BioShock Infinite In Regards To Religion

The third of a five part series. This essay aims to explore the correlation between nihilism and religion within the world of BioShock Infinite. 

Socialism; “The harder this de-alienation of work tries to escape from the idealization of ‘artistic’ production, the more it must define itself.” (22)

Descartes; “aesthetic consciousness’ may be recuperated as an experience of truth precisely insofar as this experience is substantially nihilistic.” (114)

A floating city in the sky, idealistically “the city of dreams” forms the basis of the franchises 2013 installment. Much like its predecessors, destination ‘Columbia’ is a city in revolt, violently called for by revolutionary Daisy Fitzroy; who could be viewed as a Sartrean type figure. Father Comstock dominates as the so-called ‘prophet,’ dictating with the appearance of a Marxian character. He is however, counteracted by the otherwise controlled Booker DeWitt; labelled the ‘False Shepherd.’ This hermeneutic interpretation is wholly Christian with a Kantian outlook; if you can’t see it then it doesn’t exist. A theory mostly demonstrated in the games epic conclusion, with Elizabeth envisioning a key to open the door to the lighthouse. On a similar note, the quote (above) suggests existential ‘choice’ as a way to progress; old values become forgotten and thus replaced with modern ones.

*WRITTEN AS PART OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WINCHESTER'S PHILOSOPHY MAGAZINE. READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE HERE. 

An Analysis Of "The Great Gatsby"

This essay aims to immerse itself in the world of Mr. Jay Gatsby from both an Economic and Marxist viewpoint. 

"She told me it was a girl, and so I turned my head away and wept. "All right," I said, I'm glad it's a girl. And I hope she'll be a fool - that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool." (16)

Image Courtesy of Sophie Webb

The front cover of the novella boasts privilege and seduction, replicated by a young and beautiful woman, most likely a flapper in her day, wearing glimmering white pearls and a feather hat. She is forefront and wearing black, which from a Marxist perspective could be interpreted as in 'mourning' to the material crisis of Capitalism; the rejection of Communism as "the god that failed" much like the character of Jay Gatsby himself. Author Fitzgerald is said to have lived a notorious lifestyle following the publication of his first and highly successful novel "The Side of Paradise" in 1920. A time when the economy was constituted by a state of equilibrium; but from a boom must come a bust. The outlook was highly Keynesian, with Capitalism being seen as a more efficient and effective way to progress. 

Before his anticipated appearance, expectations of Gatsby would amount to some "hot shot" revolutionary rich kid; an advocate of private ownership who hosts fancy parties at his monetary mansion in West Egg. "The truth was that Jay Gatsby of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his Platonic conception of himself." (80) Further suggested here that he acquires a kind of idealistic admiration for himself; characteristic of his 'old sport' nature. Instead, he chooses to diminish himself in the background of events and is therefore perceived as some sort of mythical creature. 

*WRITTEN AS PART OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WINCHESTER'S PHILOSOPHY MAGAZINE. READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE HERE. 

HCJ Seminar Paper (14/03/2013)

Bureaucracy and "The New Industrial State"

The 1950's/60's was a time of prosperity within the USA and the developed world. The outlook was highly KEYNESIAN, as the failure of Communism lead to Capitalism being seen as a more efficient and effective way to progress. Branding and Advertising, described as the ‘drug of the nation’, was used to appeal to a person’s subconscious wants and desires, with the rise in Finance Capital paving the way for a more nihilistic outlook. People became self-indulgent, adopting smoking for example, and much more materialistic. Classic Economists such as ADAM SMITH and DAVID HUME were now obsolete as the increase in capital became the height of social worth and the purpose of existence. Bigger organisations were being set up to accommodate the necessary ‘means of production’ with America now being viewed as a “Free Market Capitalist Economy”.

L5: "The Freudian Consciousness"

SIGMUND FREUD (1856-1939)
 

[Image available under Wikimedia Commons]

"The secret antagonist of the intellect" The misery of the human condition. People alienated. [MARX] Sex becomes important in the Media as motivator. People no longer considered noble creatures. Challenges Enlightenment.

The Freudian Personality. ID. From birth. Aim to gain pleasure and avoid pain. Demands fulfilment. "Spoilt Brat" EGO. Reality and Reason. Rational. The least powerful part of the personality. SUPEREGO. Socialisation. Person punished with guilt. Attempting to live up to impossible standards of perfection. Society as collective.

Psychoanalysis. The exchange of words between patient and doctor. Believed he discovered the 'archaeology' of the mind. Dreams as the 'royal road' to the unconscious. Reveal real problems. The existence of  a "subconscious". Method aims to try and distract/contain the ID.  No real satisfaction unless destroying enemy. 
 
"The poets and philosophers before me discovered the unconscious. What I discovered was the scientific method by which the unconscious can be studied" [FREUD]

L2: "Empiricism vs. Idealism"

KARL POPPER (1902-1994)

"Logical Positivism" The Vienna Circle (FREUD, WITTGENSTEIN). Attack on Empiricism. Metaphysics as "gibberish" consisting of theories that have not been verified. Rejection of DESCARTES, his Cogito branded a "non-verifiable induction". Something that cannot be proved through aposteriori reasoning.

POPPER was against the scientific process of induction. Like HUME, he saw the process of induction as "unreliable" but necessary in the quest for truth. 

"Hume has proved that pure Empiricism is not a basis for science... without the principle of induction, then science is impossible" (page 612)

In "The Open Society and it's Enemies" POPPER explains how the state should leave maximum room for self-correction in order to minimise suffering. Each law should be highly experimental. There is no 100% knowledge, therefore everything is untrue/falsifiable. Otherwise known as "The Theory of Falsification".

HCJ Seminar Paper (1.11.12)

Economics

Economics, in this sense is scientific and subjective. Based on fact and according to Karl Popper (1902-1994) cannot be falsified. In his view, policies should be judged as experimental leaving maximum room for self-correction, as stated in his work “The Open Society and its Enemies” (1962). Empiricist John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) claims that it is through falsifying that human nature progresses.

Classical Economist Adam Smith (1723-1790) views people as “calculating machines” designed for maximising pleasure and minimising pain. Otherwise known as Utilitarianism, this moral philosophy is hindered by the State, which is viewed as an obstacle to progress. In “The Wealth of Nations” (1776) he states that richer countries come down to too much state intervention. “The hidden hand of the market” in which all value is derived from trade, when in actuality; people should be allowed to be free.

This is the crisis of Capitalism, claimed by Karl Marx (1818-1883) with which the “Iron Law of Wages” will inevitably lead to the fall of Western Civilisation. There is a constant struggle to survive (Charles Darwin, 1809-1882) as humans use up resources to their maximum limit. A prime example being the Golden Age of the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, whereby the economic boom lead to high levels of inflation, causing mass unemployment. The rise in monetary value reduced the right of human freedom in the modern world.

HCJ Seminar Paper (20/03/12)

Max Weber (1864 – 1920)

Weber’s political philosophy appeared towards the end of the Enlightenment, a time of Social Radicalism that called for a revolt between the two main classes; the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. British Empiricism was at a standstill and the rise of the German state secured a more conservative way of thinking.

Following on from Karl Marx’s (1818 – 1883) political philosophy, Weber’s beliefs were wholly Kantian. He believed “The essence of politics is struggle" (Kilcullen, 1996, [Online]). He describes how power is obtained through political struggle; therefore there is value in conflict. Kant describes an “internal struggle against wicked desires” (Robinson and Groves, 1998), whereby we perform a duty in order to become virtuous.