Reflection

The 1998 film of Run Lola Run, directed by Tom Tykwer, opens with series philosophical questions for the viewer to think about.

"Who are we, Where do we come from, Where are we going, How do we know what we think we know, Why do we believe anything at all?" *

Like we discussed in class, questions help to further and give meaning to our knowledge, education, morals, and beliefs. These questions, I thought, were well integrated with the connection to Philosophy, since both these questions and the topic of Philosophy have very subjective answers. In the film Run Lola Run, the movie does not directly answer these philosophical and life questions for us, but rather, we must figure the answers out on our own. It is important that we come to terms with our own understanding, trust our knowledge, and be satisfied with what we believe in, and not what anyone else tells us.

In tying this together with what I learned this semester, I wanted to relate this to the first and last lessons that we learned in class.

In following the questions above*, the movie goes on to state, “Countless questions in search of an answer, an answer will give rise to a new question and the next answer will give rise to the next question and so on...”

On the very first day of class, we were (constantly) being asked the question,“Why,” after the water example demonstration. The purpose of that activity was to show us how questions or ideas can arise from other questions and answers, and it becomes a never-ending loop, which relates to the quote above. As everyone had different answers to the question, it was appropriate that everyone was subjected to their own beliefs and options and to actually find the reason that best suited them to their satisfaction. Yet, since Philosophy casts a matrix of theories and doubt, can we really be certain of anything? I’ve learned that it’s crucial and important to question everything, and okay to not be quite “settled” on a belief or idea (e.g. God and his existence).

Then, there is another quote, which is said by T.S. Elliot, that appears at the beginning of the film which reads:

"We shall not cease from exploration

And the end of all our exploring

Will be to arrive where we started

And know the place for the first time."

Upon trying to extract the meaning of this quote, it seems like the author is saying that our human minds and curiosity will and should never stop wandering and exploring (i.e. like the depths of the universe). It is then, that when we finally discover whatever we are trying to learn or search for, we’ll appreciate it’s value and meaning even more, and everything that we learned will eventually connect back in the 360º circle.

Like in any class that I’ve taken here at Punahou, every unit or topic that is covered connects back somehow to the very first lesson. When we were discussing the very last lesson in class of “What’s the Point and Truth (of Philosophy),” the answer behind the question was simply to devour and figure out the answers to the questions that best suited and satisfied ourselves (which again, circled back to the very first lesson on day one). I was taught to keep persisting and seeking for the truth we desired, in order to avoid my capture. Now that my time in this class is coming to an end, with the knowledge and journey that I’ve acquired and conquered, what I choose to do with that is entirely up to me. So while the philosophical questions in the beginning of film remain unanswered to the viewer, so do my own beliefs and doubts. Philosophy is truly a realm with many unanswerable questions, that I have discovered it’s necessary to find the answers by myself.