Avatar and Philosophy: Learning to See (The Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series)

I loved everything about this book because it was so authoritative and made me think about the different messages of James Cameron's movie, Avatar. The many themes, while sometimes overlapping, also gave me a deeper appreciation of the scenes in the movie, showing me what I had missed or overlooked during every watching. I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for something unique and thought-provoking which is related to a subject they may have liked, aka the movie Avatar. It's a rich and rewarding experience upon finishing an article before sitting back and reflecting on what you've just read. An excellent book for anyone looking to expand their horizons.

Very interesting book. If you loved the idea of how the Na'vi interacted with "Eywa" and the forests of Pandora and maybe you too believe in conserving your planet...then check this out!!

I loved "Avatar", a LOT. So I may not be an impartial reviewer here. The book was deeply insightful and helped flesh out the culture and values that made the N'avi ("blue monkeys" in the derisive words of the corporation man out to get "unobtanium" and make a load of money) so compelling. Loved it.

This is an excellent book. It serves as a great way to introduce philosophy, generally, and environmental ethics in particular to students of philosophy and others interested in pursuing environmental issues.

Very deep and changed my perspective on what I already know about the Universe of Avatar.

Did not contact the seller.

love philosophy

.Avatar is primarily an action-adventure and journey of self-discovery themed film based on speculative fiction. This then set against the background of expansionism, amoral corporation, there is an association with Blue bodied Hindu deities and deep ecology - which James Cameron spoke of in an interview. These themes will perhaps be of more interest to fans of the film and then those who study film. When looking towards the planet Pandora and the Nav’vi peoples we see echoes of philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau theory of the "Noble Savage”. In Rousseau’s key concept; that in a natural state man was compassionate and moral. That man could reach his highest state when he came together in small-related groups and learned love for the family, but before he became technically sophisticated.The Na'vi peoples are seen in partnership, more akin to a symbiotic relationship, with their planet of Pandora for they are part of the rich tapestry of life and certainly not masters of the ecosystem. There is also symbolism here, in the form of the Native American experience at the hands of European explorers, in the form of adventurers and profiteers. A movie somewhat reminiscent of the film “Dances with Wolves”, where there are the good “invaders” from the East who appreciate the plains Indians; could they have been considered to have gone “Native”? Of course, others could be seen as evil and greed ridden.This book contains an interesting narrative on topics such as the ecology depicted in the narrative, and themes of import. That said it could have benefited from diagrams and pictorials. However, a title that is still well worthy of a good four star rating..

The book is okay. However could be written in a more interesting way. I always judge the book by the first few paragraphs. If it catches my attention it means there is something interesting follows. Isn’t it how the books must be written?

Todos los productos han llegado perfectamente a su destino el día 19 de septiembre. Algunos han llegado antes que otros unos días antes.

This is one in a comprehensive series of books popularising philosophy by using movies and TV shows as source material for answering the big questions of life. Both authors lecture in philosophy and Irwin is a professor. The idea of jumping in the back of Avatar (which is about to spawn 2 more movies) is a brave one and will hopefully draw in readers who would normally be put off by a philosophy text. The problem is that if you haven't seen the movies(s) then you need a text book n the world of Avatar to fully help you understand the work. Everything is caged within the language and circumstance of Avatar, and you will not be able to just access the text without some knowledge of the movie(s).If you like it is the unique selling point of the book that is its own pitfall. This is the only reason I haven't given it 5 stars, because the writing and thinking do deserve that, but access to the book is restricted without a DVD cued up in your player; in fact the book will tell you where to find relevant bits on the disk.I particularly enjoyed the chapters on Christianity vs. Pantheism and Anthropocentrism vs. Relational Reason. Also look out for the discussions on disability, and also spiritual vs. technological transcendence.Useful endnotes are provided at the end of each chapter.This is an accessible and well written book, which subject to my single criticism is employing a great method of connecting people to philosophical questions, concepts and literature.

.Avatar is primarily an action-adventure and journey of self-discovery themed film based on speculative fiction. This then set against the background of expansionism, amoral corporation, there is an association with Blue bodied Hindu deities and deep ecology - which James Cameron spoke of in an interview. These themes will perhaps be of more interest to fans of the film and then those who study film. When looking towards the planet Pandora and the Nav’vi peoples we see echoes of philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau theory of the "Noble Savage”. In Rousseau’s key concept; that in a natural state man was compassionate and moral. That man could reach his highest state when he came together in small-related groups and learned love for the family, but before he became technically sophisticated.The Na'vi peoples are seen in partnership, more akin to a symbiotic relationship, with their planet of Pandora for they are part of the rich tapestry of life and certainly not masters of the ecosystem. There is also symbolism here, in the form of the Native American experience at the hands of European explorers, in the form of adventurers and profiteers. A movie somewhat reminiscent of the film “Dances with Wolves”, where there are the good “invaders” from the East who appreciate the plains Indians; could they have been considered to have gone “Native”? Of course, others could be seen as evil and greed ridden.This book contains an interesting narrative on topics such as the ecology depicted in the narrative, and themes of import. That said it could have benefited from diagrams and pictorials. However, a title that is still well worthy of a good four star rating..

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this book; maybe a coffee-table companion, touching on some of the concepts behind Avatar? Instead, I found a surprisingly deep and highly detailed exploration of the ecological, spiritual, feminist, cultural, ethical and sexual philosophy which permeates the movie.I'm sure most of us were totally blown away by the startling eye-candy of the alien (but very believable) world Pandora, but understanding the profound concepts underpinning the visuals will certainly add to my enjoyment next time I watch the movie.Although the spirituality of the Na'vi suggests immediate parallels to some eastern spiritualist beliefs (primarily Tantric), the references to Francis of Assisi, Thomas Aquinas and Augustine of Hippo here provide fascinating insights into the Christian metaphors contained herein.It's not perfect. Firstly, I'm unsure if my copy was an uncorrected proof, but it certainly contained several typographical errors, duplicated words and such like. Furthermore the complete absence of any illustrations was rather disappointing, as was the lack of a glossary. There is a basic (very incomplete) index, but nothing providing definitions of some Na'vi terms as well as some of the more esoteric spiritual concepts.Overall though, if you enjoyed Avatar, want to see beyond the gorgeous visuals into the surprising depths beyond, and had questions about the reasoning behind elements of the plot, then I doubt if there is any better book than this to satisfy your curiosity.