The Role of Film in Philosophy

The usual taxonomy is that films pop up as either the raw material for philosophical reflection or as ornamental illustrations of independently given philosophical issues and themes. But you begin with the specifics of particular films. If one looks closely at particular movies, even movies that come out of the machinery of Hollywood blockbusters, they're not just instances of film. They're also in many ways actually reflecting upon the conditions of their own possibility. It's perfectly possible for films to play exactly the same role.