In Reel Arguments , Andrew Light, known for his work in environmental ethics and the philosophy of technology, addresses the role of film in society. By looking at films and the creators of such films as Alice in the Cities , Enemy of the State , The Conversation , Falling Down , City of Hope , and Matewan , Light persuasively argues that film can be highly philosophical and influential. Though not the first to make such a claim, Light brings new insights into the readings of these films as visual arguments covering a range of issues: identity politics, urban landscapes, the politics of space, and the unexpected dimensions of technology. This volume will be of special interest to readers of film and philosophy.

Andrew Light

Related Reading from Westview Press -- Introduction: Film as Social Philosophy -- Film, Technology, and Built Space -- Enemies of the State? Electronic Surveillance and the Neutrality of Technology -- Wim Wenders's Everyday Aesthetics -- Boyz in the Woods: Los Angeles as Urban Wilderness -- Film, Group Interests, and Political Identity -- John Sayles on Class Interest -- Spike Lee, Chico Mendes, and the Representation of Political Identity