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Exploring the Philosophical Depth of Star Wars and its Cultural Impact

Star Wars has become a monumental part of pop culture since its debut in 1977. With iconic films like "A New Hope" and "Revenge of the Sith," this franchise has captivated audiences worldwide and driven the creation of conventions, novels, TV shows, comics, toys, and video games. George Lucas infused the saga with philosophical concepts drawn from Judeo-Christian and Buddhist beliefs, exploring themes of spirituality and morality. The rich tapestry of characters, such as Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Darth Vader, invites discussion about faith, destiny, and the nature of good and evil.

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Exploring the Philosophical Depth of Star Wars and its Cultural Impact

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  1. A Few Background Facts… • Arguably one of the most popular movies of all time, with three of the series making it into the top 10 highest grossing films in USA Box Office history (www.imdb.com) • A New Hope released in 1977 • Revenge of the Sith released in 2005 • Star Wars: Clone Wars to be released later this year (2008). • Has spawned conventions, novels, TV programs, comic books, video games, and toys galore

  2. Let’s Meet the Characters… • Luke Skywalker • Princess Leia • Han Solo • Obi Wan Kenobi • Yoda • Darth Vader • C-3PO • R2-D2

  3. From the Mouth of George Lucas*… • Set out to re-create myths • “I see Star Wars as taking all the issues that religion represents and trying to distill them down into a more modern and easily accessible construct” • “Religion is basically a container for faith.” • “I put the Force into the movie in order to try to awaken a certain kind of spirituality in young people--more a belief in God than a belief in any particular religious system.” • “What that God is or what we know about that God, I'm not sure.” • Imitated Buddhism as his inspiration for The Force • Wants people to think about the “mystery” *http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,990820,00.html

  4. Philosophies in Star Wars • Pulls from Judeo-Christian and Buddhist thought • Over 300 million Buddhists worldwide • Pantheism – God is all and all is God (New Age movement) • Buddhism and the 4 Noble Truths

  5. Philosophies in Star Wars • Pantheism* – God is all and all is God • God is one, infinite, impersonal, the universe • The universe is an illusion, a manifestation of God • Human’s true self is God (Brahman in Hinduism) • Destiny is determined by karma • Evil is an illusion, caused by errors of the mind • Ethics are relative, transcending the illusion of good and evil *Unshakeable Foundations, Norman Geisler. 2001.

  6. Philosophies in Star Wars • Buddhism and the 4 Noble Truths* • Truth of Suffering (may be mental or physical) • Truth of the Cause of Suffering (desire or craving and ignorance) • The Truth of the End of Suffering • Attainment of Nirvana; removal of desire, craving and ignorance; a supreme happiness, achieving Enlightenment • Truth of the Path Leading to the End of Suffering • Living the “Middle Path” *www.zenguide.com

  7. Philosophies in Star Wars • Problems with pantheism • No position on “good” or “evil” • God is not a personal creator • Lives become determined by an arbitrary “fate” • Flawed interpretation of man’s true nature • All over the college campus • Zen Buddhist philosopher D. T. Suzuki: “Zen does not follow the routine of reasoning and does not mind contradicting itself or being inconsistent.”* • If something is logical and illogical, then it has no meaning • And Zen Buddhists use logic to validate their assumptions! The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict, Josh McDowell. 1999. pg. 644

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