Star Wars Philosophy

George Lucas, creator of “Star Wars,” has repeatedly claimed inspiration from the work of mythologist Joseph Campbell. But does Campbell’s “monomyth” idea really provide the best framework for understanding the Skywalker saga? This class addresses that question through consideration of styles of argument, the use and abuse of evidence, and the role of philosophical reasoning in the development of academic writing.

Topics covered include:

• Logic and argumentation
• The role of evidence in forming beliefs
• The "monomyth" hypothesis
• Falsification as a learning tool
• Smugglers vs. Jedi: the debate between empiricism and rationalism