Naslov
The Ecological Demon: Silent Running and Interstellar

Autori
Willems, Brian Daniel

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Poglavlja u knjigama, znanstveni

Knjiga
Philosophical Approaches to Demonology

Urednik/ci
Arp, Robert ; McCraw, Benjamin

Izdavač
Routledge

Grad
London : Delhi

Godina
2017

Raspon stranica
109-123

ISBN
978-1138933040

Ključne riječi
demonology ; science fiction ; Silent Running ; Interstellar

Sažetak
There are two key traits found in Plato's scant descriptions of Socrates' daimonion: it is a figure of negation, telling Socrates what not to do but not providing any positive content or prophecy regarding what to do ; and it is never seen, just appearing as a voice. These two traits lead to a daimonion which is a questioner of received wisdom rather than a prescriptive guide of moral conduct. It is this version of the daimonion, rather than the later figure of a demon burdened with additions of prophecy, direct action and haunting, which has found new life in contemporary demonic figurations. However, this guiding voice no longer mediates between the realms of humankind and the gods as it did for Socrates. Instead the daimonion has been repurposed as a mediating figure between humankind and nature. A number of science fiction and fantasy films are taken to be locations for the development of this new figuration due to the way in which a more responsible attitude toward nature is imagined as a more demonic one. The essay begins with a discussion of the role of the daimonion for Socrates. It then extends this discussion with readings of two films: Silent Running (1972) and Interstellar (2014). What all these movies have in common is that they feature characters who use their demonic traits to mediate between other characters and nature. In other words, one reason that the daimonion is a positive figure of ecology is that it is because of the daimonion that humans can start seeing nature.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Filologija, Znanost o umjetnosti

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