Reality – The Pop Culture Philosopher

Saints and Simulators

January 31, 2019January 31, 2019 Chris SunamiMetaphysics

I’m proud to announce that my new series, “Saints and Simulators,” a book-length exploration of the intersection between religion and technology, is now live at the Partially Examined Life blog. Starting from the deliberately provocative[…]

Is Our World a Computer Game?

December 27, 2018December 27, 2018 Chris SunamiGames

I’m glad to announce I’ve expanded the below post into an entire book-length series that will be premiering in January 2019 on Partially Examined Life. In the meantime, please enjoy this repost of the original.[…]

Reconstructivist Art: Man of La Mancha

August 30, 2018August 31, 2018 Chris SunamiPlays and Musicals

Please enjoy this repost: Man of La Mancha (1965) by Wasserman, Leigh and Darion as an example of Reconstructivist Art The ground-breaking and seminal seventeenth-century Spanish novel Don Quixote attracted a number of prior attempts[…]

Image by Bec

Morality is Back: Goodness (and Diversity) in Popular Culture

December 14, 2017December 14, 2017 Chris SunamiHumor

Scientific studies have shown that when times are good, people act bad. Morality becomes an afterthought in times of peace and plenitude, perhaps because bad behavior often pays off when the world is otherwise stable.[…]

I’m Not There

September 1, 2016August 31, 2016 Chris SunamiMovies

Reposted from 2007 I knew even before the house lights went down that I needed to approach this film in the right frame of mind. I knew not to expect a rational or linear plotline,[…]

Synecdoche, New York

May 26, 2016May 26, 2016 Chris SunamiFractals

Originally posted in 2008. Charlie Kaufman’s directorial debut is a fractal hallucination. I’ve been a fan of Charlie Kaufman for years, and it’s been interesting to see how his work transforms under the guidance of[…]

Image by Juliana Jiménez Jaramillo

MJD’s “Turing Test”

May 12, 2016May 11, 2016 Chris SunamiLiterature

One of my first websites was a collection of stories from around what was then the much-smaller World Wide Web. Some of my favorites were by future Perl guru and Dischordian Mark Jason Dominus. I’m[…]

by Sumimasen

Science, Faith, and the Silver Chair

March 17, 2016March 16, 2016 Chris SunamiChristianity

Of all children’s authors who have integrated their Christian beliefs into their writing, C.S. Lewis is perhaps the most famous and well-respected, both within and outside the faith community. His celebrated Narnia series is uncompromising[…]

Thought versus Meditation: The Philosophy of Moon Hooch

December 24, 2015December 30, 2015 Chris SunamiMusic

This week brings something a little different for me, an original interview with a philosophically inclined band. Full disclosure: I will be attending their New Year’s Eve show in Columbus as their guest. Q: I’ve[…]

The Pop Culture Philosopher

Books, Music, Movies and Philosophy (Updates Thursdays)

Category: Reality

Saints and Simulators

Is Our World a Computer Game?

Reconstructivist Art: Man of La Mancha

Morality is Back: Goodness (and Diversity) in Popular Culture

I’m Not There

Synecdoche, New York

MJD’s “Turing Test”

Science, Faith, and the Silver Chair

Thought versus Meditation: The Philosophy of Moon Hooch