NEWS: The 2005 Philosophy Video Festival will be held in New York in December 2005. Visit our sponsor, North America's leading philosophy television show, where all the winners will be seen this spring.
Here are the rules:
1. Entries must be postmarked no later than December 3, 2005. 2. Entries should be sent to Philosophy Video Festival, Box 100776, Arlington, VA, 22210-3776 3. Videos must be between one second and four minutes in length, not including bars, tone, countdown, leader and trailer, etc. 4. Entries must be submitted on one of the following formats: Mini-DV, Digital 8, BetaCam SP, DVD, DVC-Pro, S-VHS. 5. Entries will not become the property of the Philosophy Video Festival. However, by entering you give us the right to broadcast your video via traditional or new media as part of a program made up of Festival winners. 6. The decision of the judges is final. But you knew that. 7. There are three divisions of entries. The first is for high school students, the second for college students, and the third is for graduate students (for which the prize is the Wittgenstein Prize, or "Witty"). These divisions will be judged separately. Awards and cash prizes for the best videos in each division will be presented at the Eastern Division Meeting of the American Philosophical Association at the Hilton New York in New York City the week of December 28th, 2005..
FAQ
Q: What do you mean by "philosophical?" A: Well, first of all, it had better not be boring. If it's boring, it's not philosophy. Second of all, it should have something to do with abstract inquiryor offering new metaphors for human thinkingor encompass inquiry about the good, the true an the beautifulor involve an investigation of the use of symbols at the very deepest levelsor pursue wisdom with style and passion. Look, philosophy is a wide-ranging field that is constantly pushing its boundaries. If you can make a decent case that what you are doing is philosophical, that would probably cover it. Q: No, really; what do you mean by "philosophical?" A: (sigh) See the attached for a range of quotes from famous philosophers about philosophy. At least one of them should give you cover for what you want to do. Q: "Philosophical video?" Isn't philosophy about the articles and books and stuff like that? Isn't philosophy about writing? A: Not any more. In fact, philosophy has always been about the spoken word as well. Additionally, major thinkers are now re-examining the role of images in philosophical inquiry. Q: You're kidding, aren't you? A: Nope. See the work of W. J. Mitchell on pictures, or read Stanley Cavell on film. Another place to go if you want to think about the evolution of philosophical media is a book by Eric Havelock, A Preface to Plato. Not to mention delving into the works of Marshall McLuhan or J.C. Nyiri. Moreover, the age of video is just now picking up speed with the advent of widespread use of digital manipulation of the moving image. It would seem a decent bet that philosophy can be done with this medium in ways that complement and enrich traditional forms of philosophical inquiry. This philosophy video festival is one attempt to encourage the television philosophers of tomorrow. Q: Okay, okay, enough justification. How much is the prize money? A: For the high school division, first place will get $300.00 second $200.00, and third place $100.00 Similar prizes will be awarded in the college division. The Wittgenstein Prize is accompanied by a prize of $500.00. There also may be special awards presented. Q: You said this year's theme is "The Ethics of Consumption"? What's that all about? A: Generally, what are the ethical implications for those of us living in a hyper-consumptive economy here in the United States. How does having all this disposable income and a galaxy of good and services to spend it on affect the moral sensibilities of individuals and communities? For more on this topic, see the excellent book edited by David Crocker, The Ethics of Consumption. Q: Does my video have to be on the ethics of consumption? A: No. It can be on any philosophical topic, idea, concept, question, or insight you have.
- The 2004 Winners -
First Place "Mind the Gap" Preston High School The Bronx, New York (RealMedia)
Second Place "Moral Philosophy" Hannah Lobel Edmund Burke School Washington, DC
Honorable Mention "Philopposites" Bethpage High School Bethpage, New York
"What is Beauty?" "Individual Unity" Saugeen District Secondary School Port Elgin, Ontario
-----
|