PHIL135
Fall 2015
Honors Colloquium in Philosophy:  The Philosophy of Film Noir

Here is the course syllabus.

Check back periodically for additional readings or information.

Your papers are due Nov 30.  That means you should have an idea already so you can start working.  If you do, email me asap so I can let you know it'll work.  If you do not, think of one and email me asap anyway!

After next week's discussion of Tarantino, the following two weeks we will be considering the noir influence on television.  For Monday 11/23, first of all read this essay by Prof. Sanders from The Philosophy of TV Noir, which he and I co-edited - it's a general essay about noir television, which discusses many different shows.  Then begin your viewing with some of the older shows - watch any episode or two of Dragnet and Naked City, then, of the show The Fugitive, watch "Ill Wind" and "The End is But the Beginning," and any 2 or 3 others you like.  Then read  this essay on The Fugitive. (If the pdf shows sideways, click "view" and then rotate counterclockwise.)  Then, Secret Agent (aka Danger Man -  episodes to watch should include "Colony Three," "No Marks for Servility," "That's Two of Us Sorry," and "It's Up to the Lady."  (Optional: "Judgement Day.")  Then read this essay on Secret Agent (again, if the pdf shows sideways, click "view" and then rotate counterclockwise).   Dragnet (the 1951 tv show) is on Hulu, Amazon, and Netflix; The Fugitive is on Amazon and Netflix (you're looking for the 60s TV show with David Janssen, not the Harrison Ford movie); Secret Agent is on Amazon and Netflix (might have to search under "Danger Man"); Naked City is on Netflix.

For Monday 11/30,  we have another essay by Prof. Sanders- his essay from the book is on Miami Vice.   The three episodes I want you to be sure to have seen are "Heart of Darkness," "No Exit," and "Evan."  Optionally, if you have the time, I recommend the pilot, "Brother's Keeper."   Obviously watch the episodes before reading the essay.  For viewing: Hulu seems to have the first 4 seasons available for free streaming, but for some reason they seem to not have "Evan," so you'll have to watch that some other way.  One option is the video on demand service at Netflix or Amazon.  They have all of season one, including "Evan."  Alternatively, I know the Bridgewater Public Library has some of the Miami Vice DVD sets, so you could borrow that.  For further enrichment, watch any episodes of any of the other shows he discusses in that first essay, some of which are available at Hulu, others on Amazon or Netflix.