5 questions with Shai Biderman, author of The Philosophy Of David Lynch

 

What inspired you to put this book together?  

The unique cinematic style and the rich philosophical context of David Lynch’s cinematic works. Lynch is known as a cutting-edge director, whose films are enriched by profound philosophical insights and an intriguing picture of human nature and of the world we live in.

Which section of the book did you find easiest and most natural to write?  

As editors, our main task was to make Lynch’s philosophical depth plausible and comprehensive. The most natural aspect our work was therefore to ensure a broad philosophical spectrum, which captures the full range of Lynch’s cinematic ingenuity. 

Did the final product come out as you envisioned it when you first started? 

 Even better. The collection of scholarly chapters we came up with truly encapsulates the richness of Lynch’s thought. The collection covers a great variety of issues and philosophical agendas, from metaphysics to ethics and epistemology, from existentialism to phenomenology, in both the eastern and western philosophical traditions.

What is the best compliment you have received on the book?  

One reviewer wrote: “There can be no doubt that David Lynch has produced a body of work widely recognized for its excellence and depth—and its opacity. Hence, a volume treating Lynch’s work from an explicitly philosophical perspective should be welcomed by both fans and scholars of Lynch’s work ... The editors have assembled a volume that covers many important philosophical issues from a variety of perspectives, including Asian ones. The essays show careful attention both to philosophical rigor and to the nuances of a complicated filmmaker ... All seem of high quality, mostly jargon-free, and accessible to the educated reader ... I think this book will be significant for Lynch fans and scholars for years to come.”

What are some new and upcoming things we can expect from you?  

A thorough investigation of the intriguing relationship between film, the most popular communicative medium in our times, and philosophy, the most thoughtful and methodical of our mental capacities.