Morality, Metaphysics and the Meaning of Life: Philosophy through Film
YPHI0007: Morals, Metaphysics and the Meaning of Life: Philosophy through Film
Course Objectives: To learn about and analyze fundamental philosophical concerns via their portrayal in selected films. For each film, we will concentrate on one philosophical question, discuss the theorectical background of the issue and evaluate how the issue is handled in the film. In this way, students will learn to relate philosophical ideas to real life and to the hypothetical situations portrayed in films, developing their understanding of the philosophical underpinnings of ethical and metaphysical debates, and enriching their enjoyment of movies.
Time and Place: Wednesdays 2:00-5:00, MW T1
Announcement:
Tutorial Group 10 that normally meets at 5:00 on Wednesday, will meet this week at 2:00 in the same place (MW T1), since there is no lecture this week.
There will be two make-up tutorials for the students of Tutorial Group 1, since the tutorial was cancelled this week because of the typhoon. The two make-up tutorials will be tomorrow, Thursday, at 4:00, and Friday at 1:00. Both will be held in MB 305. Tutorial Group 1 students are also welcome to attend tomorrow’s 2:00 tutorial instead, if they prefer.
Course Schedule: (provisional)
Lecture 1: Introduction
Lecture 2: The Matrix and Skepticism
Lecture 3: Quiz Show and Morality
Lecture 4: Thank You For Smoking and Paternalism vs. Human Rights
Lecture 5: Minority Report and Free Will, Moral Responsibility and the Justification of Punishment
Lecture 6: Bicentenial Man and Personhood
Lecture 7: The Prestige and Personal Identity
Lecture 8: Memento and the Extended Mind
Lecture 9: Kate and Leopold and Time Travel
Lecture 10: Groundhog Day and the Meaning of Life
Lecture 11: Life is Beautiful and Interpreting Reality
Assessment:
- 20% Class presentations
- 30% Tutorial participation
- 50% Portfolio
Lecture notes (powerpoint files):
Thank You For Smoking Questions
Lecture 6 Questions for Bicentennial Man
Kelly Inglis's Weblog 
September 10, 2009 at 12:59 pm |
Hi, I am a student of YPHI0007. I didn’t see the arrangement of tutorial. Where and when can I find it?
Thanks!
September 14, 2009 at 4:06 am |
You can sign up at http://www.mysignup.com/mmm.
September 15, 2009 at 2:11 am |
Hi, I want to know whether the tutorial on 1:00 pm today is cancelled. Thank you!
September 15, 2009 at 2:23 am |
Yes, the 1:00 tutorial is cancelled, but the 3:00 and 5:00 tutorials will be as scheduled. If you are free, you can attend the 3:00 or 5:00 tutorial today. Otherwise I will talk with you after lecture tomorrow about making up the tutorial.
September 17, 2009 at 3:46 pm |
Sorry but I have accidentally missed the wednesday tutorial.
May I join the one on Friday?
September 18, 2009 at 3:00 am |
Alan, yes, come along to the 1:00 tutorial today.
September 17, 2009 at 4:47 pm |
Dear Dr Kelly Inglis,
Due to the clash of the tutorial schedule with my class timetable, I was asked to send you my class timetable to redesign the tutorial schedule. However, I can’t find your email from the website. May I have your email address?
Thank you for your attention.
Charles
September 18, 2009 at 3:01 am |
Charles, my email address is: kellyinglis@yahoo.com
September 17, 2009 at 5:06 pm |
Dear Dr. Kelly Inglis,
Hello, my name is Eve Hocheng(uni no 2009802786), I have signed up for this course kind of late and I chose the group 3, but I don’t know if the tutorial was prosponed because of the typhoon, is there any possibilities for me to make up for the absent tutorial or is there another tutorial that I can attend to make up for this one?
Deeply sorry for all the inconveniences caused by my incautious behaviour, and thank you very much for your generous information and kind consideration!
Best regards
Yours sincerely,
Eve Hocheng
September 18, 2009 at 3:05 am |
Eve, Group 3 was not cancelled because of the typhoon. It would be better if you could sign up for Group 7, which is at the same time but on alternating weeks (i.e. a Category 2 group) (or, indeed, another Category 2 group).
September 20, 2009 at 5:01 am |
Dear Dr. Kelly,
I do not know the timings and place of the tutorial groups. I need to see the timetable and sign up as soon as possible. Could you please help me with that??
Best Regards,
Ali Mohiuddin Ahmed
UNo: 2009550278
September 20, 2009 at 8:48 am |
You should sign up at http://www.mysignup.com/mmm. The timetable and locations are listed there.
September 21, 2009 at 4:23 pm |
Dear Dr. Kelly,
Thank you very much! I’ve signed up for the upcoming subclasses, looking forward to th tutorials and classes!! =)
Yours sincerely,
Eve Hocheng
September 26, 2009 at 10:30 am |
Dear Dr. Kelly,
I have just finished writing about the Matrix.
I can only write 1 and half pages, it that enough?
Also what should I write inside it?
some words from philosopher?
daily problems which apply to the matrix?
Or just write what even I think of?
Best Regard,
John
September 26, 2009 at 12:24 pm |
John, you should write 2-3 pages in answer to a question on the Matrix, primarily about your own thoughts in relation to the question. If, however, you find that you really cannot write 2 pages on one question, then you can write 1-2 pages on each of two questions.
September 29, 2009 at 2:43 am |
Professor, is your syllabus posted on this site? I’m an exchange student and needs the syllabus for course approval. If convienent, could you e-mail it to the address I provided? Thank you!
September 29, 2009 at 4:45 am |
Andy, there is no other syllabus besides the course description and lecture schedule posted on this site.
September 30, 2009 at 7:04 am |
I have missed my first tutorial, and I am in group 8. what shall I do ?
October 5, 2009 at 8:45 am |
Since you have missed all of the first round of tutorials, you can attend one Category I tutorial (i.e. this week) to make up for it, and then continue going to group 8 tutorials.
October 27, 2009 at 2:20 am |
Morality, Metaphysics and the Meaning of Life: Philosophy through Film
SORRY THAT I CAN’T VISIT THE SIGNUP BOARD …
THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE APPEARS WHEN I CLICKED THE LINK.
” The MySignUp signup sheet you were looking for
mmm
appears to be missing….. “
October 27, 2009 at 11:55 am |
I’m afraid that the signup board has disappeared (I didn’t realize before that ending the”sign up period” actually ended the sign up board altogether.) Why did you want to visit it?
November 3, 2009 at 3:49 pm |
Dear Dr. Inglis,
Hello! I am a student from group 9. I realized that my class schedule clashes with the tutorial time this thursday (5/11). May I attend group 8 tutorial, which is working on category 2, on 11/11 as make-up?
Thank you very much.
All the best,
Eunice
(uni no: 2008123092)
November 5, 2009 at 3:59 am |
Okay, come next week.
November 11, 2009 at 2:48 pm |
I cannot download the questions of lecture 09 and 10, even the website itself cannot tell what format they are if u put the pointer over them. Maybe u should upload a new one.
November 13, 2009 at 10:39 am |
I think you were probably trying to download the questions at the same time as I was uploading some stuff. Why don’t you try again, and if you still have problems, let me know.
November 14, 2009 at 6:10 am
Still not okay. I can get the file but no softwares, including MC Word2003, can open it. It seems there are code interpretation problems between your file and my software. but there is no such problem for the file before Prestige.
Are you using Word 2007?
November 16, 2009 at 6:31 am
I fix the problem now. The error is due to the conflict between false and true version of MC word, the files are fine.
November 12, 2009 at 7:16 am |
Dear Dr. Inglis,
Hello! I am a student from group 8. I realized that I have to attend the Union Choir mini-concert this Wednesday (11/11). What class can I attend ?
Thank you very much.
All the best,
Aragorn
(uni no: 2009147681)
November 13, 2009 at 10:41 am |
You can attend a class on Tuesday (1:00 or 3:00 or 5:00 in MB 305) or on Thursday (2:00 MB 305A).
November 14, 2009 at 6:31 pm |
Not quite Precrime, but still a step towards, no?
Watch the video:
November 17, 2009 at 1:03 pm |
[…] https://kellyinglis.wordpress.com/morality-metaphysics-and-the-meaning-of-life-philosophy-through-fil… […]
November 20, 2009 at 10:31 am |
Dear Dr. Kelly Inglis,
Since the font size varies, I want to know how many words are we supposed to write in 2-3 pages of each answer in the portfolio?
Thank you!
November 21, 2009 at 3:49 am |
I generally figure about 250 words per page. So, 2-3 pages will be 500-750 words.
November 21, 2009 at 5:43 am |
I would like to ask what is the deadline of the porfolio. And how can I submit my work.
November 21, 2009 at 12:45 pm |
The deadline is December 3rd. You can either submit your portfolio to Loletta in the Philosophy Department Office or email it to me at: kellyinglis@yahoo.com.
November 25, 2009 at 9:32 am |
Dear Dr. Kelly,
I wasn’t able to attend the last tutorial class because i did not read the announcement. I had prepared my presentation and came to class at 5pm. Could you please hear out my presentation in your free time because this was an honest mistake and I worked really hard on the presentation. I’m sure you would understand.
Best Regards
Ali Mohiuddin Ahmed
UID: 2009550278
November 25, 2009 at 9:36 am |
Yes, I can meet with you and hear your presentation. Are you free tomorrow around 3:00? You can send me an email at kellyinglis@yahoo.com.
December 1, 2009 at 2:47 pm |
Dear Dr. Inglis,
I am a student of YPHI0007. Is the deadline at 11:59pm of 3rd Dec, or at noon of 3rd Dec, or before 3rd Dec?
Thank you very much for your attention!
December 2, 2009 at 4:47 am |
3:59pm on Dec. 3rd.
December 4, 2009 at 4:00 pm |
Dear Dr. Inglis,
I am a student of YPHI0007. I have sent the essays with a zip file to you through your yahoo e-mail. However, I do not know if I have sent it to you correctly.
Can you please kindly check it?
My e-mail used for sending the homework is jj_diy@yahoo.com.hk
There is an attached file on it.
Name: Lau Wai Chung
UID: 2009243069
December 6, 2009 at 4:58 am |
Lau Wai Chung: it is difficult for me to open a zip file. Could you please resend it to me as a Microsoft Word file?
December 8, 2009 at 4:17 am
Sorry for the inconvenience caused, I have resend the files.
January 7, 2014 at 3:40 am |
Dear Dr. Kelly Inglis,
I find it brilliant that you have combined philosophy with cinema. I like to enjoy movies for more than their mere form. I’m really interested in your linking between philosophical concepts and the films. Is there any way to access a recorded lecture of yours ? I’d be glad to listen to it.
Yours truly,
Thanawat Bremard