{"product_id":"movies-and-the-meaning-of-life-philosophers-take-on-hollywood-9780812695755","title":"Movies and the Meaning of Life: Philosophers Take on Hollywood","description":"\"The meaning of life is the most urgent of questions,\" said Albert Camus. And philosopher Woody Allen has wondered: \"How is it possible to find meaning in a finite world, given my waist and shirt size?\" Claims about what gives life meaning have not only been analyzed by philosophers but by the primary mythmakers in contemporary culture: Hollywood filmmakers.\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eMovies and the Meaning of Life\u003c\/i\u003e shows how a wide variety of films have tackled -- to sometimes hilarious, sometimes surprisingly pointed effect -- the same questions that have obsessed the deep thinkers. These essays draw on such sources as \u003ci\u003eThe Truman Show\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eContact\u003c\/i\u003e to explore the nature of reality; \u003ci\u003eFight Club\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eBeing John Malkovich\u003c\/i\u003e for cogent lessons on finding one's true identity; \u003ci\u003eAmerican Beauty\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Shawshank Redemption\u003c\/i\u003e for pointers on life's purpose; \u003ci\u003ePleasantville\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eSpiderman\u003c\/i\u003e for nuggets of wisdom on how to live one's life; and more.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Open Court","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50492120891666,"sku":"9780812695755","price":23.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_4ad8a25c-f171-45c2-8801-46bf0c2f945e.jpg?v=1730572207","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/movies-and-the-meaning-of-life-philosophers-take-on-hollywood-9780812695755","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}