ABSTRACT
Although each chapter of this book is intended as a stand-alone essay on its particular topic, in several respects the material in this chapter is a continuation of Chapter 1. Here we will be examining some of the implications of Immanuel Kant’s reworking of a theory of objects described in Chapter 1. If the mind is an active constructor of the world of experience rather than a passive perceiver of it, what does that imply about the world and our knowledge of it? Hilary and Jackie is an excellent starting point for an examination of this question. The movie is a “multiple-perspective film”: it retells the “same” story from several different perspectives, allowing the viewer to see how the various characters interpret their perceptions differently. Section 2.1 provides the philosophical background useful for understanding what is going on in Hilary and Jackie, and section 2.2 offers a brief introduction to the film that will draw your attention to things to watch out for during your viewing. The material beginning with section 2.3 makes heavy reference to the movie, so it is most profitably read after you have finished watching it.
