Abstract

It is a common lament that people, the young especially, are increasingly shyingaway from books and instead turning for intellectual sustenance to video games, film, andtelevision - that is, images are displacing words, with the result that the culture isbecoming less tolerant of cognitive complexity .1Instead of vainly tryingto reform, or negate the influence of, popular entertainments, it might be better toembrace them, making selective use of them to cultivate an interest in philosophic topicsamong young minds. Perhaps we can lead them to the words of the great philosophic textsby showing them how some of the actions and dialogues portrayed in the images theyavidly consume exemplify and explore themes, concepts, and arguments otherwise dealtwith by the likes of Plato, Descartes, and Hume. Guided by this pedagogical hope, thispaper aims to plumb the philosophic significance of Memento