PHILOSOPHY at THE SHOWROOM 2013-14
Philosophy at the Showroom probes the philosophical questions raised by some of cinema’s most intriguing films, while also connecting them to books with related philosophical themes. Our obligations to others, heroism, death, and the functioning of the mind are just some of the themes these screenings and the book series will explore.
Each film will be introduced by a philosopher from the University of Sheffield, and followed by a group discussion of the philosophical problems it confronts. The following month, a related book will also be introduced with a talk, leading to general discussion. Cinema and books to make you think, with the chance to digest ideas in the company of others!
The talks will not presuppose any prior knowledge of philosophy, and we hope they will lead to the development of a thriving community of those interested in the subject in the city.
Those attending the film will pay the usual Showroom ticket charge, while the book talks are free. Though the two events will often be connected thematically, it is fine to come to one without having been to the other.
The venue for the book talks is: the Showroom cinema, conference room 5.
Films start at 6.30pm, book talks at 7.00pm.
The 2013-14 programme:
| Date | Film/Book | Introduced By | Theme |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28/3/13 6.30pm | The Road | Bob Stern | Morality, society and God |
| 25/4/13 7.00pm | The Ethical Demand | Bob Stern | Morality, society and God |
| 30/5/13 6.30pm | Coriolanus | Angie Hobbs | The cult of the hero |
| 27/6/13 7.00pm | The Iliad | Angie Hobbs | The cult of the hero |
See below for further details concerning the films and books.
After a break over the summer, the series will continue from September onwards: further details to be announced
If you have any queries, please contact Bob Stern (r.stern@sheffield.ac.uk)
The Road
Adapted from the celebrated novel by Cormac McCarthy, The Road tells the story of a father and son trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic America. Hauntingly bleak, it raises fundamental questions about our relations to nature, to each other, and to God, and asks what it means to be a good person in a world with no clear future.
For booking and further details, see here
The Ethical Demand, by Knud Ejler Logstrup
This important text in ethics considers themes of trust, our obligations to others, and the value of human life, while seeing how far such ideas can be upheld outside a religious world-view. The text complements the showing of The Road in the films series, where similar themes are explored. For further details of the book, see here. (Note that this talk will not presuppose any prior acquaintance with the book, but if you were interested, you might find it helpful to read chapter 1.)
Coriolanus, by William Shakespeare
Shakespeare’s gripping study of the Roman hero-turned-traitor Coriolanus is transposed by Ralph Fiennes to a contemporary Balkan-style setting. It raises disturbing questions about the relationship between heroism, aggression and war; the way in which people create and destroy heroes to suit their whims; and above all the isolation of the hero, Shakespeare’s ‘lonely dragon’.
The Iliad, by Homer
Homer’s epic poem of the war between Greece and Troy is a profound meditation on the complex relations between heroism, mortality, honour and fame and the huge and isolating burdens that the hero must bear. It explores society’s simultaneous need for and fear of heroes such as Achilles, and the troubling links between Achilles’ heroism and his rage. Although it complements a number of the themes of Coriolanus, no knowledge of Shakespeare’s play is assumed in the talk. Nor will you need to have read the Iliad, although those interested might like to look at Books 1, 18 and 24.