Description
Synopsis:
There is a widespread reawakening of interest in philosophy, however, many people are put off by a belief that it is difficult to understand. This entertaining but educational book shatters that myth by showing, for example, that if you understand Keanu Reeves smash, “The Matrix”, you can understand Descartes. In “The Matrix”, the world human beings seem to inhabit is not real, but a computer-generated illusion. This idea is essentially Descartes: what can we know? How do we know that everything is not really a dream? Or how do we know we’re not being constantly deceived by an evil genius? This is just the beginning and amongst other things you’ll learn about: materialism and dualism fom the Terminator films – “Egoism” from “The Invisible Man”. Read this book and become be a veritable Jedi master of philosophy!
Review:
“Excellent – not only is each chapter a model of philosophical exposition, conveying philosophical ideas with exemplary verve and clarity, the book also manages to connect the philosophy to the movies in a natural and convincing way- serves to inject a degree of passion into the bloodless halls of philosophy'” (TLS)
“Hugely entertaining … Rowlands knows his stuff and marries some of the tougher philosophical arguments to the more accessible conduit of popular entertainment- enjoyable and illuminating” (Waterstone’s Books Quarterly)
