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Books by Nathan Andersen

Film, Philosophy, and Reality: Ancient Greece to Godard is an original contribution to film-philo... more Film, Philosophy, and Reality: Ancient Greece to Godard is an original contribution to film-philosophy that shows how thinking about movies can lead us into a richer appreciation and understanding of both reality and the nature of human experience. Focused on the question of the relationship between how things seem to us and how they really are, it is at once an introduction to philosophy through film and an introduction to film through philosophy.

Included here are the preface and introduction from the uncorrected proofs. Please refer to the published version of the text for any citations.

Shadow Philosophy: Plato’s Cave and Cinema is an accessible and exciting new contribution to film... more Shadow Philosophy: Plato’s Cave and Cinema is an accessible and exciting new contribution to film-philosophy, that shows why to take film seriously is also to engage with the fundamental questions of philosophy. Nathan Andersen brings Stanley Kubrick’s film A Clockwork Orange into philosophical conversation with Plato’s Republic, comparing their contributions to themes such as the nature of experience and meaning, the character of justice, the contrast between appearance and reality, the importance of art, and the impact of images. At the heart of the book is a novel account of the analogy between Plato's allegory of the cave and cinema, developed in conjunction with a provocative interpretation of the most powerful image from A Clockwork Orange, in which the lead character is strapped to a chair and forced to watch violent films.

Attached here are the title page, preface and introduction.

Papers by Nathan Andersen

Idealistic Studies, 2005

Hegel's conception of Spirit does not subordinate difference to sameness, in a way that would... more Hegel's conception of Spirit does not subordinate difference to sameness, in a way that would make it unusable for a genuinely intersubjective idealism directed to a comprehensive account of the contemporary world. A close analysis of the logic of recognition and the dialectic of conscience in the Phenomenology of Spirit demonstrates that the unity of Spirit emerges in and through conflict, and is forged in the process whereby particular encounters between differently situated individuals reveal and establish the emerging character and significance of the stances they uniquely occupy.

On first look the film Inception seems just to deliver a thrilling new illustration of Descartes'... more On first look the film Inception seems just to deliver a thrilling new illustration of Descartes' dream argument, that it's impossible ever to be sure you're not dreaming. In fact, it can be seen to offer an important challenge to Cartesian skepticism, and to the solipsistic rationalism that Descartes presents as its resolution. According to the vision of this film, the solution to skepticism is not to question everything and accept only what cannot be doubted. Rather, its hero Cobb must learn to turn away from the spinning top that is supposed to ensure he is not dreaming and learn to trust in the reality of other people.

Film is frequently employed in philosophy classes to illustrate philosophical themes. I argue tha... more Film is frequently employed in philosophy classes to illustrate philosophical themes. I argue that making short films or videos in the philosophy classroom can also be a valuable learning exercise for philosophy students. One such assignment, focused on showing the relevance of philosophy to everyday issues, is described and defended here. The exercise is valuable both as a way to clarify the character of philosophical inquiry and its connection to life, and also because questions about film as a medium relate directly to concerns of the major traditional branches of philosophy.

Several commentators have offered careful and detailed accounts of Hegel’s analysis of sense-cert... more Several commentators have offered careful and detailed accounts of Hegel’s analysis of sense-certainty, either defending his starting point and analysis or challenging it on its own terms for presupposing too much. Very few, however, have considered directly what Hegel means by the “certainty” (Gewißheit) that sense-certainty is alleged to exhibit, and what role this notion plays in his text as a whole. In fact, much of the disagreement regarding both the subject matter and success of Hegel’s chapter on sense-certainty can be traced to misunderstandings regarding the nature and role of certainty itself in the Phenomenology of Spirit. Specifically, such confusions can be traced to a failure to appreciate the connection between sense-certainty as a particular way of approaching and knowing the world, and the assumptions regarding the nature of the world it comes to know that Hegel attributes to sense-certainty. In this essay I give an account of the nature of "certainty" as Hegel describes and employs the term in the Phenomenology of Spirit, and show that this conception helps to clarify the nature and legitimacy of his examination of sense-certainty.

It is argued that certain individuals can and should be considered ‘morally exemplary’ with respe... more It is argued that certain individuals can and should be considered ‘morally exemplary’ with respect to the environment. This can be so even where there is no universally applicable ethical principle they employ, and no canonical set of virtues they exhibit. The author identifies Henry David Thoreau, Aldo Leopold, Annie Dillard and Edward Abbey as potential ‘environmental exemplars,’ focusing for the purposes of the essay on individuals who have written compelling autobiographical works in defense of a way of life that is both attuned to the values of a particular place and attentive to the humanistic concerns that have more traditionally been the locus of ethical thought.

An exploration of poetic works by the prolific Indonesian filmmaker Faozan Rizal.

Hegel’s conception of Spirit does not subordinate difference to sameness, in a way that would mak... more Hegel’s conception of Spirit does not subordinate difference to sameness, in a way that would make it unusable for a genuinely intersubjective idealism directed to a comprehensive account of the contemporary world. A close analysis of the logic of recognition and the dialectic of conscience in the Phenomenology of Spirit demonstrates that the unity of Spirit emerges in and through conflict, and is forged in the process whereby particular encounters between differently situated individuals reveal and establish the emerging character and significance of the stances they uniquely occupy.

R.G. Collingwood (1889-1943) is well known for his contributions to the fields of aesthetics and ... more R.G. Collingwood (1889-1943) is well known for his contributions to the fields of aesthetics and the philosophy of history. Perhaps the most distinctive and constant feature of his work, however, is his effort throughout to articulate and clarify the relations between domains of thought that are traditionally held to be distinct - such as religion, art, history, science and philosophy. In this essay, I consider the import of the conclusion to his treatise The Idea of Nature, and argue that a careful consideration of how and why he came to write this conclusion shows that he appreciates the relative autonomy of natural science and history as fields of inquiry, but argues that successful scientific research requires that scientists come to understand the import of the work of their predecessors. Far from accepting as a limitation of historical research with respect to natural science the idea that the past cannot be repeated but that natural occurrences can, Collingwood holds that, with different aims in mind, both scientist and historian must and do engage regularly and successfully in the effort to bring to life the character and significance of past events.

“A boundary [peras] is not that at which something stops, but, as the Greeks recognized, the boun... more “A boundary [peras] is not that at which something stops, but, as the Greeks recognized, the boundary is that from which something begins its presencing.” Martin Heidegger

Place, as Aristotle defines it, is to be sharply distinguished from merely geometrical space. Places, unlike geometrical spaces, are not indifferent to that which they contain. Indeed, they seem to have a kind of power. For unless something interferes, things gravitate naturally toward places that suit them. This power that Aristotle attributes to place is obvious not only in the case of elemental bodies, but much more so in the case of animals, whose very existence depends upon their inhabitation of a suitable place. A fish out of water soon ceases to be a fish, and, in general, living substances can only preserve and maintain themselves given the stable existence of several characteristic environmental conditions. That is why it is surprising that standard readings of Aristotle on the concept of place have focused almost exclusively on its explicit treatment in the Physics, and have largely failed to address his usage of the concept of place in other writings.
My aim in this essay was to elucidate the conception of place at work in Aristotle's biological treatises. A consideration of the role played by place in Aristotle’s biological treatises assists in retrieving a richer and more complex conception of place than is indicated by a tradition of commentators who have looked primarily or exclusively to his explicit comments on the subject in the Physics. It reveals that the Aristotelian approach is not merely of antiquarian interest but can be a valuable resource for recent thinkers – in the context of environmental philosophy, phenomenology, feminist theory and the social sciences – who are working on issues centered around the philosophy of place.

A review essay of Stephen Mulhall's book On Film in which he advances the thesis that film can be... more A review essay of Stephen Mulhall's book On Film in which he advances the thesis that film can be said to "do philosophy." I respond to his thesis here and in the second edition of the book he responds to my comments, along with those of others who reviewed and reacted to his thesis.

Determining the character of the relationship between universals and particulars, or between gene... more Determining the character of the relationship between universals and particulars, or between general claims and determinate examples thereof is a central concern for epistemology. Hegel examines the theme of examples in relation to knowledge in the first chapter of his Phenomenology of Spirit. He argues that “sense-certainty” – the epistemological stance that takes immediacy to be the criterion for knowledge – fails to recognize the role played by examples in knowledge and experience. Although the theme of example is not explicitly dealt with elsewhere in the text, the question of the relation between universal and particular in knowledge is a crucial one for the Phenomenology of Spirit as a whole. The present study aims to develop the conception of example that is implied within Hegel’s text as a whole.

In addition to attempting a resolution of a number of the criticisms raised against Hegel’s account of “sense-certainty,” the first chapter develops the implications of Hegel’s claim that sense-certainty fails to appreciate the fact that it relies upon a determinate conception of the nature of examples, which undercuts its claims to immediate knowledge. The second chapter focuses upon experimental knowledge, and shows that the turn to experiment in epistemology can be interpreted as an attempt to rethink the nature of examples as they relate to knowledge. Hegel’s basic criticism of the “experimental conception of knowledge” is contrasted with a number of the criticisms that have been raised by recent investigations of experimental practices. Chapters three and four examine Hegel’s conception of self-knowledge, and show that a number of the problems raised within the previous forms of knowing are resolved within the sphere of self-consciousness and “Spirit.” In particular, the final chapter shows that the kind of self-knowing that takes place in the phenomenon of “conscientious forgiveness” has a universality that is attentive to the particularity of the situation wherein it arises. It is argued that to this form of knowledge there corresponds a conception of example – that of “exemplary selfhood” – that can successfully resolve the problem of the relation between universal and particular in knowledge with which the study begins.

Film, Philosophy, and Reality: Ancient Greece to Godard is an original contribution to film-philo... more Film, Philosophy, and Reality: Ancient Greece to Godard is an original contribution to film-philosophy that shows how thinking about movies can lead us into a richer appreciation and understanding of both reality and the nature of human experience. Focused on the question of the relationship between how things seem to us and how they really are, it is at once an introduction to philosophy through film and an introduction to film through philosophy.

Included here are the preface and introduction from the uncorrected proofs. Please refer to the published version of the text for any citations.

Shadow Philosophy: Plato’s Cave and Cinema is an accessible and exciting new contribution to film... more Shadow Philosophy: Plato’s Cave and Cinema is an accessible and exciting new contribution to film-philosophy, that shows why to take film seriously is also to engage with the fundamental questions of philosophy. Nathan Andersen brings Stanley Kubrick’s film A Clockwork Orange into philosophical conversation with Plato’s Republic, comparing their contributions to themes such as the nature of experience and meaning, the character of justice, the contrast between appearance and reality, the importance of art, and the impact of images. At the heart of the book is a novel account of the analogy between Plato's allegory of the cave and cinema, developed in conjunction with a provocative interpretation of the most powerful image from A Clockwork Orange, in which the lead character is strapped to a chair and forced to watch violent films.

Attached here are the title page, preface and introduction.

Idealistic Studies, 2005

Hegel's conception of Spirit does not subordinate difference to sameness, in a way that would... more Hegel's conception of Spirit does not subordinate difference to sameness, in a way that would make it unusable for a genuinely intersubjective idealism directed to a comprehensive account of the contemporary world. A close analysis of the logic of recognition and the dialectic of conscience in the Phenomenology of Spirit demonstrates that the unity of Spirit emerges in and through conflict, and is forged in the process whereby particular encounters between differently situated individuals reveal and establish the emerging character and significance of the stances they uniquely occupy.

On first look the film Inception seems just to deliver a thrilling new illustration of Descartes'... more On first look the film Inception seems just to deliver a thrilling new illustration of Descartes' dream argument, that it's impossible ever to be sure you're not dreaming. In fact, it can be seen to offer an important challenge to Cartesian skepticism, and to the solipsistic rationalism that Descartes presents as its resolution. According to the vision of this film, the solution to skepticism is not to question everything and accept only what cannot be doubted. Rather, its hero Cobb must learn to turn away from the spinning top that is supposed to ensure he is not dreaming and learn to trust in the reality of other people.

Film is frequently employed in philosophy classes to illustrate philosophical themes. I argue tha... more Film is frequently employed in philosophy classes to illustrate philosophical themes. I argue that making short films or videos in the philosophy classroom can also be a valuable learning exercise for philosophy students. One such assignment, focused on showing the relevance of philosophy to everyday issues, is described and defended here. The exercise is valuable both as a way to clarify the character of philosophical inquiry and its connection to life, and also because questions about film as a medium relate directly to concerns of the major traditional branches of philosophy.

Several commentators have offered careful and detailed accounts of Hegel’s analysis of sense-cert... more Several commentators have offered careful and detailed accounts of Hegel’s analysis of sense-certainty, either defending his starting point and analysis or challenging it on its own terms for presupposing too much. Very few, however, have considered directly what Hegel means by the “certainty” (Gewißheit) that sense-certainty is alleged to exhibit, and what role this notion plays in his text as a whole. In fact, much of the disagreement regarding both the subject matter and success of Hegel’s chapter on sense-certainty can be traced to misunderstandings regarding the nature and role of certainty itself in the Phenomenology of Spirit. Specifically, such confusions can be traced to a failure to appreciate the connection between sense-certainty as a particular way of approaching and knowing the world, and the assumptions regarding the nature of the world it comes to know that Hegel attributes to sense-certainty. In this essay I give an account of the nature of "certainty" as Hegel describes and employs the term in the Phenomenology of Spirit, and show that this conception helps to clarify the nature and legitimacy of his examination of sense-certainty.

It is argued that certain individuals can and should be considered ‘morally exemplary’ with respe... more It is argued that certain individuals can and should be considered ‘morally exemplary’ with respect to the environment. This can be so even where there is no universally applicable ethical principle they employ, and no canonical set of virtues they exhibit. The author identifies Henry David Thoreau, Aldo Leopold, Annie Dillard and Edward Abbey as potential ‘environmental exemplars,’ focusing for the purposes of the essay on individuals who have written compelling autobiographical works in defense of a way of life that is both attuned to the values of a particular place and attentive to the humanistic concerns that have more traditionally been the locus of ethical thought.

An exploration of poetic works by the prolific Indonesian filmmaker Faozan Rizal.

Hegel’s conception of Spirit does not subordinate difference to sameness, in a way that would mak... more Hegel’s conception of Spirit does not subordinate difference to sameness, in a way that would make it unusable for a genuinely intersubjective idealism directed to a comprehensive account of the contemporary world. A close analysis of the logic of recognition and the dialectic of conscience in the Phenomenology of Spirit demonstrates that the unity of Spirit emerges in and through conflict, and is forged in the process whereby particular encounters between differently situated individuals reveal and establish the emerging character and significance of the stances they uniquely occupy.

R.G. Collingwood (1889-1943) is well known for his contributions to the fields of aesthetics and ... more R.G. Collingwood (1889-1943) is well known for his contributions to the fields of aesthetics and the philosophy of history. Perhaps the most distinctive and constant feature of his work, however, is his effort throughout to articulate and clarify the relations between domains of thought that are traditionally held to be distinct - such as religion, art, history, science and philosophy. In this essay, I consider the import of the conclusion to his treatise The Idea of Nature, and argue that a careful consideration of how and why he came to write this conclusion shows that he appreciates the relative autonomy of natural science and history as fields of inquiry, but argues that successful scientific research requires that scientists come to understand the import of the work of their predecessors. Far from accepting as a limitation of historical research with respect to natural science the idea that the past cannot be repeated but that natural occurrences can, Collingwood holds that, with different aims in mind, both scientist and historian must and do engage regularly and successfully in the effort to bring to life the character and significance of past events.

“A boundary [peras] is not that at which something stops, but, as the Greeks recognized, the boun... more “A boundary [peras] is not that at which something stops, but, as the Greeks recognized, the boundary is that from which something begins its presencing.” Martin Heidegger

Place, as Aristotle defines it, is to be sharply distinguished from merely geometrical space. Places, unlike geometrical spaces, are not indifferent to that which they contain. Indeed, they seem to have a kind of power. For unless something interferes, things gravitate naturally toward places that suit them. This power that Aristotle attributes to place is obvious not only in the case of elemental bodies, but much more so in the case of animals, whose very existence depends upon their inhabitation of a suitable place. A fish out of water soon ceases to be a fish, and, in general, living substances can only preserve and maintain themselves given the stable existence of several characteristic environmental conditions. That is why it is surprising that standard readings of Aristotle on the concept of place have focused almost exclusively on its explicit treatment in the Physics, and have largely failed to address his usage of the concept of place in other writings.
My aim in this essay was to elucidate the conception of place at work in Aristotle's biological treatises. A consideration of the role played by place in Aristotle’s biological treatises assists in retrieving a richer and more complex conception of place than is indicated by a tradition of commentators who have looked primarily or exclusively to his explicit comments on the subject in the Physics. It reveals that the Aristotelian approach is not merely of antiquarian interest but can be a valuable resource for recent thinkers – in the context of environmental philosophy, phenomenology, feminist theory and the social sciences – who are working on issues centered around the philosophy of place.

A review essay of Stephen Mulhall's book On Film in which he advances the thesis that film can be... more A review essay of Stephen Mulhall's book On Film in which he advances the thesis that film can be said to "do philosophy." I respond to his thesis here and in the second edition of the book he responds to my comments, along with those of others who reviewed and reacted to his thesis.

Determining the character of the relationship between universals and particulars, or between gene... more Determining the character of the relationship between universals and particulars, or between general claims and determinate examples thereof is a central concern for epistemology. Hegel examines the theme of examples in relation to knowledge in the first chapter of his Phenomenology of Spirit. He argues that “sense-certainty” – the epistemological stance that takes immediacy to be the criterion for knowledge – fails to recognize the role played by examples in knowledge and experience. Although the theme of example is not explicitly dealt with elsewhere in the text, the question of the relation between universal and particular in knowledge is a crucial one for the Phenomenology of Spirit as a whole. The present study aims to develop the conception of example that is implied within Hegel’s text as a whole.

In addition to attempting a resolution of a number of the criticisms raised against Hegel’s account of “sense-certainty,” the first chapter develops the implications of Hegel’s claim that sense-certainty fails to appreciate the fact that it relies upon a determinate conception of the nature of examples, which undercuts its claims to immediate knowledge. The second chapter focuses upon experimental knowledge, and shows that the turn to experiment in epistemology can be interpreted as an attempt to rethink the nature of examples as they relate to knowledge. Hegel’s basic criticism of the “experimental conception of knowledge” is contrasted with a number of the criticisms that have been raised by recent investigations of experimental practices. Chapters three and four examine Hegel’s conception of self-knowledge, and show that a number of the problems raised within the previous forms of knowing are resolved within the sphere of self-consciousness and “Spirit.” In particular, the final chapter shows that the kind of self-knowing that takes place in the phenomenon of “conscientious forgiveness” has a universality that is attentive to the particularity of the situation wherein it arises. It is argued that to this form of knowledge there corresponds a conception of example – that of “exemplary selfhood” – that can successfully resolve the problem of the relation between universal and particular in knowledge with which the study begins.