Friday the 13th of March was a lucky night for sci-fi fans at Skyline College. Students from Professor Marisa Maccaro’s philosophy classes teamed up with the new student club Philosophers Without Order for a mind-bending screening of the classic dystopian film The Matrix (1999), co-hosted by the Skyline College Library at the Intercultural Center.
Fueled by giant Costco pizzas and “definitely-not-from-the-Oracle” chocolate chip hazelnut cookies (courtesy of college librarian Jessica), attendees enjoyed the film and then dove into its big questions. With the exception of Shine Aung, president of Philosophers Without Order—who believes knowledge is not supremely valuable—everyone in attendance claimed they would take the red pill.
While The Matrix isn’t directly based on a single book, it draws heavy inspiration from William Gibson’s cyberpunk classic Neuromancer—which you’ll soon be able to check out at Skyline College Library. Missed the screening? Stream the Library’s copy for free using your OneLogin credentials. Curious to explore more philosophy or join or support Philosophers Without Order? Drop by the Library to browse the philosophy stacks (B: General Philosophy; BC: Logic; BD: “Speculative Philosophy”; BH: Aesthetics; BJ: Ethics) and reach out to Prof. Maccaro at maccarom@smccd.edu. You, too, can take the red pill into deeper thinking!
Article by Jessica Silver-Sharp & Marisa Maccaro
