Culture, privilege, love and honor are all topics that will be discussed during the Rogues and Heroes seminar this week. Hosted by the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, the panel will consist of  Physics Professor Bruce Palmquist, Associate Professor of Philosophy and Chair of the Philosophy and Religious Studies Department Matthew Altman, Cindy Coe, professor of philosophy & religious studies and Associate Professor of Math Dominic Klyve.

The purpose of the event is to discuss the significance of Disney’s “Rouge One: A Star War’s Story.”

Each professor brings their own perspective to the event, having varied backgrounds in a number of different fields.

“In my teaching and research, I focus mostly on ethics and the history of philosophy. I plan to talk primarily about the ethical issues raised in the films. Specially, I’m going to talk about how, in the newer movies, the moral rightness of the Rebellion is complicated and called into question: the clarity of the opposition between good and evil gets blurred in a way that it isn’t blurred in episodes one through six,” said Altman.

Coe hopes to bring new insight on the films by asking heaving hitting questions such as, “Philosophy is a discipline in which we confront some of the most central questions of human existence: what is good and evil? Am I free or is there such a thing as destiny?”

Altman and Coe hope looking through different lenses will hopefully give students the opportunity to see the Star Wars universe in a new light. Regardless of whether or not  students are fans of the franchise, they will be able to attach different philosophical theories to the context of the film.  Coe said she is not a fan in the traditional sense–meaning she does not have the films plot lines and back stories memorized–but she is a fan of the characters.  

“I am captivated by the stories and characters — especially  Episodes IV-VI, The Force Awakens, and Rogue.  So those are the films that I’ll focus on in my remarks,” Coe said.

Altman stated, “Yes, I am a Star Wars fan. I still have all the figures, ships and other paraphernalia that I collected when I was a kid.”

Being a fan of the movies helps Altman understand how compelling the stories are, meaning he understands and respects the seriousness of the films, and discuss the cultural significance of them in greater detail.

Having less background knowledge helps Coe look at the movies from a more objective perspective, one where her love for the films and characters will not cloud her judgment of the cultural themes throughout.  She and Altman agree that having a mix of fans and non-fans creates a more level playing field and will lead to many interesting discussions at this week’s event.

“Students should attend because they will see how philosophical, religious, and scientific themes play out in the Star Wars universe. It will give them a new appreciation of the relevance of these academic disciplines to our everyday lives and to pop culture,” Altman said.

CWU’s Rogues and Heroes panel will take place tonight Jan. 25 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in Black Hall room 151 and is free to the public.