Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Book excerpt: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is one of the most widely discussed and thought-provoking films of recent years. This is the first book to explore and address the philosophical aspects of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Beginning with a helpful introduction that places each essay in context, specially commissioned chapters examine the following topics: philosophical issues surrounding love, friendship, affirmation and repetition the role of memory (and the emotions) in personal identity and decision-making the morality of imagination and ethical importance of memory philosophical questions about self-knowledge and knowing the minds of others the aesthetics of the film considered in relation to Gondry’s other works and issues in the philosophy of perception Including a foreword by Michel Gondry and a list of further reading, this volume is essential reading for students interested in philosophy and film studies.