Philosophy 1102-001   Existentialism

 

 

Rex Gilliland, Instructor                                                                                     MWF 8-8:55am

Office: CL 120 Phone: 678-5500                                                                     Clement Hall 105

Office Hours: MWF 9-10am, and by appointment

Home Phone: 726-4945

Email: rgilliland@memphis.edu

 

 

Course Description: In this course, we will explore the views of 19th and 20th century philosophers associated with the movement known as Existentialism. Philosophers such as Nietzsche, Kirkegaard, Heidegger, Marcel, and Sartre argue that modern philosophy and science has lost sight of the characteristic dimension of human existence: the experience of being free yet unclear about our moral responsibilities, the struggle to find meaning in a life confronted with absurdity and death. In addition to this, we will also consider various criticisms of Existentialism – e.g., that it underplays the social dimension in human existence and is relativistic – in order to evaluate the overall significance of this philosophical movement. The first criticism will lead to a discussion of the notions of alterity and the gaze and the examination of group identities in Beauvoir, Fanon, and Sartre.

 

 

Texts: Robert C. Solomon, ed., Existentialism (New York: The Modern Library, 1974).

Fyodor Dostoevsky, Notes from the Underground, trans. Constance Garnett (Mineola, NY: Dover, 1992).

            Assorted materials on reserve in the library.

 

 

Grading:         Tests                            40%                             A = 90-100                  D = 60-69

                        Quizzes                        25%                             B = 80-89                    F  = 59-0

                        Writing Assignments     25%                             C = 70-79

                        Class Participation        10%

 

1. Tests: Three tests, including the final. If you miss one of the first two tests, a harder version of it will be offered at the end of the semester. Only one of these two tests can be made up.

 

2. Quizzes: About once a week, class will begin with an unannounced quiz worth ten points. Quizzes will consist of one or two questions taken from the previous lecture and/or the reading assignment for that day. Missed quizzes cannot be made up. The lowest two quiz grades will be dropped, including missed quizzes.

 

3. Writing Assignments: Writing assignments will be given every two weeks on issues pertaining to the course material. They will range in length from 1-5 pages.

 

4. Class Participation: Much of our class time will be spent in discussion, and each student’s participation is encouraged and expected. This requires a careful reading of assigned texts ahead of class. If the conversation lags, I will call on people.

 

5. Attendance: Prompt attendance is required, and is in your own best interest. Absences and tardies will cause you to miss quizes and assignments and will affect your preparedness for tests. In order to receive an A, a student must have 5 absences or less; for a B, 8 absences or less; and for a C, 11 absences or less. Two tardies (or incidences of leaving class early) equal one absence.

 

 

 

Schedule

 

2/10 – 2/12      Introduction, Dostoevsky Notes from the Underground

 

2/15 – 3/5        Human Freedom and the Question of Moral Responsibility

 

3/8 – 3/26        Absurdity, Death, and the Meaning of Life

 

3/15 – 3/19      Spring Break

 

3/29-4/9           Alterity and the Gaze: The Intersubjective Constitution of the Individual

 

4/12 – 4/19      Gender, Race, and other Group Identities

 

4/21 – 4/28      Why should the human being be placed at the center of existence?