Six questions astra taylor on the peoples platform. Astra taylor is a writer, documentary filmmaker, and activist. Astra taylor born september 30, 1979 is a canadianamerican documentary filmmaker, writer, activist and musician. A companion to astra taylor s documentary film, the book features interviews with eight iconoclastic and influential philosophers, conducted while on the. Herma hill kay distinguished professor of law, university of california, berkeley, school of law. Democracy may not exist, but well miss it when its gone. Astra taylor, whose previous documentary feature, zizek. Taylors latest feature, examined life, is no less absorbing, an intelligent yet accessible anthology of ideas that sees eight highly influential thinkers of our time including avital ronell, peter singer, michael hardt and yes, the wild and wooly zizek pontificating while taking walks through modern culture. Astra taylor, the director of this unusual and compelling documentary, understands the connection between walking and thinking. Astra taylor is a writer, a documentary filmmaker, and an activist.
There is a wonderful premise guiding examined life, a new documentary by astra taylor, and its a straightforward one. Astra taylors documentary film examined life took philosophy out of the academy and into the streets, reminding us that great ideas are born through profound engagement with the hustle and bustle of everyday life, not in isolation from it. A companion to astra taylors documentary film, the book features interviews with eight iconoclastic and influential philosophers, conducted while on the move. Examined life boldly takes philosophy out of the dark corners of the academy and into the streets, reminding us that great ideas are born through profound engagement with the hustle and bustle of. Examined life takes philosophy out of the darkened corners of academia and into the hustle and bustle of the everyday, a visual reminder that great ideas are. She is the director of the philosophical documentaries what is democracy. During these final moments of socrates life a theme arises, that of the unexamined life.
A companion to astra taylor s documentary film, the book features interviews with eight iconoclastic and influential philosophers. Aug 07, 2014 i n her new book, the peoples platform, astra taylor, a cultural critic and the director of the documentaries zizek. Philosophy reconnects with daily life in these conversations with eight renowned thinkersthe uncut interviews from the documentary film examined life. In examined life, filmmaker astra taylor accompanies some of todays most influential thinkers on a series of unique excursions through places and spaces that hold particular resonance for them and their ideas. Examined life is a 2008 canadian documentary film about philosophers directed by astra taylor. Mar 22, 20 cornel west excerpts from examined life, a 2008 documentary film directed by astra taylor. The eminent martha nussbaum, ernst freund distinguished service professor of law and ethics at the university of chicago, speaks on the aristotelian foundations of her capabilities approach and.
Astra taylor is the author of the peoples platform winner of the american book award and made two documentary films, zizek. In examined life, filmmaker astra taylor accompanies some of todays most influential thinkers on a series of unique excursions through places and spaces that. Socrates examined life pulls philosophy out of academia and classrooms and puts it back on the streets. Ive previously mentioned the examined life, the film and book that examines the views of eight contemporary philosophers, and after watching the film american casino yesterday which investigates the subprime lending scandal and presents some awful examples of social injustice tonight i wanted to share a quote from martha nussbaum. Examined life by astra taylor overdrive rakuten overdrive. While some have hailed the medium as a platform for diverse voices and the free exchange of information and ideas. She is a fellow of the shuttleworth foundation, for her work on challenging predatory practices around debt. The film features eight influential modern philosophers walking around new york and other metropolises, discussing the practical application of their ideas in modern culture. Feb 01, 2010 the eminent martha nussbaum, ernst freund distinguished service professor of law and ethics at the university of chicago, speaks on the aristotelian foundations of her capabilities approach and. Cornel west excerpts from examined life, a 2008 documentary film directed by astra taylor.
Shes speaking near the end of examined life, astra taylor s lively, compelling assembly of philosophers, each pondering in his or. The trial and death of socrates takes place during a time in socrates life where he becomes most reflective. Through a series of brief interviews with some of todays most provocative thinkers, the film addresses issues of ethics, morals, citizenship, democracy, disability, sexuality, consumerism, social contract theory, revolution, and human vulnerability and. Jul 14, 2009 philosophy reconnects with daily life in these conversations with eight renowned thinkersthe uncut interviews from the documentary film examined life.
The examined life students are working harder than ever to pass tests but schools allow no time for true learning in the socratic tradition john taylor. The film features eight influential modern philosophers. Nov 20, 2009 examined life pulls philosophy out of academic journals and classrooms, and puts it back on the streets. Let a handful of modern philosophers separately philosophize about the. Her 2014 book, the peoples platform, takes a critical look at the rise of social media. The film features eight influential contemporary philosophers walking around new york and other. Socrate and the examined life essay example graduateway. Examined life is a lofty title it comes from plato, were reminded for a modest, intermittently engaging film. Excursions with contemporary thinkers edited by astra taylor. Nov 19, 2009 examined life t aking its title from socratess famous maxim about the unexamined life not being worth living though without discussing it in any way astra taylor s freewheeling documentary.
Examined life t aking its title from socratess famous maxim about the unexamined life not being worth living though without discussing it in any way astra taylor. Examined life boldly takes philosophy out of the dark corners of the academy and into the streets, reminding us that great ideas are born through profound engagement with the hustle and bustle of everyday life, not in isolation from it. The eminent martha nussbaum, ernst freund distinguished service professor of law and ethics at the university of chicago, speaks on the aristotelian foundations of. The companion to astra taylor s acclaimed documentary film, examined life features the full transcripts of taylor s conversations with eight iconoclastic and influential philosophers, conducted while.
Both books are written with the same structure of patient case studies. You cant help but feel that director astra taylor fails at her own challenge of making an academic subject come truly alive as cinema. Jun 01, 2009 examined life boldly takes philosophy out of the dark corners of the academy and into the streets, reminding us that great ideas are born through profound engagement with the hustle and bustle of everyday life, not in isolation from it. Oct 12, 2011 astra taylor, in her documentary, the examined life, took us on a journey to the actual reality of life, outside of the classroom, through some of the worlds famous philosophers like peter singer, kwame anthony appiah, slavoj zizek and judith butler and sunaura taylor, each of whom had addressed and questioned different aspects and. In this imaginatively wrought creation, she presents eight intellectuals each offering their own special perspective on philosophical matters of importance to them. Examined life pulls philosophy out of academic journals and classrooms, and puts it back on the streets as filmmaker astra taylor zizek. Dec 20, 2012 the examined life strikes me as a reincarnation of scott pecks the road less travelled which was published 40 years ago before ronald reagan and margaret thatcher decreed the nonexistence of society. Philosophy reconnects with daily life in these conversations with eight renowned thinkersthe uncut interviews from the documentary film examined life astra taylors documentary film examined life took philosophy out of the academy and into the streets, reminding us that great ideas are born through profound engagement with the hustle and bustle of everyday life, not in isolation from it. In addition to her activism, taylor has made two other films.
Socrates claims that the unexamined life is not worth living apology 38a. Examined life boldly takes philosophy out of the dark corners of the academy and into the streets, reminding us that great ideas are born through profound engagement with the hustle and bustle of everyday life, not in isolation from it a companion to astra taylor s documentary film, the book features interviews with eight iconoclastic and influential philosophers, conducted while on the. Astra taylor is the director of the documentary films what is democracy. I saw taylor speak this spring on a panel in north carolina.
402 1104 372 78 45 448 254 1081 332 1399 448 1006 159 325 254 727 68 928 123 1001 817 1253 1193 89 549 729 277 484 921 1221 574 811 966 37 960 724 134 1091 937 1325 574 677 209