Final Fantasy and Philosophy: The Ultimate Walkthrough (22 page)

INDEX

Game Tips

Advent Children

Lifestream concept in

objectification in

viewers’ passivity in

Aeris Gainsborough, in
Final Fantasy VII

convergence under

nihilism of

virtues of

afterlife

effects of belief in

as goal of religion

Age of Enlightenment

Aizawa Seishisai

Aki Ross, in
The Spirits Within

“Alternative Possibilities and Moral Responsibility” (Frankfurt)

altruism,
vs.
self-interest

of characters

in maximizing happiness

of players

anthropocentric worldviews

apocalypse

Aquinas, Thomas

Aristotle

on morality

on objectification

art

attention to details in

experience viewing

in
Final Fantasy
series

judging quality of

perceptions of

quality of

relation to morality

authenticity, Cloud’s

authority

characters’ missions against

Hobbes on

rule-breaking by players

slave
vs.
master morality and

autonomy

AVALANCHE

destruction of Mako reactors by

Shinra
vs.

Bacon, Francis

Barret Wallace, in
Final Fantasy VII

Barthes, Roland

Bartz, in
Final Fantasy V

beauty, perceptions of

Beyond Good and Evil
(Nietzsche)

biology, and personality

Black Mages, in
Final Fantasy IX

Blade Runner

Braska, in
Final Fantasy VII

Calm, in
Final Fantasy X

capitalism

in
Final Fantasy VII

invading Japan

Shinra compared to

See also
class struggle

Captain Gray, in
The Spirits Within

causal-historical theory, of names

Cetra (Ancients)

Chappu, in
Final Fantasy X

character

choice of

moderation as virtue in

morality based on

characters

Aristotle’s opinion of

customization of

evolution of

of
Final Fantasy VII

of
Final Fantasy XI Online

frivolity of

identification with

intelligence of

morality of

multiple playable

players’ identification with

proper functions of, compared to humans’

relation to authority

self-interest
vs.
altruism of

signifiers of

virtues of

Chocobo races

Cid, in
The Spirits Within

on fighting Phantoms

on Gaia

Cid, name used in many games

class struggle

in
Final Fantasy

morality and

values of nobility
vs.
peasants

Cloud Strife, as same person in two games

definite description of

Cloud Strife, in
Final Fantasy VII

authenticity of

compared to Superman

evolution of character

female companion of

goals of

identity crisis of

mystery about

name as rigid designator of

players’ identification with

preset signifiers of

reinterpretation of

relation to the world

self-interest
vs.
altruism of

as SOLDIER

Cloud Strife, in
Final Fantasy VIII

conceptual analysis

A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy
(Marx)

Crisis Core,
reinterpretation of signifiers in

Crystal Chronicles

cultural invasion

in
Final Fantasy VII

of Japan

responses to

death

fear of

in
Final Fantasy IX

morality and

Descartes, René

descriptivism

direct reference theory, of names

Dirge of Cerberus

The Discourses
(Machiavelli)

Dostoyevsky, Fyodor

Ecce Homo
(Nietzsche)

ecology

apocalypse and

Gaia concept in

organicist concepts in

Ellone, in
Final Fantasy VIII

Emperor, in
Final Fantasy VI

energy

from Lifestream

spirit and
kami

environment

anthropocentric worldviews
vs.

apocalypse and

Final Fantasy VII
as ecological metaphor

human damage to

human interactions with

in Shinto spirituality

Epicurus

Essay on the Principle of Population
(Malthus)

existentialism

in
Final Fantasy VII

godlessness of

Kefka’s

nihilism
vs.

responsibility in

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. See The Spirits Within

Final Fantasy
series

bad or ambiguous endings in

Cid, name used in many games in

class struggle in

connections among

Final Fantasy VII
in development of

good qualities of

political structure of society in

popularity of

quality of art in

solo games
vs. Final Fantasy XI Online

violence in

Final Fantasy
universe, multiple avenues into

Final Fantasy I

Final Fantasy III

Final Fantasy VI

Final Fantasy VII

capitalism in

characters in

cinematography of

compared to
Superman

ecological concepts in

ecoterrorists in

nihilism in

Shinto spirituality in

specialness of

Final Fantasy VIII

Final Fantasy IX

Final Fantasy X

Final Fantasy X-2

Final Fantasy XI Online

morality of characters in

players of

solo games
vs.

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. See Advent Children

fossil fuels, Mako’s similarity to

Foucault, Michel

Four Warriors of Light.
See
Light Warriors

Frankfurt, Harry

freedom

free will

of Heroes

predestination
vs.

responsibility from

Gage, Phineas

Gaia

Dr. Cid on

in
Final Fantasy

Lifestream concept and

vital principles of

“the Gaia hypothesis”

game, the

efforts to beat

incentives to finish

Superman 64
as broken

gamers

vs.
players

See also
players

Garland, in
Final Fantasy IX

on memories as eternal

Gee, James Paul

God, in predestination
vs.
free will

Guardian Forces (GFs)

happiness

death and

maximizing

objective value of

Harootunian, Harry

Heidegger, Martin

Hein, in
The Spirits Within

on Gaia

on nature and environment

Heroes

Kefka
vs.

lack of thanks for

missions of

predestination of

self-interest
vs.
altruism

social change efforts of

history

individuals’ ability to change

Marx on

of names

Hobbes, Thomas

on authority

on self-interest

Hojo

in
Final Fantasy VII

in
The Spirits Within

holism
vs.
organicism

homeostatic systems, Gaia as

Hourigan, Ben

Hume, David

on art’s relation to morality

on judging art

hypothetical imperative

identification, of players with characters

identity statements

Inoue Nissho

in purification of Jenova influence

insanity

of Kefka Palazzo

labels as means of control

linked to depravity

responses to

as veiled wisdom

interpretations, of signifiers

Japan

allegorized

cultural invasion of

kami
to preserve heritage of

modernization in

Jenkins, Henry

Jenova, in
Final Fantasy VII

effects of

efforts to revive

Jenova trying to take over

Just War Theory

Kabbalism, Sephiroth from

Kadaj

Kafka

kami
concept, in Shinto spirituality

Kant, Immanuel

Kantians

Kasulis, Thomas

Kazushige Nojima

Kefka Palazzo, in
Final Fantasy VI

existentialism of

experimentation on

madness of

metamorphosis of

relationship with humanity and Moogledom

struggle against

as Übermensch

Kripke, Saul

Kuja, in
Final Fantasy IX

destroying source of life

Vivi Orunitia created by

labels, influence of

Large, Stephen

Leviathan
(Hobbes)

Lifestream concept

compared to
kami

Gaia and

literal
vs.
metaphorical descriptions of

Light Warriors

ability to change society

predestination of

Lovelock, James

Lucretia, in
Final Fantasy VII

Lukahn, in
Final Fantasy I

Machiavelli, Niccolò

political writings of

on religion

Mad Max

Madness and Civilization
(Foucault)

magic

control of

technology
vs.

Mako reactors

Malthus, Thomas

Margulis, Lynn

Marlboro, the

Marlene Wallace, in
Advent Children

Marx, Karl

on history

on proletariat

on social change

master-slave relationships

meaning

lacking for Kefka

learning to live without

source of

mechanism.
See
reductionism
vs.
mechanism

memories, as eternal

Middle Ages, insanity in

Midgar, in
Final Fantasy VII

Mill, John Stuart

mini-quests

MMORPG,
Final Fantasy XI Online
as

modernization

in Japan

Shinto spirituality on

monsters/WEAPONS, choice of battling or not

Moogles, as true proletarians

morality

action-based
vs.
character-based

Aristotle on

art’s relation to

class struggle and

development of concept of good and evil in

ethical decision making

of
Final Fantasy
characters

of
Final Fantasy
players

immorality and

inconsistencies in
Final Fantasy
series

inversion of

knowledge in

maximizing happiness as

moderation in

need to decide own values

Nietzsche on

of nobility
vs.
peasants

on objectification

rational justifications for

responsibility in

sacrifice of innocents in utilitarianism

self-interest
vs.
altruism in

of slave
vs.
master

utilitarian

of Vivi Orunitia

names

causal-historical theory of

direct reference theory of

intuitions about

as rigid designators

significance of

nature

in Shinto spirituality

technology
vs.

See also
environment

Necron, in
Final Fantasy IX

New Theses
(Seishisai)

Nicomachean Ethics
(Aristotle)

Nietzsche, Friedrich

existentialism of

on morality

on religion

on Übermensch

virtue ethics of

nihilism

existentialism
vs.

in
Final Fantasy VII

objectification

in
Advent Children

moral theories on

permission to be used in

On Bullshit
(Frankfurt)

On the Genealogy of Morals
(Nietzsche)

organicism.
See
holism
vs.
organicism

perceptions, relation to objects’ qualities

Phantoms

philosophy, analysis of concepts in

places, signifiers of

players

customization of characters by

of
Final Fantasy XI Online

gamers
vs.

identification with characters

morality of

PlayStation, new capabilities of

politics, religion serving

The Politics
(Aristotle)

power

Heroes’ missions against

as highest virtue