Groundhog Day provided a great example of the emergence of philosophical viewpoints within the main character, Phil Connors. In the film, Phil is forced to repeat the same day, February 2, numerous times. However, during this experience, only he can remember the previous repetitions of groundhogs day. Phil's mental condition throughout the ordeal progresses through three stages: semantic exploration, philosophical exploration, and philosophical acceptance.
During Phil's semantical exploration stage, he attempts to understand the world around him through aristotelian and baconian approaches. In his aristotelian approach he is content to learn by observing the environment around him. During this phase, he seeks medical counsel to diagnose his issue and talks to others about his experience. Phil finds this method of characterizing his environment very dull and uninformative as often it seems that his observations do not accurately characterize his predicament. His acquaintances don't believe him and the doctors fail to grasp what he is experiencing. After meeting some friends drinking in a bar, Phil poses the question, "What if there were no tomorrow". His friends reply with, "we could do whatever we wanted". He then chooses to vex his environment by getting himself arrested and observe the consequences. When he wakes up the following morning and realizes that there is no record or memory by others that he got arrested he obtains a new understanding of his environment.
After realizing that the day is bound to repeat itself regardless of his actions, Phil explores various philosophies through which to live as he struggles to find the meaning in his actions. During his first phase he becomes very self destructive, driving off cliffs, jumping off buildings, and engaging in other various forms of suicide. His second phase is focused on self improvement. He finds meaning in life by acquiring new skills that he take with him after the day repeats. During his final stage he develops an altruistic attitude and finds meaning in life through helping others.
With the adaptation of his final two stages the story concludes by continuing time past groundhogs day. This mechanism is used to indicate that Phil has found meaning despite the repetitions of his life. This very much supports a concept within existentialism where it up to the individual to find meaning in life through the distractions such as repetitions and pain. However, the artificial ending puts an stop to the blatantly repetitive nature of his life. Would his perspective of finding meaning through self improvement and altruism have lasted or is something more required?
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteInteresting ideas, I will post a reply in a new entry.
ReplyDeleteNice analysis of the film using the scholastic approach that Aristotle uses and the empirical approach that Bacon argued for in The Four idols.
ReplyDeleteYou make an interesting point--phil does simply observe the world and try to make sense out of it from experience and observation, but he does become experimental--more empirical in his questt to understand (and control) the situation.
The connection to existentialism is interesting as well--he is like the existential mascot, Sisyphus who rolls his rock up the hill every day finding meaning in that act.
Also interesting that you brought up the contrived ending--love conquers all--love is like a magic word or event and it does break the spell. Great response, Jeff.
I just realized also that the protagonist is named Phil (translated from Greek as to love.
Delete