Monthly Archives: October 2011

Midnight in Paris review

Posted on by
4

I have long been a fan of Woody Allen’s ability to put his philosophical insights on film; however, I really struggled through Midnight in Paris. The film opens with a jazz score, Allen’s now trademark font, and images of Parisian boulevards and of course, the Eiffel Tower – Allen always, it seems, feels it necessary to offer such conspicuous establishing shots (Empire State Building, Gherkin, etc.). Here, he once again gives way to a younger actor (Owen Wilson), who takes on the Allen role. Continue reading →

Examined Life: philosophy in the streets

Posted on by
Reply

Astra Taylor’s Examined Life may just appear to be just another philosophy documentary (not that there are nearly enough of them). What I mean by this is that we may be tempted to consider it as merely a vehicle for philosophers to convey their ideas; ideas that could be just as well conveyed through print (or even radio or podcast). However, there’s more to it than that. Examined Life places contemporary philosophers in contexts that force us to consider the relevance and, sometimes, urgency of the arguments they make. Continue reading →

Peter Singer on our obligation to alleviate suffering

Posted on by
1

Karl Marx stated, ’the philosophers have merely interpretated the world in various ways. The point, however, is to change it’.

Marx’s sentiment is, I think, shared by many; philosophy can be seen to be an abstract pursuit, and philosophers far-removed from everyday concerns. One philosopher who cannot, however, be accused of such abstraction is Peter Singer. Singer is rightly heralded as a philosopher at the forefront of Applied Ethics, the area where philosophy comes into direct contact with ‘the real world’. Continue reading →