Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is one of the most widely discussed and thoughtprovoking films of recent years. Bringing together the innovative visual creativity of director Michel Gondry and the trenchant intelligence of screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, the film explores a future where it is possible to have memories erased, and raises many intriguing and important philosophical questions spanning ethics, the emotions, philosophy of mind, and the aesthetics of motion pictures.

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 each essay in context, specially commissioned chapters examine the following topics:

• Philosophical issues surrounding love, friendship, affirmation and repetition

• The role of memory (and the emotions) in personal identity and decisionmaking

• The morality of imagination and ethical importance of memory

• Philosophical questions about self-knowledge and knowing the minds of

others

• The aesthetics of the film considered in relation to Gondry’s other works

and issues in the philosophy of perception

Including a foreword by Michel Gondry and a list of further reading, this volume is essential reading for students interested in philosophy and film studies.