Tommaso Auriemma's Philosophy Explained with TV Series

• Degrees of Life: Aristotle classifies life into three levels: vegetative, animal, and rational. Zombies challenge this classification, existing between life and death.
• Ethics in Survival: Morgan’s choice to spare his zombified wife reflects Aristotle’s concept of phronesis (practical wisdom), where morality adapts to context.
• Catharsis & Storytelling: Aristotle’s Poetics explains how tragedy purges emotions. The Walking Dead evokes fear and pity, compelling viewers to reflect on their own survival instincts.

• The Lion and the Fox: Tywin Lannister embodies Machiavelli’s ideal ruler: both strong like a lion and cunning like a fox.
• Fortune & Strategy: Machiavelli insists that success depends on mastering fortune. The fall of House Stark reflects failure to adapt to political realities.
• The End Justifies the Means? Machiavelli argues that rulers must sometimes act immorally for stability, as seen in the infamous Red Wedding.

• State of Nature: Hobbes sees life without order as "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short." Westworld’s hosts, like Dolores, experience the brutality of human nature.
• The Leviathan AI: Hobbes argues that an absolute power is needed for stability. In Westworld, the AI Rehoboam acts as a digital Leviathan, enforcing control.
• Freedom vs. Security: The park’s chaos highlights Hobbes’ belief that without governance, society descends into violence.

Cogito, Ergo Sum: Descartes separates mind and body. San Junipero presents a digital afterlife, reinforcing the idea that consciousness can exist without a physical form.

Reality & Doubt: Descartes questions whether we can trust our senses. In Black Mirror, virtual existence blurs the line between real and simulated life.

The Digital Soul: If the self exists independently of the body, does uploading a consciousness preserve identity? San Junipero challenges Descartes’ dualism.

• Pantheism in Power: Spinoza sees God in everything, rejecting traditional dogma. Jude Law’s Pope Lenny represents a mystical yet worldly spiritual authority.
• Freedom vs. Determinism: Spinoza believes in a universe governed by necessity. Lenny’s actions are seemingly predestined yet unfold unpredictably.
• Emotions & Ethics: Spinoza emphasizes understanding emotions to attain wisdom. Lenny manipulates faith and fear to shape his rule.

• Moral Duty on an Island: Kant’s categorical imperative demands ethical behavior, even in extreme conditions. The survivors of Lost must navigate moral dilemmas beyond societal norms.
• Rational vs. Empirical Knowledge: Kant argues that reason shapes experience. The show’s mysteries mirror the tension between rational explanations and faith-based beliefs.
• The Ultimate Test of Free Will: Do the characters act freely, or are their choices predetermined? Kant’s philosophy challenges our understanding of autonomy.

• Master-Slave Dynamic: Hegel’s theory of self-consciousness is embodied in Walter White’s transformation and his battle with Gus Fring.
• Thesis, Antithesis, Synthesis: Walter starts as a meek teacher (thesis), becomes a ruthless kingpin (antithesis), and ultimately faces his tragic synthesis.
• Recognition & Struggle: Walter’s desire for respect drives his downfall, echoing Hegel’s belief that identity is shaped through struggle.

• Workers vs. Creators: Marx criticizes capitalism for alienating workers from their labor. Don Draper, despite being a creative force, remains deeply unfulfilled.
• Consumerism & Identity: Mad Men portrays the illusion of happiness sold through advertising, reinforcing Marx’s critique of materialism.
• False Consciousness: The characters chase success, yet remain disconnected from true fulfillment, mirroring Marx’s concept of ideological control.

• Existence Precedes Essence: Sartre argues that we define ourselves through choices. Black Mirror episodes like Nosedive show how social media ratings dictate identity.
• The Look of the Other: Sartre’s concept of being judged by others manifests in a society where social approval is currency.
• Escape or Conform? The protagonists of Black Mirror struggle with authenticity in a world that demands constant self-performance.