Fritzsche, Peter. "Nazi Modern." Modernism/Modernity 3.11996 1-22. 1 Dec 2008 .

     The Nazis came to power because of the hopelessness of the German people due to the disastrous condition in which Germany was left following WWI. The people were not happy to see the Nazis in particular; they accepted them because they needed a change. The main goal of the Nazis was to exterminate the Jewish people, yet most Germans did not agree with this agenda.  The Nazis embraced technology and made Germany’s economy more industrialized and more technologically advanced.  Because of this some people, oversimplify the Nazis’ impact on Germany and say that they were modernizers.  The more complex view argues that Nazis were modernists.  As modernists, the Nazis sought racial purification in an attempt to unify and strengthen the German society so that it would be “strong and homogeneous enough to prosper in the dangerous era of world wars” (Fritzsche).  This racial purification in conjunction with increased social programs were measures to promote national health and were seen as modern ways to better German society.  In theory, these practices could have made German society very strong and unified, but these apparent benefits do not justify the mass murders that were made necessary to carry out the racial purification.  This racial purification, ultimately, destroyed German society because the wrath of the world for the murderous injustices Germany was committing.
    The initial background for the argument of this article is that the people were never won over by the Nazis.  This information offers a new perspective.  This lack of all out support by the people may be the reason that Goebbels and the Nazis were so concerned with maintaining public support.  If their support was a given, surely Goebbels would not have spent so many resources on propaganda like Kolberg.  The overarching goals of the Nazis for unity also explain why the public's consensus with the goals of the Nazi Party was so desirable.  In creating a unified German society, surely the Nazis not only wanted unification with race and appearance, but unification with the thoughts and minds of the German people.  The Nazis felt that this unification was key to strength in this dangerous world.  The Nazis' great desire to attain strength for the German society is explained by the way Germany was left crushed following WWI.  Overall, the desire for the unification of German society explains why such a high value was placed on propaganda and therefore, film, its most important medium.

Singer, Irving. "Jean Renoir." Three Philosophical Filmmakers: Hitchcock, Welles, Renoir. Palatino: MIT Press, 2004: 146-219.

Irving Singer holds the belief that each of Renoir's films led him on a path to discovery of both the culture around him and himself. He believes that Renoir's character of Octave in Rules of the Game is actually a self-representation: that Renoir desired to play himself, someone that "lost contact with the public" (149). Octave is also shown as slightly inept and mismanaged, revealing Renoir's attempt to level and connect with the public. Singer includes a comment made by Renoir stating that he's only ever "shot one film," maintaining the belief that Renoir strived to provide an accurate representation of French society, even when this meant he must display his views in contrast with those of the general public (147). Singer remarks, however, that Renoir so wished to connect with his audience, with his society, that he became almost desperate to achieve contact and that this desperation led to Renoir's near destruction of Rules of the Game when he continually cut out pieces of the film that may have offended audiences. Singer believes that, in the years leading up to WWII, Renoir's main goal in his filmmaking was to explore how people relate to each other, to nature, and to technology. Singer also expresses the belief that Renoir drew alot from Hinduism, explaining the filmmaker's desire to contrast the differences between his character's spiritual and material lives, a central theme in Rules of the Game.

Singer's chapter on Renoir provides a very interesting take on the filmmaker and his works. It is clear, especially after reading this work, that Jean Renoir was on a quest for truth, using film as a tool to capture society in its most realistic form. Rules of the Game was greatly influenced by the fact that Renoir wished to accurately depict French society though he, of course, was somewhat blinded by his own middle-class beliefs and tendencies. For instance, Renoir criticizes the bourgeios and the servants equally, as he, himself, stood in the middle ground, exempt from criticism. Renoir, however, is nowhere near self-praising; instead, the film functions somewhat as an autobiography with Renoir playing the role of Octave, his on-screen representation. Both lament that they have lost contact with the public. This comment is shown to be almost comically, though paradoxically, true: Renoir had never expected such a negative response from his audience. Up until this point, Renoir's works were, for the most part, celebrated by French society. The point at which he became public about his concerns of losing emotional and intellectual touch with the people, his work invokes a disastrous result and Renoir physically disconnects from his people by fleeing the country. This work also provides a very interesting look at another of Renoir's influences: religion, describing how the beliefs of Hinduism propelled him on his quest for turth amidst spiritual and material confusion.

Renoir, Jean, and Leo Braudy. "Renoir at Home Interview with Jean Renoir." Film Quarterly 50.1 (1996): 2-8.

While brief and not terribly in-depth, this interview conducted with Jean Renoir at his home in Beverly Hills in 1970, provides important insight into the thought process of the filmmaker regarding both his motivations and reflections on his films. This honest account is a refreshing break from all of the speculation surrounding Renoir. We learn that the type of hero Renoir admires most is one like the character of La Chesnaye in Rules of the Game. He also issues an honest statement that Rules of the Game stemmed from his belief "that we are living in a century of compromises" (8). This statement corroborates nicely with the view that Renoir's style comprised of balances between all types of elements. Renoir also addresses the issue of inner and outer truth, concluding that inner truth is the only type that should concern the filmmaker.

Firstly, and most simply, this interview provides a first-hand look at the personal life of Jean Renoir. The piece is an honest and refreshing break from speculation and provides readers with valuable insight into Renoir's philosophies and beliefs. Importantly, though, it marks an occasion in which Renoir himself speaks of the importance of compromises - an element that is clearly visible in his work though never directly addressed. Renoir also speaks about his father, philosophy, and his other films, providing an insightful look at his inspirations and motivations for his work. It is also somewhat paradoxical to note that the interview is being conducted from Renoir's home in Hollywood, where he continues to live after fleeing France. Over 30 years after the release of Rules of the Game, Renoir is still deeply and obviously affected by the film's initial failure.

Buss, Robin. "La Regle de jeu/The Rule of the Game (1939)." The French Through Their Films. New York: Ungar, 1988: 55, 114.

In his book, Robin Buss analyzes several important French films and how they relate to the society they depict as well as the movements they were a part of. He remarks that Rules of the Game was initially met with indifference and not long after, critiqued and banned. Now, however, the film is revered as one of the greatest cinematic achievements of all time. Buss explains that this extremely quick change in preferences is representative of the rapid culture changes in the past half century, especially in French society, and more importantly, as a result of war. Buss also points out an extremely interesting symbol in Rules of the Game: Renoir's use of food. For instance, Octave's refusal of breakfast is considered a sign of distress. The very importance placed on food in the culture depicted by Renoir both helps audiences connect to the story and reveals a superficiality present in the customs of popular culture. Thus, the very technique Renoir uses to reach out to his audience also condemns the practices central to their daily lives.

Robin Buss' book is an overall filmography of early 20th century French cinema. It provides an interesting look at Rules of the Game by placing it in its historical context. Unlike many other sources, Buss's book shows Renoir's film as one of the many. Instead of being the sole topic of discussion, the film is juxtaposed with other important works of French cinema, some with very similar themes, and readers are able to assess the importance of Rules of the Game at a point 50 years after its release. Most interestingly, Buss offers an alternate topic of study for the film: the use of food as a symbol. Renoir's use of this symbol could have a two-fold purpose: the first to connect with his audience. Renoir expressed a deep desire to become one with the public and the use of such a communal symbol would have not only brought his audience together but also  forged a bond between the audience  and the characters. The second purpose, conversely, is to provide a critique of French culture. In this tumultuous, growingly amoral society, food is one of the only thing that still matters. Fulfilling both of these purposes, food is also shown as a connector between the ruling class and the servants. This aides both in drawing connections to unite French society but also, more subtly, in upholding a method of critique.

“Topics in Feminism.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 15 March 2004. 3 April
2008 http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/feminism-topics/

    The “Topics in Feminism” entry in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy explains the most common uses of the term “feminism” along with alternative views of feminism, including more radical and more conservative positions. As the article defines it, feminism is the “movement which seeks justice for women and the end of sexism in all forms.” The article explains various beliefs and specific movements within feminist thought. It notes the various scopes of feminist belief, and explains both the normative and descriptive accounts of feminism. It also explains the diversity among feminists, the fact that many individuals do not agree on what precisely feminism is or what should result from the feminist effort. The article also notes the most basic principles of feminism, which nearly all feminists do share, and addresses the fundamental female concern of sex-based injustice. Analysis of the conflict within the movement is also supplied. The article also notes some important sub-topics in the field of feminist philosophy, and it briefly summarizes their importance and supplies links to articles on these topics.
    This article is extremely relevant to the research topic as it explains extensively the themes, goals, and movements within feminism. Because a discussion of divorce as raised by Kramer vs. Kramer almost necessarily raises the issue of feminism and its influence on Joanna (as representative of mothers as a whole), the topic is crucial to forming an argument regarding the research question. In addition, Kramer vs. Kramer was released when the “second” wave of feminism was coming to an end and dramatic shifts in social expectations were occurring. Such information is essential to placing the movie in its appropriate historical and social contexts.

Keith Chapin says a wonderfully readable account of the Pantheism Controversy (pp. 44-108), cited in Hoffmann's Writings on Music (19th Century Music, Summer 2006).

"Eating Meat and Eating People"

Waller, Bruce N. Neglected Psychological Elements of Free Will. Philosophy, Psychiatry, & Psychology. Volume 11, Number 2, June 2004: 111-118. This journal article by Bruse Waller offers both insight on the psychological elements behind free will and criticism of contemporary philosophers who, according to Waller, ignore concepts of psychology that are necessary for fully understanding free will. Free will is apparently based on external factors, as well as two factors within the human mind: a locus of control, and a belief in self-efficacy. A locus of control is essentially a belief that one.s choices control the path of one.s life. A belief in self-efficacy is a belief in one.s competency or ability to make good, informed decisions. Waller criticizes existentialists and philosophers, both of whom fail to grasp both the concept of locus of control and self efficacy. Existentialists, Waller says, believe that free will requires a complete locus of control, and absence of self-efficacy. Therefore if individuals want to have free will they must fully believe in their ability to control their lives, but all decisions must be made with complete uncertainty because individuals must not have self efficacy. Philosophers, on the other hand, believe that humans with free will can possess confidence in their self-efficacy, but realize that their lives are controlled by external factors, and thus they must lack a locus of control. Waller is of the belief that both a locus of control and self-efficacy are necessary for a person to have free will and therefore philosophers should study these elements more closely. If a person lacks one element, then he or she will either surrender to external factors or be paralyzed by the uncertainty of his or her decisions. Waller.s article covers one of the main themes within Vivre Sa Vie. Godard explores an individual woman who believes she possesses free will, but who, in reality, is controlled by external factors. Waller brings up an example of such a person: someone who possesses a free will, but is completely lacking control. Waller states that this is an especially cruel scenario and draws a metaphor of a child being given a toy steering wheel and being told it controls a vehicle that is, in reality, completely out of the child.s control.

Up-to-date dictionary useful for quick look-ups of philosophical terms.

Authoritative entries on both philosophical topics and the lives and works of major philosophers.