Bøger af Adam Barkman

Through Common Things is a philosophical exploration of both western and eastern popular culture. Barkman achieves what is rare: to preserve the integrity of the popular culture in question - while at the same time looking at it from a variety of angles. Readers will gain a deeper appreciation of the subject matter and encounter insights that can lead to personal awareness and growth. . . "Barkman presents us with an amazingly wide-ranging collection of philosophical reflections grounded in the everyday things of popular culture - past and present, eastern and western, factual and fictional. ... This is an informative and entertaining book to read!" . . - Doug Blomberg, Professor of Philosophy, Institute for Christian Studies " Expansive in scope, Barkman's analysis traverses eastern and western culture, canvassing an array of philosophical topics, using the language of the hoi polloi and icons of popular culture to direct our gaze first to and then through the flickering images of Plato's cave to deeper realities and questions that matter. Well argued, intriguing, engaging; highly recommended!" . . - David Baggett, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Liberty University "Effortlessly bridging the gap between 'high' and 'low' culture, Through Common Things, thanks to its jargon-free, lucid language, is eminently readable and, what is more, worth reading." . . - Dieter Petzold, Professor of English Literature, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg "This book is unique and brilliant. . . . Barkman plays the cracker-barrel world philosopher who draws the common people in conversation from pop culture to philosophy." . . - Jung Soon Park, Professor of Philosophy, Yonsei University +.+.+.+.+ ADAM BARKMAN (Ph.D., Free University of Amsterdam) is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Redeemer University College in Ontario. He is the author of C. S. Lewis and Philosophy as a Way of Life and co-editor of Manga and Philosophy.

In Downton Abbey and Philosophy, twenty-two professional thinkers uncover the deeper significance of this hugely popular TV saga. Millions of viewers throughout the world have been enthralled by this enactment of a vanished world of decorum and propriety, because it presents us with emotional and interpersonal problems that remain urgent for people in the twenty-first century.Why do we attach such importance to our memories and to particular places? What do war and epidemics tell us about life in peacetime and in good health? Is it healthy or harmful for people to feel that they know their place? What does Downton Abbey teach us about the changes in women’s roles since 1912? Do good manners always agree with good morals? How can everybody know what no one will talk about? What’s the justification for a class of people who pride themselves on not having a job? Should we sometimes just accept the reality of social barriers to love, and abandon the pursuit? What happens when community reinforces oppression?All of these and many other issues are discussed through a detailed examination of the actual characters and situations in Downton Abbey.

In an ever-changing world, new situations arise demanding ethical re-sponses from Christian thinkers. This is particularly true in our modern context with hyper-changes in areas like popular culture. Through a series of essays, Barkman explores the contours of this phenomenon - from movies to comic books, from TV series to novels - attentive to new ideas, or old ideas made new, requiring Christian ethical reflection. Topics such as the ethics of sex, deception, drugs, tattoos, slavery, incest, hypnosis, and gender, to name but a few, are explored Christianly vis-à-vis culture as diverse as Game of Thrones, Sherlock Holmes, Gladiator, The Big Bang Theory, Thor and many others. . . . ENDORSEMENT: - "Whether discussing Winnie the Pooh or The Walking Dead, this book digs up buried philosophical treasure. Those who don't normally think of themselves as philosophically inclined will be surprised and delighted as Barkman rescues philosophy from dry classroom abstractions and reveals how it fills the glorious messiness of everyday life. Both beginners and vet¬erans will find something to chew on here, and, like a good movie, this book is sure to spark conversations that go on long past the closing credits." - Dr. Kevin Flatt, Assistant Professor of History, Redeemer University College . . . ENDORSEMENT: - "Barkman has an insightful way of tackling tough ethical questions." - Prof. Allen Mertes, Professor of Youth Ministry, Prarie Bible College . . . ENDORSEMENT: - "Fresh... Insightful... Stimulating. I highly Recommend it." - Dr. Rev. Brent Powell, Senior Pastor, Central Baptist Church Brantford www.wingedlionpress.com

Designed to equip the cultural tourist and art student with the means to interpret each painting, building, or artifact in terms of the iconography and symbolism of Islam, this book will deepen understanding not only of Islamic art and architecture but also of Islam itself.

The Culture and Philosophy of Ridley Scott, edited by Adam Barkman, Ashley Barkman, and Nancy Kang, brings together eighteen critical essays that illuminate a nearly comprehensive selection of the director's feature films from cutting-edge multidisciplinary and comparative perspectives. Chapters examine such signature works as Alien (1979), Blade Runner (1982), Thelma and Louise (1991), Gladiator (2000), Hannibal (2001), Black Hawk Down (2001), and American Gangster (2007). This volume divides the chapters into three major thematic groups: responsibility, remembering, and revision; real, alienated, and ideal lives; and gender, identity, and selfhood. Each section features six discrete essays, each of which forwards an original thesis about the film or films chosen for analysis. Each chapter features close readings of scenes as well as broader discussions that will interest academics, non-specialists, as well as educated readers with an interest in films as visual texts. While recognizing Scott's undeniable contributions to contemporary popular cinema, the volume does not shy away from honest and well-evidenced critique.Each chapter's approach correlates with philosophical, literary, or cultural studies perspectives. Using both combined and single-film discussions, the contributors examine such topics as gender roles and feminist theory; philosophical abstractions like ethics, honor, and personal responsibility; historical memory and the challenges of accurately rendering historical events on screen; literary archetypes and generic conventions; race relations and the effect of class difference on character construction; how religion shapes personal and collective values; the role of a constantly changing technological universe; and the schism between individual and group-based power structures. The Culture and Philosophy of Ridley Scott assembles the critical essays of scholars working in the fields of philosophy, literary studies, and cultural studies. An international group, they are based in the United States, Canada, Argentina, Italy, Greece, Korea, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand. The guiding assumption on the part of all the writers is that the filmmaker is the leading determiner of a motion picture's ethos, artistic vision, and potential for audience engagement. While not discounting the production team (including screenwriters, actors, and cinematographers, among others), auteur theory recognizes the seminal role of the director as the nucleus of the meaning-making process. With Scott an active and prolific presence in the entertainment industry today, the timeliness of this volume is optimal.