PHI344/REL353: Existentialism

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Existentialism embraces a wide range of thinkers—from the desperately religious to the vehemently atheistic. This course reflects upon central writers associated with the movement as well as voices that complicate the central idea of existentialism, i.e., that humans are wholly responsible in determining their own identity and destiny.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

  • Learn the basic tenants of the philosophy of existentialism, e.g., freedom, anxiety and despair, bad faith and authenticity
  • Understand some of the central figures associated with the existentialist movement (and a few others not generally associated with existentialism)
  • Critically engage the ideas and figures and their relevance in our current context, especially the growing concerns about the weakening of democratic commitments and institutions and the emerging consciousness of systemic gender and racial injustice

REQUIRED TEXTS

The following materials are required reading for the course.  Texts are available in the bookstore.
  • Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex (Vintage, 2011)
  • Frantz Fanon, Black Skin, White Masks (Grove, 2008)
  • Martin Heidegger, The Concept of Time (Continuum, 2011)
  • Søren Kierkegaard, The Sickness Unto Death (Princeton University, 1980)
  • Friedrich Nietzsche, The Portable Nietzsche (Penguin, 1954)
  • **Other electronic resources

EXPECTATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

Attendance and Participation: My basic assumption is that we are mutually dedicated to the common cause of education conceived as the advancement of critical thinking.  Because of this basic assumption, I assume that you will come to class prepared and ready to participate in class discussion.  This means, first, that you will have completed assigned readings prior to the class meeting.  (Many of the readings are difficult and I do not expect you to understand them completely; I do, however, expect you to engage the material seriously and to ask about anything you do not understand.)  Second, I expect that you will be ready and willing to discuss the material, i.e., to raise questions, criticisms, thoughts, etc.  Class participation is worth 10 points toward your final grade.  I also assume that you will be in attendance and on time to all class sessions, barring unforeseen circumstances.  Each unexcused absense will result in subtraction of 1 point (10%) from your final general participation grade.  (Note: Attendance is not the same thing as participation.)
Exams: You will take three examinations over the course of the term focusing on the material for the particular sections of the course. Exams are worth 20 points each.
Term project: You will complete a research project on a topic of your choice. The term project must incorporate independent research outside the course material. There are two basic options for this project.
  • Option 1 is a well-written, 10-12 page research paper that treats a particular idea or thinker relevant to the philosophy of existentialism. The paper must include a properly formatted bibliography of all material used for the paper.
  • Option 2 is a creative project addressing a particular idea or thinker relevant to the philosophy of existentialism. Creative projects can take any form (visual art, poetry, fiction, etc.), but must incorporate independent research and be accompanied with a 5-7 page, written component that translates the creative project into the course matter. The written component must include a properly formatted bibliography of all research material used for the paper.
The term project must be approved by me. Plan to come an meet with me to talk about the project before the Spring break. The term project grade will be broken into the following components:
  • An outline for a research paper or detailed description of a creative project due after the Spring break (5 points)
  • A bibliography of outside research due by the end of week 10 (15 points)
  • The final, complete term project due the last day of classes (25 points)

GRADING

A total of 100 points is possible for the class.  The point breakdown is as follows: class participation = 10 points; exams = 60 points (20 points each); term project = 30 points. The grading scale is as follows:
93-100: A
90-92: A-
87-89: B+
83-86: B
80-82: B-
77-79: C+
73-76: C
70-72: C-
60-69: D
below 60: U
**Grading policy: While grades are important, they are secondary to learning. I offer the opportunity to redo assignments where possible. In order to redo an assignment, you and I must agree to a process that accomplishes the goal of learning and a deadline for submission of the assignment. (You cannot redo an assignment to avoid a late penalty.) Redoing an assignment will guarantee you a grade increase of one grade-step for that assignment (e.g., from a C to a C+), provided you follow through with our agreement, and more if your work merits it. Exams are excluded from this policy.

ACADEMIC HONESTY

With regard to academic honesty, the Centre College Catalogue states:
“A high standard of academic honesty is expected of students in all phases of academic work and college life. Academic dishonesty in any form is a fundamental offense against the integrity of the entire academic community and is always a threat to the standards of the College and to the standing of every student. In taking tests and examinations, doing homework or laboratory work, and writing papers, students are expected to perform with honor. In written and oral work for college courses, students will be held responsible for knowing the difference between proper and improper use of source materials. The improper use of source materials is plagiarism and, along with other breaches of academic integrity, is subject to disciplinary action. . . . If the instructor has a concern about a student’s academic honesty, the Associate Dean of the College must be notified” (“Academic Honesty/Dishonesty,” Centre College Catalogue).
The Academic Honesty policy will be strictly upheld.

IN-CLASS COMPUTER USE

Unless you can produce valid documentation indicating that you must use a computer to take class notes, laptops and notebook computers may not be used in class. This is for two principle reasons:
  • Handwriting your class notes is a more active and engaged process, and hence is a more effective means of organizing class discussions than typing them.
  • The tendency toward multitasking during class, i.e., checking email, updating Facebook, etc., inevitably causes students to miss important material.
Unless informed otherwise, computers must remain stowed in the offposition until the class has come to a safe stop at the conclusion of the period.

COURSE OUTLINE

Blaise Pascal

Soren Kierkegaard

2/8: Despair
  • READ: The Sickness Unto Death, pp. 5-28

2/13: The synthesis of despair
  • READ: The Sickness Unto Death, pp. 29-74

2/15: Despair is sin
  • READ: The Sickness Unto Death, pp. 77-104

2/20: The continuance of sin
  • READ: The Sickness Unto Death, pp. 105-131

Friedrich Nietzsche

2/27: Morality is self-negation
  • READ: The Portable Nietzsche, pp. 463-505

2/29: Twilight of the idols
  • READ: The Portable Nietzsche, pp. 541-63

W.E.B. DuBois

Martin Heidegger

3/14: What is Dasein
  • READ: The Concept of Time, pp. 11-36

3/26: Dasein and historicity
  • READ: The Concept of Time, pp. 37-88

Jean-Paul Sartre

3/28: Being precedes essence

Albert Camus

4/2: Imagining Sisyphus happy

Paul Tillich

Frantz Fanon

4/16: The experience of colonization
  • READ: Black Skin, White Masks, pp. xi-23, 64-88

4/18: The experience of blackness
  • READ: Black Skin, White Masks, pp. 89-119

4/23: The demand for recognition
  • READ: Black Skin, White Masks, pp. 185-206

Simone de Beauvoir

4/25: The myth of woman
  • READ: The Second Sex, pp. 3-17, 148-56, 266-74

4/30: Woman’s experience
  • READ: The Second Sex, pp. 283-312, 341-60

5/2: Woman’s situation and character
  • READ: The Second Sex, pp. 638-64

5/7: The liberated woman
  • READ: The Second Sex, pp. 721-66

5/9: Third exam