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This course is at Upper Intermediate/Advanced level and so would not be suitable for people who are new to studying philosophy. It would be an ideal continuation course for students who have previously studied on our Intermediate level courses and who now want a course that will look at the work of a particular philosopher or theme in some depth. It may also be suitable for people who have had some previous grounding in 20th Century French Philosophy, and who now want to study in more depth.
Although you should have some previous experience of studying philosophy it is not expected that you need to have familiarity with Deleuze, as this is what the course will aim to provide.
This course dives into the intricate relationship between philosophy and film as elucidated by Gilles Deleuze, contextualized within both the historical backdrop of philosophy and film, and the present-day milieu of the 21st century. Our focus lies on Deleuze's interpretation of Henri Bergson as a philosopher of moving images, the evolution of the 'movement image' in Cinema 1, and the subsequent crisis in cinema (and philosophy) fostering the 'time image' in Cinema 2. We will meticulously examine Deleuze's books and view key film clips exemplifying his discourse. The course will also highlight how 21st-century cinema continues to resonate with Deleuzian concepts, provoking fresh queries regarding the interplay between philosophy and film.
By course completion, participants should be equipped to:
- Comprehend and critique Deleuze's film philosophy
- Discuss the dynamic relationship between film and philosophy
- Differentiate and compare cinema of the 20th and 21st centuries
- Apply gained insights to contemporary discussions in art, technology and politics
The course will be taught in a seminar style, and there will be an opportunity for students to give a presentation on an aspect of the week's content before each session, discuss and debate. Short excerpts will be provided to read during class and at home, which will cover important concept and arguments, as well as videos of the relevant films.
Students will be expected to engage with readings at home each week. Texts will be supplied by the tutor, and there will be no expectation to purchase them.
Other Upper Intermediate or Advanced level Philosophy courses at the Mary Ward Centre or other similar establishments. These can include an emphasis on Phenomenology, Existentialism, Language and Difference.
In his ground-breaking works, Cinema 1: The Movement Image and Cinema 2: The Time Image, Gilles Deleuze intricately explores the symbiotic relationship between philosophy and cinema. According to Deleuze, throughout the twentieth century, both philosophers and filmmakers grappled with the concept of movement - filmmakers materialized it through images, while philosophers crystallized it into thought. Deleuze compellingly posits that the quintessential preoccupation of both philosophers and filmmakers is the enigma of time's movement. The philosophical questions surrounding time's fluidity are pivotal - What does being ensnared in time's flow signify? How can we comprehend this ceaseless movement? Given the transitory nature of the present, what is its true reality? If the present lacks conventional reality, how can the past or future exist, as the former was once present, and the latter is destined to become so? In Deleuze's philosophy of cinema, these questions are far from abstract. They gain tangible significance expressed through the filmmaker's imagery and the philosopher's concepts. This course invites an exploration of these time paradoxes (and many other metaphysical and political questions that follow these paradoxes) as elucidated in Deleuze's Cinema volumes. It will refer to a broad range of cinematic examples, anchoring our philosophical discourse in specific cases.
This course covers an investigation into some of the perennial thinkers and topics within philosophical aesthetics within the Western tradition: It is structured broadly in two parts, the first looking at the thoughts and theories on art provided within the philosophies of 6 key thinkers within this tradition: Plato, Aristotle, Hume, Kant, Nietzsche and Heidegger; the second on some central issues within contemporary philosophy debates within the philosophy of art, such as the definition of art and artworks, the different art forms, meaning in art, fakes and forgeries, and art criticism and appreciation. In doing so it will not only address the contemporary relevance of the thought of historical thinkers, but will also address some key historical and contemporary philosophy, ranging beyond aesthetics, and touching on the philosophy of language, logic, culture, politics, history, ontology and epistemology.
Explore some of the most important ideas, themes and thinkers in the history of Western philosophy. Learn about some of the central problems of philosophy, and how to puzzle them our for yourselves.
It is not uncommon to hear today calls for a defence of and a return to Enlightenment values: but what exactly were they? The flourishing of the natural sciences from the 17th Century onward brought about not just an entirely new conception of the nature of the world but also a radical rethinking of the nature of reason itself, which in turn had profound implications for our understanding of the self and of society. But rather than a celebration of the serene progress of triumphant reason, the Enlightenment itself might be better understood as a series of crises. We will explore the myriad of issues these developments raise through an examination of the great thinkers of the 17th, 18th and 19th Centuries.
For more information contact The Departmental Administrator at admin@marywardcentre.ac.uk
See how long it will take you to get to college. Please select the campus of the course you wish to study.