*****Spoilers Ahead*****
In the midst of a sparring session toward the beginning of the film, Yon-Rogg (Jude Law) advises Vers on technique (aka Carol Danvers, aka Captain Marvel, aka Brie Larson). “Control…” Yon-Rogg says to the visibly flustered Marvel, “think with this [pointing to her head], rather than this [pointing to her heart].” Capt Marvel’s emotion is brought up throughout the film, pitting the two schools of thought against one another: the cold reason of Yon-Rogg vs the emotional of Vers.
Marvel’s emotions are presented as something that needs to be controlled or suppressed, with the Kree going so far as to implant an emotional suppressor behind her ear. The Kree, an alien race ruled by an A.I., do not value emotion. Marvel on the other hand, finds strength in her emotions over the course of the film, and even a direct correlation between her emotions and her humanity.
Captain Marvel promotes values often overlooked, or outright dismissed in societies such as our own, which have embraced our patriarchal past. Since ancient Greece, the western tradition has promoted a form of rationality, void of emotional context, as an overarching “Good.” As a result, emotions are treated as “base instincts,” and ones which should be avoided or suppressed.
The question that Captain Marvel poses to the viewer is precisely this: Should we accept this form of emotionless rationality? The film’s answer is pretty clear: NO!... But, why?
As you may or may not know, I am deeply interested in the history and philosophy of science. So, one aspect of the film I found interesting was the depiction of the A.I. ruler. The “Supreme Intelligence” represents the physical embodiment of the concept of emotionless reason. And what is the result? A highly advanced technological society, yes, but one which is predicated upon genocidal tendencies.
These genocidal tendencies manifest in two ways. The first (***MAJOR SPOLIER***), and most obvious, comes in the form of the galactic extermination of the Skrull. The second, as NewRockstars host Erik Voss points out, comes from the comic when the supreme intelligence tries to purify the Kree race.[1] This reeks of ideas held by a failed German art student (aka the biggest douche-bag in history, aka Adolf “I declared war on the United States for no reason” Hitler, aka Adolf “I invaded Russia in the winter” Hitler, aka Adolf “all of my best scientists were Jewish” Hitler, aka, okay, I’ll stop now). The problem of A.I. reasoning is a serious philosophical issue (see Gregory Scott’s “paperclip problem”).[2]
Of course, this problem is not limited to A.I., but to society as a whole. If the twentieth century is any indication of the problems we will face in the twenty-first, then what sort of values are we going to promote?
Michael Granado (aka, A Front Porch Philosopher) and Night Nurse
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPXDl-HRjlk
[2] https://anotherscienceblog.blogspot.com/2019/03/bill-nye-you-dont-get-ai.html?fbclid=IwAR0SRTV5_8H4kKKtv6D2mH8P4Jqbwx0GVoy2pEYgDvB64Ds9KGUATjDAVu0
