3od
(mmortality
),! 8eauty$ sensuous presence of .purposiveness without purpose/
8eauty as symbol of morality and the role of (magination
)4! Teleology of History
Plato an" ant
! 8oth have theories of illusion and reality. 9nderstand the similarity and the
difference.
%! 2ole of love in Plato:;iotema+s lessons to 6ocrates, -ristophanes on 6oul
"ates, (haedrus on two directions of love. <xplain how Heidegger+s
interpretation of Plato fails to grasp certain features of Platonism.
,! 'ompare this with Kant+s conception of reali=ing moral duty$ Possibility of
)nowin% reality in Plato and Kant.
4! How does Platonic philosophy develop in the 3nostic teachings, in particular, the
*ospel of +ary +a%dalene& 'onsider and evaluate >iet=sche+s argument that
'hristianity is Platonism for the masses. <xplain how two interpretations of
Platonism can support two different understandings of 'hristianity.
#e$el
The concluding points for each of the sections above lead to Hegel$
! Hegel shows how the teleology of history can be )nown:without undermining
freedom and morality. 3od can be known, not 0ust postulated.
%! Here the focus of the lectures and articles has been on the development from <go
to 6pirit, passing through the "aster?6lave dialectic, 6toicism, the 9nhappy
'onsciousness, and the stages of the history of religion.
,! <xplain how Hegel+s theory of the evolution from ego to spirit transforms Kant+s
theory of the Highest 3ood.
4! How does Hegel+s theory of the involution@evolution of 6pirit support the 3nostic
teachings as seen in the *ospel of +ary +a%dalene&
5! <xplain Hegel+s critiAue of the theory of -tonement in the light of Kierkegaard+s
defense of orthodox 'hristianity.
Exam outline:
! You choose any one of the topics of popular culture covered in class:,impsons,
+atrix, Buffy the -ampire ,layer, *oody -llen+s .rimes and +isdemeanors,
,tar /ars, 0he (assion of the .hrist, or 0he &a -inci .ode) and explore it to the
best of your ability using the above ideas as philosophical framework for
interpretation.
%! You will be asked to answer one of the following Auestions. The Auestion will be
assigned at exam time.
a. How do the characters and issues in 0he ,impsons illustrate Kant+s moral
conception of the relation of duty and desire, and the problem of the
highest good as the keystone of moral duty&
b. How do the philosophies if Plato and Kant provide grounds for the
distinction between appearance and reality in 0he +atrix& <xplore as best
you can the complexities of this issue in relation to the +atrix trilogy.
<specially important is the conclusion of the film and its subversion of
standard .action?oriented/ approaches to the struggle of good and evil.
c. 1xplain how The "atrix raises the issue of empiricism and rationalism.
2$eally *ood 3oodles4) 1xplain how this classic debate in philosophy
illuminates problems in The "atrix5 Is the +atrix possible# If so, how
would we )now it is possible from the standpoint of empiricism# !ow
does rationalism &escartes) enable us to be free from the +atrix# /hat
problem does &escartes leave unsolved# !ow does Kants position solve
this problem#
d. How does Kant+s philosophy provide grounds for the conception of a
multidimensional universe in Buffy the -ampire ,layer& 'onsider Kant+s
cosmological arguments in his early philosophy, and his later morality?
based argument for such multidimensionality.
e. (s morality, with its conception of a 0ust society or Highest 3ood,
reali=able& How does the antinomy of practical reason in Kant and his
solutions especially his 2postulates4 of freedom, *od and immortality)
help us to understand the issues of 0ustice and in0ustice in .rimes and
+isdemeanors& <xplore how the different characters of the film illustrate
different aspects of or approaches to this issue.
f. How does Hegel+s theory of the crucifixion of Besus as the .death of 3od/
provide a different approach to issues of salvation from that of orthodox
'hristianity& <xplore the Auestion of the nature of religion, referencing
other examples in this course if they are useful. 'ompare Plato, Kant,
Hegel, and Kierkegaard on the relation between religion and philosophy.
g. How does Hegel+s theory of .6pirit/ support the concept of .the 7orce/ in
,tar /ars& How does Hegel provide a rational argument for his
conception& 'ompare this approach with that of Kant+s theory of the
postulates.
h. <xamine the problem of evil in ,tar /ars, with relevant references to
other popular culture topics in our course. 'onsider especially the central
importance of -nakin 6kywalker and his story to this issue. 6how how
Hegel+s explanation and critiAue of 6toicism and any other moments of his
phenomenology illuminate -nakin+s problems with the Bedi code and so
his turning to the dark side.
i. <xplain how 0he *ospel of +ary provides an argument based on
Platonism for how to save ourselves from the powers of the world. How
does this .3nostic/ approach of 0he *ospel of +ary differ from the
-tonement approach of .external religion/& <xplore the applicability of
this approach to other materials covered in this course dealing with issues
of .saving the world/ or achieving the highest good or 0ust society.
%Cheat sheets&: You can bring into class point?form outlines for each of these
Auestions )not already written essays!. 9se one side of paper for each Auestion. -lso
bring a copy of this exam outline and Auestion?sheet with you.