RT Article
T1 Flight, Emmanuel Levinas, and the Critique of Theodicy
JF Journal of religion and popular culture
VO 28
IS 1
SP 11
OP 22
A1 Fleming, Daniel J.
LA English
PB University of Saskatchewan
YR 2016
UL https://ixtheo.de/Record/1571508554
AB This article analyzes the 2012 Paramount Pictures film Flight for the various theodicies that the film presents. It does so alongside the twentieth-century philosopher Emmanuel Levinas's critique of theodicy and suggests that Flight provides illustrations of what Levinas sees as the problem with theodicies, namely that they work to relativize the unconditional call to responsibility that sits at the heart of human consciousness. The article analyzes such examples in detail and does so alongside a presentation of Levinas's philosophy and his critiques of theodicy. Furthermore, the article suggests that the closing scenes of Flight present what is a moment of anti-theodicy, according to the philosophy of Levinas, whereby the main character embraces his responsibility and thereby exemplifies an ethical freedom. Readers of this article should note that it deals with all of the aspects of the film's plot and so will spoil the ending for anyone who has not seen it.
K1 Emmanuel Levinas
K1 Philosophy
K1 Religion
K1 Responsibility
K1 Theodicy
DO 10.3138/jrpc.28.1.3150