TELEVISION
About
Join Professor of Philosophy David Kyle Johnson, of King's College, on a 24-lecture exploration of the final frontiers of philosophy across several decades of science fiction in film and television. See how science fiction allows us to consider immense, vital - and sometimes controversial - ideas with a rare combination of engagement and critical distance.
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Episodes
1. Inception and the Interpretation of Art
34m
Begin your journey with a look at why science fiction is one of the primary ways contemporary society engages with philosophical issues. Get an overview of the kinds of sci-fi media you will explore throughout the course and explore how you will address the interpretation of art with a look at the film Inception.
2. The Matrix and the Value of Knowledge
33m
Which will you choose, the red pill or the blue? Look at different ideas concerning truth, knowledge, and reality through the film The Matrix, from Plato's definition of knowledge to the theories of Jean Baudrillard. Also, grasp the important distinctions between epistemology and metaphysics.
3. The Matrix Sequels and Human Free Will
34m
Though panned by critics and science fiction fans alike, upon first release, the two sequels that followed The Matrix - Reloaded and Revolutions, respectively - provide surprisingly fertile ground for philosophical investigation surrounding the existence of free will. Compare multiple theories and see whether these oft-derided films can offer any answers.
4. The Adjustment Bureau, the Force, and Fate
32m
Explore the concept of individual fate through the film The Adjustment Bureau and the larger concept of universal fate in Star Wars. Along the way, take a look at the ways conspiracy theories and supernatural claims invoke "fate" to explain real-world happenings and how philosophers handle these "explanations."
5. Contact: Science versus Religion
34m
Science communicator Carl Sagan believed science and religion could be compatible. But does Contact, the film based on his novel, prove his point or undermine it? Probe the many ways humans use personal experience to justify belief and whether or not such experiences can justify belief in the face of contrary scientific evidence.
6. Arrival: Aliens and Radical Translation
34m
See how the 2016 film Arrival can help you examine the three questions that arise when discussing the possibility of alien life in the universe: How likely would a visitation be? What effect on society would it have? And, particularly pertinent to the film, would we be able to communicate with them once they're here?
7. Interstellar: Is Time Travel Possible?
35m
This lecture will take a look at what metaphysics has to say about the possibility of time travel, focusing primarily on the film Interstellar. Along the way, you will also look at other influential time travel stories and the various theories they represent, like Back to the Future, Quantum Leap, Star Trek, Doctor Who, and Planet of the Apes.
8. Doctor Who and Time Travel Paradoxes
35m
Open with a look at a fan-favorite episode of Doctor Who and explore the nature of paradoxes in time travel. You will also see that science fiction doesn't always have to take itself seriously to tell a great story - or to explore fascinating philosophical questions - when you turn your attention to the Futurama episode "Roswell That Ends Well."
9. Star Trek: TNG and Alternate Worlds
33m
What can quantum mechanics tell us about the likelihood of alternate worlds? Explore the multiverse theory with Lieutenant Worf in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Parallels" and see how science could support the idea of multiple worlds, while also grappling with the seeming untestable nature of such a theory.
10. Dark City, Dollhouse, and Personal Identity
36m
The nature of personal identity is tied to numerous philosophical concerns: memory, consciousness, even the possibility of an afterlife. With films like Dark City and Moon and TV shows like Dollhouse, Professor Johnson guides you through the theories of great thinkers like Descartes, Locke, Leibniz, and their intellectual descendants.
Extended Details
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