Mark Rowlands

The philosopher at the end of the universe

I believe that science fiction has a lot to offer in making philosophical ideas more easily understood. The philosopher at the end of the universe is based on this idea. Mark Rowlands uses science fiction films to illustrate various ideas in philosophy, for instance The Matrix for Descartes thoughts about what is real. Some of it is a bit stretched, for instance the chapter on Nietzshe seems to suggest that Darth Vader should have subsumed his evil and written poetry instead. However, if you like watching sci-fi films then the book provides a useful link to ideas from philosophy .

Rowlands claims that the violent nature of a lot of the films makes them better for illustrating the concepts, and he recommends that you watch the films before reading the book. I didn't agree with either of these. I think he just likes watching this sort of film, and that Star Trek episodes would be as good, if not better. Also I wasn't convinced that he did a particularly good job of making philosophical ideas more accessible. It seemed to be the usual sort of philosophy with 'entertainment breaks' rather than combining the philosophy and discussion about the films into a consistent whole

Amazon.com info

Hardcover 276 pages
ISBN: 0091889219
Salesrank: 2771743
Weight:0.71 lbs

Published: 2003 Ebury

Marketplace:New from $38.38:Used from $3.17

Buy from Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk info

Hardcover 276 pages
ISBN: 0091889219
Salesrank: 581988
Weight:0.71 lbs

Published: 2003 Ebury Press

Marketplace:New from £4.34:Used from £1.29

Buy from Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.ca info

Hardcover 276 pages
ISBN: 0091889219
Salesrank:
Weight:0.71 lbs

Published: 2003 Ebury & Vermilion

Marketplace:New from CDN$ 288.85:Used from CDN$ 18.83

Buy from Amazon.ca

Book Description
Using some of the world’s greatest philosophers from Kant to Keanu, Socrates to Schwarzenegger, The Philosopher at the End of the Universe shows you how to grasp the basic concepts of philosophy without going any further than your local video store. With a little humour and a lot of action, this totally unique and brilliantly accessible sci-phi guide makes philosophy utterly relevant to our everyday lives and reveals its most potent messages – as told to us in the plot lines of some of Hollywood’s most spectacular blockbusters. Simplifying and explaining all of the issues, disputes and arguments about the big questions in life, Mark Rowlands’ entertaining and stimulating guide is perfect for anyone searching for knowledge of the world around us. Learn about: The Nature of Reality from THE MATRIX Good and Evil from STAR WARS Morality from ALIENS Personal Identity from TOTAL RECALL The Mind-Body dilemma from TERMINATOR Free Will from MINORITY REPORT Death and the Meaning of Life from BLADE RUNNER So if you are wondering about free will, are troubled the nature of reality, or are confused about the mind body dilemma, simply get the beer out of the fridge, the popcorn out of the microwave and settle back for some good, old fashioned high octane, high body count, alien ass-kicking, robot-wrecking … philosophy!

Book Description

Using some of the world’s greatest philosophers from Kant to Keanu, Socrates to Schwarzenegger, The Philosopher at the End of the Universe shows you how to grasp the basic concepts of philosophy without going any further than your local video store.

With a little humour and a lot of action, this totally unique and brilliantly accessible sci-phi guide makes philosophy utterly relevant to our everyday lives and reveals its most potent messages – as told to us in the plot lines of some of Hollywood’s most spectacular blockbusters.

Simplifying and explaining all of the issues, disputes and arguments about the big questions in life, Mark Rowlands’ entertaining and stimulating guide is perfect for anyone searching for knowledge of the world around us.

Learn about:

The Nature of Reality from THE MATRIX
Good and Evil from STAR WARS
Morality from ALIENS
Personal Identity from TOTAL RECALL
The Mind-Body dilemma from TERMINATOR
Free Will from MINORITY REPORT
Death and the Meaning of Life from BLADE RUNNER

So if you are wondering about free will, are troubled the nature of reality, or are confused about the mind body dilemma, simply get the beer out of the fridge, the popcorn out of the microwave and settle back for some good, old fashioned high octane, high body count, alien ass-kicking, robot-wrecking … philosophy!

Easy read philosophy - deep, thought-provoking and entertaining *****
Overall a really great introduction to some of the more difficult philosophical questions. Reading phisosophy can be a very tedious slog - this book shows that a dry and academic writing style is not actually necessary. Other philosophical writers should take note...

Easy read philosophy - deep, thought-provoking and entertaining *****

Overall a really great introduction to some of the more difficult philosophical questions. Reading phisosophy can be a very tedious slog - this book shows that a dry and academic writing style is not actually necessary. Other philosophical writers should take note...

Philosopher over here... ***
All I can say to Mark Rowlands is one should not be so hasty to resume a producers seat before there is a director.

Philosopher over here... ***

All I can say to Mark Rowlands is one should not be so hasty to resume a producers seat before there is a director.

Gimmick is thin but a suprisingly good read nethertheless ****
The concept of the book, explaining philosophy through sci-fi films sounds good, especially to me as it combined something I knew well (sci fi) with something I wanted to learn about (philosophy). In the actual course of the book, the chapters begin with a retelling of the film's story, then analyse some philisophical theme that the author has decided is related. In actuality, the discussion usually strays far from the film and one wonders what the point of the 'schi-phi' gimmick was; however the films do serve as useful examples for Mark's discussions and get one thinking in the right frame of mind beforehand. (It also pointed me towards some good films.) The book, however, is excellent as an introduction to philosophy. I was a veteran 'armchair philosopher' beforehand but reading this book got me to think my ideas through in a more consistent fashion, and introduced me to the major ideas and characters of philosophy. It covers most of the major questions in philosophy (the ones that actually interest people, anyway) and goes over the basic arguments for the different views surrounding them. It's a credit that Mark makes his writing so clear, to the point and is low on any technical terms, making this a very easy read and allowing the basic ideas to be understood very easily. Obviously not every point of view can be adressed, and in a book of this size he must gloss over the counter-arguments and answers to his claims. It's very likely that the reader will disagree with some of his conclusions, however one gets the feeling from reading this book that this is encouraged, and not that Mark is in possesion of some divine, inarguable wisdom. One is instead inspired to do some more research on points one finds interesting in the book (I thought Mark hadn't given a good answer to compatibilism, and reading more about it, i think it's a better answer than his of determinism, for one.) The last word I can say about this book is: Sometimes I see on the internet some 'philisophical' debate or dissertation, where the author seems completely oblivious to some contrary argument or POV, and I think 'Hey! That was in the first book on philosophy I ever read!'

Gimmick is thin but a suprisingly good read nethertheless ****

The concept of the book, explaining philosophy through sci-fi films sounds good, especially to me as it combined something I knew well (sci fi) with something I wanted to learn about (philosophy).

In the actual course of the book, the chapters begin with a retelling of the film's story, then analyse some philisophical theme that the author has decided is related. In actuality, the discussion usually strays far from the film and one wonders what the point of the 'schi-phi' gimmick was; however the films do serve as useful examples for Mark's discussions and get one thinking in the right frame of mind beforehand. (It also pointed me towards some good films.)

The book, however, is excellent as an introduction to philosophy. I was a veteran 'armchair philosopher' beforehand but reading this book got me to think my ideas through in a more consistent fashion, and introduced me to the major ideas and characters of philosophy. It covers most of the major questions in philosophy (the ones that actually interest people, anyway) and goes over the basic arguments for the different views surrounding them. It's a credit that Mark makes his writing so clear, to the point and is low on any technical terms, making this a very easy read and allowing the basic ideas to be understood very easily.

Obviously not every point of view can be adressed, and in a book of this size he must gloss over the counter-arguments and answers to his claims. It's very likely that the reader will disagree with some of his conclusions, however one gets the feeling from reading this book that this is encouraged, and not that Mark is in possesion of some divine, inarguable wisdom. One is instead inspired to do some more research on points one finds interesting in the book (I thought Mark hadn't given a good answer to compatibilism, and reading more about it, i think it's a better answer than his of determinism, for one.)

The last word I can say about this book is: Sometimes I see on the internet some 'philisophical' debate or dissertation, where the author seems completely oblivious to some contrary argument or POV, and I think 'Hey! That was in the first book on philosophy I ever read!'

If a point's worth making, it's worth making well... **
Oh cripes - Rowlands is the affable lecturer-type with a propensity for comedy swearing and recreational drug references in order to get "down" with the kids! It's a shame his prose is so flippant (and often sarcastic), as a more soberly considered book on the subject would be useful. As it stands, this work, rather than being engagingly accessible, is simply insultingly half-baked. Rowlands himself admits - as a kind of disclaimer - that the book is "not entirely serious": if this is so, why beg a reader's interest (in what are certainly interesting themes) with observations delivered in amiable yet irritating pub-speak?

If a point's worth making, it's worth making well... **

Oh cripes - Rowlands is the affable lecturer-type with a propensity for comedy swearing and recreational drug references in order to get "down" with the kids! It's a shame his prose is so flippant (and often sarcastic), as a more soberly considered book on the subject would be useful. As it stands, this work, rather than being engagingly accessible, is simply insultingly half-baked. Rowlands himself admits - as a kind of disclaimer - that the book is "not entirely serious": if this is so, why beg a reader's interest (in what are certainly interesting themes) with observations delivered in amiable yet irritating pub-speak?

philosophy - accessible and enjoyable *****
I am relatively new to philosophy and really enjoyed this book.Subjects that had been covered in my lectures finally started to make sense and I found revising much easier , I no longer needed to learn things off by heart as I understood them and just had to think back to the movies if I got confused.Incidently , my boyfriend loved the book aswell even though he had never read any philosophy before. Definately looking forward to the follow up.

philosophy - accessible and enjoyable *****

I am relatively new to philosophy and really enjoyed this book.Subjects that had been covered in my lectures finally started to make sense and I found revising much easier , I no longer needed to learn things off by heart as I understood them and just had to think back to the movies if I got confused.Incidently , my boyfriend loved the book aswell even though he had never read any philosophy before. Definately looking forward to the follow up.