I have no idea what philosophical questions will be raised in this eppy, guys. Social contract, perhaps? It may be more about psychology, as in why Kate feels the need to run. Most of you will see it before I will, so feel free to add any of your thoughts here. :)

I've been waiting for this, TR. I initially thought, "Fight or Flight," but you're right (which rhymes), that's more of a psychological aspect than philosophical. Social Contract from the POV of Hobbes or Rousseau, but NO MORE JOHN LOCKE! He had to be the most LONG-WINDED philosopher of all time - he should have been dubbed a lawyer rather than a philosopher. Kate, being a woman, could be looked upon to justify her actions by way of Wollstonecraft, Stanton, Anthony, et al. But judging by the way they pulled the mat out from under us on Locke's handicap, they probably will only give us a shadow of Kate's past, rather than a full picture. That leaves us with categorical imperative, excusability, hard-, soft-, or in-determinism, or we could just slide into existentialism. What ism does Kate use to justify her actions? Whose lives has she touched by her actions (Buddhist ethics)? Why and how did she kill someone? Was the Marshall a real Marshall? He seemed to take things very personally. Did Kate bring down the plane? I would think that's out of the question, if she's so eager to get off the island. And she is eager - staying on the beach rather than going to the cave. She either has a legal justification of her actions, or she wants to check on someone. I would think the latter, since she purposely "lost" herself in Australia.

But my guess is - as usual, we will be left with more questions than answers.

BB,

Vilya

Born to Run? “Flight or Fight”? what about choosing the 3rd alternative of hide? Based on her being a fugitive, due to the bank heist, we picture Kate as being on the run. But what if that is only part of her reason for being on the move instead of just going into hiding? After all the island provides her with a hiding place/home far from law enforcement. Could she also wish to travel because she is still seeking someone or something? Do we know if she has ever been able to settle down in one place? She was raised as a military brat so perhaps she has never internalized a desire to sink in roots and stay in one place? Sawyer would also strike me as a traveling man. Is there a Philosophical theory covering those afflicted with wanderlust? or the eternal quest to see what's over the next hill? Go where no man has gone before oops wrong show :-[

But judging by the way they pulled the mat out from under us on Locke's handicap, they probably will only give us a shadow of Kate's past, rather than a full picture . . .

. . . Whose lives has she touched by her actions (Buddhist ethics)?

Vilya



Hey Vilya, good to see ya!

I agree, where being led down a specific trail here. We usually end up identifying more with a character after their flashbacks, but in Kate's case, they seem to be wanting us to doubt our first impression and think less of her. So there's 3 possibilites: 1) she's actually "bad" and we were reading her wrong all this time, 2) there will be a twist, and we'll find she's totally justified in her actions, or 3) she not "bad", just falsely accused, but unjustifed in her actions, specifically those like the one that caused Tom's death. Considering the writer's propensity for showing flawed characters, I'm leaning toward #3. ;)

I was curious about the Buddhist ethics -- did you mean Karma? That every action has a reaction?



Born to Run? “Flight or Fight”? what about choosing the 3rd alternative of hide? Based on her being a fugitive, due to the bank heist, we picture Kate as being on the run.

Vilya's right, it's fight or flight -- flight is a form of hiding, I'd think.


Could she also wish to travel because she is still seeking someone or something?

I like that idea, but the fact that the eppy is titled Born to RUN, I'm thinking they're pushing the running angle more than the chasing angle.


Is there a Philosophical theory covering those afflicted with wanderlust? or the eternal quest to see what's over the next hill? Go where no man has gone before oops wrong show :-[


:lol2:

What if Kate is "cursed" like the numbers and knows that extensive contact will bring harm to those close to her?

Then, for 'The Greater Good', she would be bound to run at all times. It would explain her secretiveness, being a fugitive from the law, and continuing to run even when endangering others. It would even explain her mother's terror.

I was curious about the Buddhist ethics -- did you mean Karma?* That every action has a reaction?

Yeah, TR. The whole "Net of Indra" thing. Maybe the whole premise of this show is that these people have crossed paths in the past, and need to work out their karma with one another. The idea that one's actions causes a ripple in the pond that affects the entire pond. Or...maybe a kind of Keyser Soze thing. Which means that whoever arranged for this little "experiment" is one of the castaways.

I think the "wanderlust" thing would come under the heading of either Psychology (Jungian) or Mythology. Bringing me back to the whole "who's the fool?" archetype thing. My HEAD HURTS!

BB,

Vilya

AND SHE VAULTS OUT OF BAGGAGE AND INTO COACH! (Cheers!) Out of nasty little baggage (claustrophobic - eck!) and into roomy coach (BOO-YA!).

Your ever humble,

Vilya

Congratulations Vilya!!!* *Coach IS the safest part of the plane.* ;)



Yeah, TR. The whole "Net of Indra" thing. Maybe the whole premise of this show is that these people have crossed paths in the past, and need to work out their karma with one another. The idea that one's actions causes a ripple in the pond that affects the entire pond.

Yeah, that would make sense, Vilya.* If their connection to each other has any meaning, it would seem to lie in one of two possibilities.* Either it's the Kaiser Soze angle as you said - they've been brought together, and perhaps connected, by some other person or force (ie. the island), or it's the whole "Net of Indra" scenario - they have affected each other on the outside, so now it's coming together here to correct itself, as it were.


On other thing on the topic of their connection, the writers have been saying everything will be explainable, save one.* Of all the things to explain, their connection would be the most difficult.* To explain the connection, they would have to either explain the "Kaiser Soze" figure, and it would be difficult to believe someone could have enough control over a plane crash to make certain people survive on a certain location 30,000 feet below.* Unlikely.* Or they'd have to explain the "Net of Indra", and that is really up to belief - unprovable.

So my thinking is, if there is ONE thing they won't be able to explain, it may just be the connection they share, then again, they may just chalk it up to coincidence.*

~ ~ ~

Red, that would be interesting - maybe they're ALL cursed. :o

Well, there's a philosophical/ metaphysical question if I ever heard of one.

Cursed implies some degree of predestination. Lost (as Ian Somerhalder and Daniel Dae Kim have pointed out in the past) is all about the existential circumstances in which these people find themselves and how it affects who they are. In "Numbers" we saw a character totally dismiss the idea of curses and instead say that it's the choices we make in reaction to tragedy that control our lives. How much of what goes on is free will and how much is "bad luck?" This question was definitely raised, and not at all responded to, in this ep.