The subject of philosophy as seen in modern animation

Abstract

This paper is an analysis of four different pieces of animation, connecting their themes to existing arguments in philosophical discourse. The analysis is divided into three distinct sections, each concerning a different branch of philosophy: environmentalism, philosophy of religion and spirituality and, lastly, nihilism. Breaking down the philosophical undertones in each of the narratives allows for a thorough study of existential dilemmas in the twenty-first century. Though the paper mostly focuses on the philosophical analysis, it is also an attempt to define animation’s contemporary association with entertainment, as well as understand its vast potential as a medium.