Course Information:
This course is being offered Spring, 2013, and will be offered again Fall, 2014. I will use Blackboard for the day-to-day oepration of the course.
Add-Drop Information:
This course uses an electronic waiting list. For more information,
consult this link.
- Course Description
- Course Requirements
- Course Prerequisites
- Texts
- Download the Spring, 2013, syllabus
- Download the schedule of readings
- Download the Fall, 2013, Syllabus
Course Description:
Existentialism is more than anything else a revolt against excessive abstraction in philosophy and in human life in general. Existentialists see abstraction in the "leveling down" of human life by diverse forces of homogenization, such as universal morality and rationality, mass society, and modern science. In each of these forces existentialists see a threat to human freedom, a threat to the individual’s distinctive identity and her ability to commit herself in her own voice (rather than in the voice of reason or morality or custom) to a life-defining commitment. Although existentialism is just as much literary and cultural as philosophical, in Philosophy 159 we will focus mostly on the philosophical aspect of existentialism. Existentialism is, moreover, a loose philosophical movement, rather than a school of thought. For this reason, we will be looking at several approaches to a group of problems or worries, rather than at the development of a set of doctrines.
We will start with an exploration of some of the basic threats to human freedom felt by the existentialists. We will then explore the philosophical responses to these threats offered by Jean-Paul Sartre, Søren Kierkegaard, and Friedrich Nietzsche. We will conclude the semester with a look at the ethical sources and implications of existentialism.
Course Requirements:
This course will be run partially off Blackboard. Students must check the course's Blackboard page regularly. Most assignments will be posted there, and the Schedule of Readings is posted there.
Students in this course write three short (5-7 pp.) formal papers (details on the syllabus) as well as three even shorter reflection papersassignments.
Late papers (for the formal papers): unexcused unexcused late papers will be graded down one grade step (e.g., B+ to B) per two business days late (weekends count as one business day). Please discuss legitimate excuses with me as early as possible, and consult my blurb on good excuses. Plan in advance!
Late work (for the reflection papers): the shorter assignments are generally designed to complement the reading and discussion in the classroom. For this reason, submitting them late often makes very little sense. I will indicate for each short assignment what the policy will be for late submission.
Attendance policy: Attendance is required. I will keep attendance in order to encourage you to come to class, and if I notice an "attendance problem" emerging, I will discuss it with you. Bear in mind that the readings are difficult and that lecture and class discussion are almost certainly indispensable to your ability to write good papers. Also, some of the shorter assignments will not make a lot of sense apart from the class sessions that set them up. If you do miss a class session, do not request a make-up lecture or review session in my office. Get notes from a classmate.
Course Prerequisites:
In order to enroll in this course, you must have completed one prior philosophy course (either a course numbered 001-099, or the Liberal Arts Seminar). This course is open to philosophy majors, minors, dabblers, tasters, and requirement satisfiers.
If you have taken a First Philosophy course numbered 050-099 or the Liberal Arts Seminar, this course will complete your philosophy requirements. If you have not taken one of these courses, I'm pretty sure this course will not complete your philosophy requirements. For more information on the core requirements in philosophy, click here.
Texts:
- Marino, ed. The Basic Writings of Existentialism. Modern Library.
- Kierkegaard. Fear and Trembling. Hannay, trans. Penguin.
- Nietzsche. The Portable Nietzsche. Kauffmann, trans. Penguin.
For Fall, 2013, I'm modifying the book order:
- Kaufmann, ed. Existentialism from Dostoyevsky to Sartre. Modern Library.
- Kierkegaard. Fear and Trembling. Hannay, trans. Penguin.
- Nietzsche. The Portable Nietzsche. Kauffmann, trans. Penguin.
- Dostoyevsky. The Grand Inquisitor and Related Chapters from "The Brothers Karamazov", ed. Guignon. Hackett.
You may find the books on Amazon here: http://amzn.to/WNco0Y