# Movies that present varied philosophical ideologies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 8, 2010, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457 "2010-12-08T19:31:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![blood63](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@blood63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blood63)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/1 "2010-12-08T19:31:41Z")
I have been assigned to teach a philosophy course next semester. It is a very basic, introductory course. Looking at my class list, I might be in trouble. I know that some of the students will have difficulty bending their mind around some of these abstract ideas. I watched a movie last night called The Cube. It seemed to be a lot of “why are we here?” type stuff with different characters filling out different philosophical roles (such as the nihilist for example). I thought it might be useful to show this to my class. It occurred to me that there are probably many films like this. Some that I have probably seen before. Does anyone have an examples that they would like to share? Thanks ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/2 "2010-12-08T19:54:32Z")
I’ve often been told that \*\*American Beauty \*\*was a fine dissertation on existentialism. I’m probably wrong. _The Fountainhead_ is probably about as close as you’re likely to get to a good exposition on objectivism, if that’s on the syllabus. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/3 "2010-12-08T20:00:10Z")
> [@StusBlues](#): > > I’ve often been told that \*\*American Beauty \*\*was a fine dissertation on existentialism. I’m probably wrong. > > _The Fountainhead_ is probably about as close as you’re likely to get to a good exposition on objectivism, if that’s on the syllabus. I think the OP is looking for movies that have different philosophical positions taken by different characters _in the same film_ though. ---
**Author:** ![Chipacabra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@Chipacabra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chipacabra)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2010, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/4 "2010-12-08T23:52:36Z")
I \<3 Huckabees comes to mind as a movie that’s ABOUT people with different philosophies trying to figure things out. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/5 "2010-12-09T00:29:17Z")
The Matrix? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/6 "2010-12-09T00:33:16Z")
Third Floor–notions, housewares and MOVIES. _All out_. Moved from GQ to Cafe Society. **samclem** , elevator operator ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/7 "2010-12-09T01:01:24Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > I think the OP is looking for movies that have different philosophical positions taken by different characters _in the same film_ though. \*The Fountainhead \*meets that criterion with the characters of Ellsworth Toohey and others. However it’s not (and isn’t intended to be) a film about Objectivism, only the subject of Individuality . . . which is not to say it wouldn’t make an interesting subject for a class, examining the various views of the characters. ---
**Author:** ![blood63](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@blood63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blood63)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/8 "2010-12-09T01:56:20Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > I think the OP is looking for movies that have different philosophical positions taken by different characters _in the same film_ though. You are right sir. I guess I’m looking for an artsy type movie. Maybe a movie where people explore deep philosophical arguments. No sex please, this is for 16/17 year olds. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/9 "2010-12-09T02:25:18Z")
because 16/17 year olds never think at all about sex? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/10 "2010-12-09T02:48:31Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > because 16/17 year olds never think at all about sex? 😉 No, but their parents tend to get really mad if a teacher shows it to them. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/11 "2010-12-09T03:47:04Z")
If _Waking Life_ were any good, I’d recommend it here, but it isn’t, so I’ll warn you away from it instead. Unless you need an effective soporific, that is. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/12 "2010-12-09T03:52:22Z")
[Mindwalk](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100151/) was a movie made in 1990 whose plot (such as it was) involved a U.S. politician (Sam Waterston) and his friend an English poet (John Heard) meeting a European scientist (Liv Ullmann) at Mont St. Michel and discussing life, the universe and everything for 90 minutes. It’s a completely talky movie- no action- and its entire purpose was to dramatize the books of physicist [Frijof Capra](http://www.fritjofcapra.net/mindwalk.html) with each character representing, if not exactly a formal philosophy, a particular mindset. ---
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/13 "2010-12-09T04:05:21Z")
The Federation and The Borg have different ideologies in First Contact. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/14 "2010-12-09T04:30:00Z")
Does it have to be formally organized ideologies, or can it be more loosely defined personal ideologies? _Stay Hungry_ is one movie that shows a wide array of personal ideologies, though none of them really fall into any formal definition like “objectivism.” However, if you are an expert on philosophy, you might be able to watch it and then fit them into those categories yourself, if you choose to see it that way. It would probably be appropriate for all ages if you skip the sex scene with the two prostitutes at the end. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/15 "2010-12-09T04:31:57Z")
How about “Inherit the Wind” (freedom of thought vs. dogma)? ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/16 "2010-12-09T05:01:28Z")
> [@FordTaurusSHO94](#): > > The Federation and The Borg have different ideologies in First Contact. And _Star Trek_ has been taught as a course at several universities. If pop movies count, _Footloose_ could be argued to fall into this category. _Contact_ (the Jodie Foster movie/Carl Sagan novel) has the scientific v. dogmatic v. liberal theology viewpoints, the book much moreso. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/17 "2010-12-09T05:07:14Z")
Zombie movies revolve around the conflict between the philosophical ideologies of survivalism and epicureanism. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/18 "2010-12-09T05:47:01Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Zombie movies revolve around the conflict between the philosophical ideologies of survivalism and epicureanism. I’m a p-zombie. Who here knows what _that’s_ like? ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/19 "2010-12-09T07:57:33Z")
_Do the Right Thing_ is a good example, but most of the ideologies presented involve race. If you don’t mind a TV series, I’ve been watching _Homicide: Life on the Street_ and one of the things I really like about this is that it has characters with different philosophical viewpoints and doesn’t make it seem like any one is more right or wrong than the other. You’d have to watch the show to look for examples to show your class, but it’s absolutely worth watching anyway. I’d look at at least half of the conversations involving John Munch as a good example. Episodes involving Frank Pembleton and his struggle with religion would also be good, or a lot of his conversations with Tim Bayliss. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457/20 "2010-12-09T08:05:39Z")
Woody Allens’ _Crimes and Misdemeanors_ has some very interesting philosophical discussions. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-present-varied-philosophical-ideologies/563457.md?page=2)