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 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 Autumn/Winter 2013 programme is as follows:
| Date | Film/Book | Introduced By | Theme |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26/9/13 6.30pm | Samsara | Tom Cochrane | The sublime |
| 31/10/13 7.00pm | The Modularity of Mind | George Botterill | How minds process films |
| 28/11/13 6.30pm | To Kill a Mockingbird | Miranda Fricker | Epistemic injustice |
| 12/12/13 7.00pm | Lord Jim/Under Western Eyes | Jimmy Lenman | Redemption from the past |
See below for further details concerning the films and books.
If you have any queries, please contact Bob Stern (r.stern@sheffield.ac.uk)
Samsara
In the film Samsara (2011), director Ron Fricke follows up on his previous films Baraka (1992) and Chronos (1985) by presenting to us extraordinary scenes of nature and human society. We are invited to contemplate our relationship with the wider world; a relationship that can make us feel small and insignificant, but at the same time thrilled and inspired. In achieving this, the film is a perfect example of the aesthetics of the sublime, a category of aesthetic experience that has been the focus of ongoing philosophical scrutiny since the 18th century. I will discuss how experiences of the sublime are generated and what implications such experiences have for understanding our place in the world.
For booking and further details, see www.showroomworkstation.org.uk/samsara
The Modularity of Mind, by Jerry Fodor
TBA
To Kill a Mockingbird
The year is 1935, and the scene a courtroom in Maycomb County, Alabama. The defendant is a young black man named Tom Robinson, charged with raping a white girl, Mayella Ewell. The evidence makes it plain that Robinson is innocent. But the racial prejudice at work in the all-white jury distorts their perception of him, deflating the level of credibility they give his word. They fail to believe him, and in doing so they wrong him not only as a matter of legal justice but, prior to this, specifically in his capacity as a subject of knowledge. This constitutes a distinct form of injustice in its own right, sometimes called ‘epistemic injustice’—it is often overlooked but the legal process depends upon it. After a showing of the film adaptation of Harper Lee's novel, we shall discuss the structure of this injustice and its different possible forms.
Lord Jim, and Under Western Eyes, by Joseph Conrad
How much does it matter that you have the past history that you do and what can you do about it? Might the notion of redemption, which we think of as having a natural home in the context of distinctively religious thinking, retain any relevance or significance outside that context. These matters will be discussed with a focus on two novels by Joseph Conrad, ‘Lord Jim’ and ‘Under Western Eyes’.
