Introduction
When James Cameron directed the creation of Avatar, he thoroughly incorporated various philosophical concepts into it. Despite the film’s particular reliance on its graphical aspect, it cannot be solely considered visual entertainment due to the number of moral and value-based questions it raises. In this context, the film’s context is filled with transcendental and theistic concepts such as the purpose of life and nature, supported by indirect biblical references.
Worldviews Depicted in the Avatar Characters
Transcendentalism
The most apparent worldview depicted in Avatar is transcendentalism. Its core belief implies that all people are inherently good and generous, whereas society and its structures promote corruption, egoism, and manipulation (Ansari & Jahantigh, 2019). This is reflected in the main film’s conflict: human society against the Na’vi, the indigenous population of the Pandora planet where the action occurs (Cameron, 2009). Although the former is illustrated as a highly advanced society, most humans are also mercantile, disrespectful, and egocentric.
Conversely, Na’vi live in a traditional society and in harmony with nature; despite their lack of technology, they display high spiritual and moral values (Cameron, 2009). Nature, as such, is fundamental in this context since transcendentalists greatly emphasize its aesthetic and spiritual value (Meehan, 2020). Moreover, transcendentalists see nature as one of the ways to become closer to God, namely, as its vessel (Meehan, 2020). This alignment is demonstrated by the example of Eywa, which is believed to connect all living beings to Pandora.
Theism
The belief of the Na’vi in Eywa can be considered a particular form of theism. As the film’s protagonist describes, Eywa is “a network of energy that flows through all living things” (Cameron, 2009, 01:11:10–01:11:14). This network establishes a deep connection between Na’vi and the forest they live in. Furthermore, it establishes a purpose of life for every living being on Pandora: “All energy is only borrowed, and one day you have to give it back” (Cameron, 2009, 01:11:16–01:11:20).
In many ways, it is pretty similar to how transcendentalists explain the concept of nature, as they too believe that God is present in every person and object (Gao, 2020). However, Avatar makes this connection more literal due to the Na’vi’s ability to interact with Eywa through receptors hidden in their hair (Cameron, 2009). This is partly why humans view Pandora as a mere resource hub—they cannot connect with and witness Eywa’s existence.
Biblical Worldview
Na’vi’s desire to protect nature at any cost can be considered a reflection of the biblical worldview. According to the Bible, God did not surrender his ownership rights when he decided to share this world with his children: “Everything belongs to God; he is the owner” (NIV, 2011, Psalm 24:1). Consequently, personal ownership is nothing more than stewardship bestowed by his will. This implies responsibility for preserving anything in people’s possession (Carradus et al., 2020). Moreover, it does not only concern material objects but also other living species as well. Namely, people were responsible for caring for other God’s creations (NIV, 2011, Gen 2:15).
In Avatar, Cameron purposefully exaggerates the contemporary situation on Earth to illustrate humans’ neglect of this responsibility. When the protagonist prays to Eywa in hope of her support, he says, “See the world we come from. There’s no green there. They (humans) killed their mother” (Cameron, 2009, 02:22:43–02:22:51). This way, the director draws attention to current environmental concerns and how human society develops.
Conclusion
Overall, Avatar’s philosophical richness, represented by transcendentalism, theism, and biblical reflections, elevates this film above average sci-fi and fantasy art pieces. The film’s emphasis on nature represents transcendentalism, people’s connection to it, and its godlike source. The latter implies a particular form of theism that manifests in the interconnectedness of all living beings and the planet itself. Na’vi’s responsibility for preserving nature reflects the biblical perspective on ownership and attitude toward other species on Earth. This gives the film’s viewers an exaggerated example of human society’s future to contemplate and draw conclusions.
References
Ansari, A., & Jahantigh, H. (2019). Evokers of the Divine Message: Mysticism of American Transcendentalism in Emerson’s “Nature” and the Mystic Thought in Rumi’s Masnavi. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 9(11), 1442-1448. Web.
Cameron, J. (2009). Avatar [Film]. 20th Century Fox.
Carradus, A., Zozimo, R., & Discua Cruz, A. (2020). Exploring a faith-led open-systems perspective of stewardship in family businesses. Journal of Business Ethics, 163(4), 701-714. Web.
Gao, S. (2020). Nature, wilderness, and supreme goodness: A comparative study of transcendentalism and Confucianism. Environmental Ethics, 42(3). Web.
Meehan, S. R. (2020). The keys of power: The rhetoric and politics of transcendentalism by Nathan Crick. Rhetoric & Public Affairs, 23(3), 632-634. Web.
NIV. (2011). The Holy Bible: New international version. Hodder & Stoughton.