Movies and the Meaning of Life

Review
"...keeps with the strong intent of linking philosophical concepts to everyday popular culture...an excellent achievement" -- Midwest Book Review, October 2005

19 papers in which academic philosophers use contemporary Hollywood productions to illustrate some foundational concerns of their disciplines. -- Book News, Inc., July, 2005 Product Description
"The meaning of life is the most urgent of questions," said Albert Camus. And philosopher Woody Allen has wondered: "How is it possible to find meaning in a finite world, given my waist and shirt size?" Claims about what gives life meaning have not only been analyzed by philosophers but by the primary mythmakers in contemporary culture: Hollywood filmmakers. Movies and the Meaning of Life shows how a wide variety of films have tackled — to sometimes hilarious, sometimes surprisingly pointed effect — the same questions that have obsessed the deep thinkers. These essays draw on such sources as The Truman Show and Contact to explore the nature of reality; Fight Club and Being John Malkovich for cogent lessons on finding one's true identity; American Beauty and The Shawshank Redemption for pointers on life's purpose; Pleasantville and Spiderman for nuggets of wisdom on how to live one's life; and more.