Existentialism
Philosophy 325
Course Syllabus
Fall 2003
Linda Martín Alcoff
Office: 523 Hall of Languages
Mailbox: 541 Hall of Languages
Phone: 443-2519
Office Hours: Mondays 4:30-6:00 and by appointment
Course Objectives:
Existentialism developed in the 20th century as an attempt to come to terms with the inaccessibility of God, the amorality of the universe, and the uncertainty of life’s meaning. How can human beings live in such a condition without falling into despair?
The purpose of this course is to acquaint students with the historical development of existentialist philosophy through the writings of Søren Kierkegaard and Friedrich Nietzsche, and to analyse one particular version of existentialism in some depth: that of Jean-Paul Sartre's. We will look at the important contributions that existentialist philosophy made to the analysis of specific social problems: esp., anti-semitism and racism. We will also look at how Sartre used existentialism to develop a new form of Marxism with more attention to the individual.
Procedure:
The class will consist of both lectures and discussions. Lectures will provide general explication of the texts and a historical setting for the ideas, and class discussion will focus on further explorations of the texts and evaluations of the ideas.
Requirements:
All students must come to class prepared to discuss the day's reading. Students must participate in class discussions in order to facilitate their understanding of the material and to engage in active philosophical analysis and evaluation. Class participation will count 10% of your final grade, but quality as well as quantity will be judged.
There will be two in-class exams and one final take-home exam. These will involve short answer and essay questions and will all be based on the reading assignments. Dates are given in the reading schedule below.
There will be a film night on November 10. Attendance is required, and if students write a one page analysis of the film, they will get extra credit.
Final grades will be tabulated as follows: class participation: 10%; in class exams: 30% each; final exam: 30%.
Students who miss no more than 2 classes during the semester for whatever reason will receive a third higher letter grade at the end of the course, for example, going from a B- to a B or a B+ to an A-. This will not include the first week of class.
Required Books: The following books are available at the Orange Student Bookstore. There is also a Course Reader at the Campus Copy Center in Marshall Square Mall that you are required to purchase. Ask for Reader # 20033-1107.
1. Leo Tolstoy, The Death of Ivan Ilych.
2. Walter Kaufmann, editor, Existentialism from Dostoevsky to Sartre.
3. Jean-Paul Sartre, Nausea.
4. Jean-Paul Sartre, Being and Nothingness.
5. Jean-Paul Sartre, Anti-Semite and Jew.
6. Jean-Paul Sartre, Search for a Method.
7. Jean-Paul Sartre, No Exit.
Reading Assignments and Course Schedule:
Aug. 25, 27: Introduction to the course.
Death of Ivan Ilych by Tolstoy.
Sept. 3: Dostoevsky and Kierkegaard.
Kaufmann pp. 52-121.
Sept. 8, 10: Kierkegaard continued, Nietzsche.
Kaufmann pp. 121-134.
Sept. 15, 17: Sartre: Alienation.
Nausea
Optional: Kaufmann, pp. 281-298
Sept. 22, 24: Negation, bad faith, the for-itself.
Being and Nothingness pp. 86-116, 127-133.
Kaufman, pp. 345-368
Sept. 29, Oct. 1: The Look, relations with others.
Being and Nothingness 340-370; 471-494.
Excerpt from Frantz Fanon Black Skin/White Masks (Course Reader)
(No classes on Monday Oct. 6)
Oct. 8: First Exam
Oct. 13, 15: Relations with others.
Being and Nothingness pp.534-556.
No Exit.
Oct. 20, 22: Freedom and responsibility.
Being and Nothingness pp. 619-680, 707-712;
Oct. 27, 29: Anti-Semitism, Liberalism, and Jewish Identity
Anti-Semite and Jew.
Nov. 3, 5: Racism
“Africana Philosophy of Existence,” and
selections from Bad Faith and Antiblack Racism
by Lewis Gordon (Course Reader)
Nov. 10: Second Exam
FILM NIGHT 6:30-9:30
(No class Nov. 12)
Nov. 17, 19: Marxism and Existentialism.
Search for a Method, Introduction, chap. 1 and 2
Nov. 24, Dec. 1: Dialectical Subjectivity
Search for a Method chap. 3 and conclusion
Dec. 3: Conclusion
Final Exam: Due Friday December 12