Philosophy, Ideology, and Theory in The Game

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Philosophy, Ideology, and Theory in The Game
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Overview

• Nicholas van Orton is a billionaire leading a
  dull life
• He is given the chance to play a game that is
  supposed to be a life-changing experience
• It takes over his life and he doesnt know whats
  part of the Game and whats not

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Philosophy Existentialism

• People have free will
• Humans work best when they exercise free will to
  make good choices
• People should not become drones or live a life
  thats structured for them by the social system
  around them.

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Philosophy Metaphysics

• What is reality?
• In The Game, every normal anchor of reality is
  removed.
• Questioning everything about what is real and
  what is not brings van Orton to a childlike state
• Nothing is taken for granted anymore.

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Philosophy Epistemology

• How do you know what you know?
• When people you trust tell you things
• When you see things with your own eyes
• What is worth knowing?
• The truth becomes more important when life and
  death hang on it.

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Philosophy Epistomology

• The viewer of the movie shares the main
  characters problems with Metaphysics and
  Epistomology
• We are left to use logic to try to work out what
  is real, and what our evidence is that we know it
• The movie makers manipulate us, just as CRS
  manipulates him.
• We see what they show us.

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Ideology Socially Progressive

• Van Orton at the beginning of the movie is the
  stereotype of a very wealthy man
• He symbolizes capitalism, corporate America and
  privileged social classes.
• He is unhappy and unfulfilled due to lack of
  human relationships.

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Ideology continuted

• At the end of the movie, he has experienced being
  poor.
• He is more aware of the relative unimportance of
  money
• He is happier and more fulfilled.

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Ideology Pragmatism

• Behave in ways that will help you to further your
  goals.
• In this case, being helpful to others, or at
  least, not unnecessarily unkind, is pragmatic.
• Van Ortons social class normally shields him
  from the need to give help, because he doesnt
  need to get it from anyone he doesnt pay.

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Theory Psychological Determinism

• If you have someones psychological profile and
  history, you know exactly what they will do.
• People may have free will, but will basically act
  in predictable ways.

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Conclusion

• Van Ortons character went through a significant
  learning experience
• People can be rigid and inflexible in their
  thinking, and the return to basic questioning
  about the big questions can be useful.

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References

• Brancato, J., Ferris, M., Gross, L., Walker,
  A.K. (1996). The Game. Retrieved November 15,
  2009, from http//www.dailyscript.com/scripts/the-
  game_shooting.html
• Existentialism A philosophy. Retrieved November
  15, 2009, from http//www.allaboutphilosophy.org/e
  xistentialism.htm