Course Description

We will explore basic questions of human existence in 19th and 20th Century philosophy and literature in this course. Topics include anxiety and alienation; freedom and responsibility; authenticity and bad faith; individuality and mass society; rationality and the absurd; values and nihilism; and God and meaninglessness

We will pursue questions of the significance of human existence and modernity by exploring the works of European writers and thinkers associated with existentialism. Unlike other "isms", existentialism is not the name of a unified theory, movement or doctrine. Covering a variety of diverse and even incompatible approaches that unfolded during the Nineteenth and Twentieth centuries, existentialism revolves around issues of meaning and meaninglessness, God and the absence of God, individual freedom and social responsibility, despair and affirmation, creativity and conformity, anxiety and calm. We will examine responses to these and other issues by reading and discussing some of the central figures of existentialism in literature (Dostoevsky and Tolstoy) and philosophy (Heidegger, Kierkegaard, Levinas, Nietzsche, Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir). The class format will include lecture, discussion, and individual and group activities.

The primary goals of this course are for students to:

(1) become familiar with major themes and figures in existentialism,
(2) develop skills in applying philosophical reflection to concrete problems,
(3) become proficient at writing essays and other assignments,
(4) detect and address weaknesses in arguments,
(5) collaborate with other students, and
(6) learn how to present and support ideas in public.

ASSIGNMENTS

1. Attendance, participation, in-class (individual or group) assignments: 20% of final grade.

Note that missing classes and not participating in class and group discussions will result in a lower final grade; attending and participating in classes will improve your final grade. There will be oral and written, individual and group, in-class assignments and take-home assignments based on the readings and class-discussion.

2. Four Exams: 80% of final grade.

Exams will be in-class or take-home. Grading will be based on (1) knowing the texts, my analysis and our discussions of them; (2) being able to make your own arguments and interpretations.

Need help? Feel free to talk with me after class, during office hours, or by arrangement. Also check out the following resource: Guide to the Study of Philosophy, http://www.philosophypages.com/sy.htm

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Required Texts

1. BWE: Gordon Marino, Basic Writings of Existentialism (Modern Library Classics; 0375759891)
2. Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil (Oxford; 0192832638)
3. Leo Tolstoy, Death of Ivan Ilyich (Bantam; 0553210351)
4. Martin Heidegger, Basic Writings (HarperSanFrancisco; Rev&Exp edition, 1993; 0060637633)
5. Emmanuel Levinas, Basic Philosophical Writings (Indiana University Press; ISBN: 0253210798)

SCHEDULE

1. Jan 24, 2007: The Question of Existence-Introduction to Existentialism and to the Class

I. Faith, Doubt, and Abjection

2. Jan 26: Søren Kierkegaard, Fear and Trembling. Read BWE: 7-23

3. Jan 29: Søren Kierkegaard, Fear and Trembling. Read BWE: 24-39

4. Jan 31: Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Grand Inquisitor. Read BWE: 231-254

5. Feb 2: Fyodor Dostoevsky, Notes from the Underground. Read BWE: 193-212

6. Feb 5: Fyodor Dostoevsky, Notes from the Underground. Read BWE: 212-230

7. Feb 7: Miguel De Unamuno Y Jugo, Saint Manuel Bueno, Martyr. Read BWE: 257-294. (Take-Home) Exam I due on Feb. 12.

Feb 9: No Class today, work on  (Take-Home) Exam 1.

II. Existing beyond Good and Evil?

8. Feb. 12 Introduction to Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil. Read Preface (pages 3-4)

9. Feb. 14: University Closed because of Weather...

10. Feb. 16: Section 1: On the Prejudices of the Philosophers (pages 5-24)

11. Feb. 20 (Tuesday with Monday schedule): Section 2: The Free Spirit (pages 25-42)

12. Feb. 21: Section 3: The Religious Disposition (pages 43-57)

13. Feb. 23: Section 5: Natural History of Morals (pages 74-92)

III. Living Towards Death

14. Feb 26: Søren Kierkegaard, The Sickness unto Death. Read BWE: 41-57

15. Feb 28: Søren Kierkegaard, The Sickness unto Death. Read BWE: 58-72

16. March 2: Søren Kierkegaard, The Sickness unto Death. Read BWE: 72-88

17. March 5: Søren Kierkegaard, The Sickness unto Death. Read BWE: 89-105

18. March 7:  Leo Tolstoy, The Death of Ivan Ilyich: 31-72 (ch.s 1-4)

19. March 9: Leo Tolstoy, The Death of Ivan Ilyich: 73-113 (ch.s 5-12)

20. March 19: (In-Class) Exam II today!

21. March 21: Martin Heidegger, Being and Time. Read BWE: 299-312

22-23. March 23 and 26: Heidegger, Being and Time. Read BWE: 299-325 and In-Class Assignment

24. March 28: Martin Heidegger, Being and Time. Read BWE: 325-236

IV. Ambiguous Freedom

25. March 30: Jean-Paul Sartre, Existentialism. Read BWE: 341-354

26. April 2: Jean-Paul Sartre, Existentialism. Read BWE: 354-367

27. April 4: Bad Faith and Play Acting. Jean-Paul Sartre, Being and Nothingness. Read BWE: 369-373 and 380-390

29. April 9: Simone de Beauvoir, from The Ethics of Ambiguity. Read BWE: 413-424

30. April 11: Simone de Beauvoir, Introduction to The Second Sex (1949): Woman as Other available online at:

http://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/ethics/de-beauvoir/2nd-sex/introduction.htm

31. April 13: Review and Take Home Exam III due in-class on April 18.

April 16: Monday, Patriot's Day (University Closed)

V. Beyond Existentialism? The Later Heidegger and Levinas

32-33. April 18 (EXAM DUE) and 20: Martin Heidegger, "Letter on Humanism" in Basic Writings, read pp. 217-230.

34-35. April 23 and 25: Martin Heidegger, "Letter on Humanism" in Basic Writings, read pp. 230-265.

April 27, Friday: University Day (No Classes)

36. April 30: Emmanuel Levinas, "Is Ontology Fundamental?" in Basic Philosophical Writings, read pp. 1-10.

37. May 2: Emmanuel Levinas, "Truth of Disclosure and the Truth of Testimony" in Basic Philosophical Writings, read pp. 97-108.

39. May 7: Emmanuel Levinas, "God and Philosophy" in Basic Philosophical Writings, read pp. 129-140

40. May 9: Emmanuel Levinas, "God and Philosophy" pages 140 -148 & Course Evaluations & (Take-Home) Exam IV

41. May 16: (Take-Home) Exam IV Due!