As Deep as It Gets - by Randall E Auxier (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

As Deep as It Gets: Movies and Metaphysics is a witty and light-hearted introduction to philosophy through a deep study of some well-known movies and TV shows: Pulp Fiction, South Park, The Princess Bride, The Wizard of Oz, Super 8, The Twilight Zone, House of Cards, Inception, Monty Python's Life of Brian, His Dark Materials, Sergio Leone's westerns, and Alfred Hitchcock's Lifeboat.

All the major branches of philosophy are covered, including aesthetics, political philosophy, metaphysics, and the theory of knowledge. The author's approach is "Continental," with some American idealism and process philosophy in support. The emphasis is on the primacy of time as a key to interpreting human experience. In that regard, existentialism, phenomenology, and process philosophy are better guides to thinking about time than the more popular approaches that depend on language analysis.

Professor Randall E. Auxier says: "Philosophizing involves telling stories about life that are art, and making up stories that aren't life but provide a contrast to it. I want readers to add to what I see, and to take up interpretations contrary to mine. A healthy discussion is good for everybody."

Review Quotes

"As Deep As It Gets: Movies and Metaphysics belongs not just in
media studies libraries and classrooms, but in collections strong in modern
philosophy, using popular current movies and TV shows to explore philosophical
insights. Auxier's discussion of movies goes beyond plot and character outlines
to consider the deeper meanings and inspections in essays which go beyond
education to invite discussion and debate. From political metaphors in movies
to enlightening surveys of ethics, religion, and connections between modern
media and ancient philosophers, Auxier draws seemingly disparate subjects
together in a moving survey that is surprisingly lively for its title and
subject. This will make As Deep As It Gets attractive to much more than a
singular audience of modern-day philosophy students."

-The Bookwatch: September 2022: Midwest Book Review

"In our media culture where people tend to prefer watching to reading, movies have become a beloved focus for discussions about what matters in life. In this refreshingly honest and invitingly accessible book, Randy Auxier demonstrates his love of watching and discussing movies in a way that radiates contagion and philosophical interest."

-RICHARD SHUSTERMAN, author of Philosophy and the Art of Writing (2022)

"As Deep As It Gets is as good as it gets. Few find the philosophy in movies and television as well as Randy Auxier does, and even fewer do it in such a delightful way. These essays are loads of fun, and per-fect for the classroom. Hell, even movie critics are likely to enjoy this fine read!"

-RICHARD GREENE, author of Spoiler Alert! (It's A Book About the Philosophy of Spoilers) (2019)

"Reading As Deep As It Gets is like having a brunch conversation with your favorite cool professor, always engaging and never pedantic. Whether you're looking for Hitchcock or Heidigger, Plato's Forms or The Princess Bride, Auxier's personal twilight zones are sure to both edify and amuse."

-MEGAN VOLPERT, co-editor of Ru Paul's Drag Race and Philosophy: Sissy That Thought (2020)

About the Author

Randall E. Auxier is a professor of philosophy and communication studies at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. He is a musician, an environmental activist, a union advocate, and a 2018 candidate for the United States House of Representatives in the 12th Congressional District of Illinois. He is a co-founder and co-director of the American Institute for Philosophical and Cultural Thought.