"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" is one of the most widely discussed and thought-provoking films of recent years. Exploring a future where it is possible to have memories erased, it raises many intriguing and important philosophical questions spanning ethics, personal identity, the emotions and philosophy of mind. This is the first book to explore and address the philosophical aspects of "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind".
Beginning with a helpful introduction that places the film in context, specially commissioned chapters examine the following topics: the role of memory in personal identity and understanding one's own life; philosophical issues surrounding love and friendship; the morality of forgetting and formulating judgements based on past events; the idea of care and the morality of imagination; distortion of past events and memories in relation to philosophical questions about rationality; and, philosophical questions about self-knowledge and knowing the minds of others. Including a list of further reading, this volume is essential reading for students interested in philosophy and film studies.