Philosophical Issues of Personal Identity in the Last Samurai
David Kennedy
Film Philosophy
Final Essay
6/1/14
Philosophical Issues of Personal Identity, in The Last Samurai
One of the most important philosophical discussions resides in the realm of personal identity. This is a concept that define people from an individual to a nation, and even a species as a whole. Interestingly enough, one of the greatest struggles of personal identity is embedded in Japanese history. This philosophical investigation is captured and portrayed in the war-epic film The Last Samurai (2003), directed by Edward Zwick. Furthermore, this film examines personal identity conflicts among many characters and the rising empire of Japan. This film tells a piece of a great story that is often overshadowed in most history textbooks by other larger historical conflicts, through the eyes of the American Army captain Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise). The Last Samurai depicts the events and struggles that Japan endured during the Satsuma Rebellion of 1877 in Japan. Prior to the 19th century, Japan had maintained isolation from foreign Western nations and maintained its distinct culture and tradition over its sacred islands (Hart 236). As the 19th century arrived with the vigorous eruption of rapid modernization of global empires, Japan’s culture and traditions were pressured militarily and economically by the modern empires of the world; including Germany, Great Britain, France, and the United States of America (Hart 237). In turn, this caused Japanese leaders to modernize and become like the foreign “Westerner” empires. This pressure caused a personal identity crisis among Japanese leaders, the public, and foreign people of interest, such as Captain Nathan Algreen. In order to understand situations of personal identity conflicts, it is most beneficial to first have a general understanding of the definition of the term personal identity. There are many philosophers through many eras, that have touched upon the subject of personal identity. A
Film Philosophy
Final Essay
6/1/14
Philosophical Issues of Personal Identity, in The Last Samurai
One of the most important philosophical discussions resides in the realm of personal identity. This is a concept that define people from an individual to a nation, and even a species as a whole. Interestingly enough, one of the greatest struggles of personal identity is embedded in Japanese history. This philosophical investigation is captured and portrayed in the war-epic film The Last Samurai (2003), directed by Edward Zwick. Furthermore, this film examines personal identity conflicts among many characters and the rising empire of Japan. This film tells a piece of a great story that is often overshadowed in most history textbooks by other larger historical conflicts, through the eyes of the American Army captain Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise). The Last Samurai depicts the events and struggles that Japan endured during the Satsuma Rebellion of 1877 in Japan. Prior to the 19th century, Japan had maintained isolation from foreign Western nations and maintained its distinct culture and tradition over its sacred islands (Hart 236). As the 19th century arrived with the vigorous eruption of rapid modernization of global empires, Japan’s culture and traditions were pressured militarily and economically by the modern empires of the world; including Germany, Great Britain, France, and the United States of America (Hart 237). In turn, this caused Japanese leaders to modernize and become like the foreign “Westerner” empires. This pressure caused a personal identity crisis among Japanese leaders, the public, and foreign people of interest, such as Captain Nathan Algreen. In order to understand situations of personal identity conflicts, it is most beneficial to first have a general understanding of the definition of the term personal identity. There are many philosophers through many eras, that have touched upon the subject of personal identity. A