Raya Bouslah
- Faculty of Art and Culture
- Literature, Visual Culture and Film Studies
- MA
- How Can Films Do Philosophy: The Case of Westworld, the TV Series
- Tutor: Teet Teinemaa
“The promise of critical reflection is that it leads to a more fulfilling life and a more rational society. But this will only come about, not when philosophers are kings, but when ordinary people are philosophers” (Wartenberg, Thinking on Screen, 141).
The creation of online platforms changed the experience of audiences from TV and cinema halls to the comfort of their laptop or personal device which allowed full access to popular films and shows and increased the importance of these mediums in society. They no longer represent solely a mean of entertainment but they now heavily play a role in reflecting reality and reflecting on different serious topics and questions. Popular media in general can play a role in understanding and improving society by allowing them to think, philosophically in particular but also critically in general, towards what is represented to viewers, whether in real life or through fiction.
Taking that into consideration, my thesis aims to test the possibility of applying the theory of film (especially as philosophy on TV series and to reflect on the discussion taking place in academia around the ability of films to philosophize.
– Which tools allow films and TV series to philosophize?
– How do films work as a thought experiment?
– How can the close analysis of Westworld contribute to the discussion of the theory of film-as-philosophy?
