Existentialism

1. REQUIRED TEXTS
• Albert Camus, The Stranger.
• Albert Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus
• Martin Heidegger, Being and Time.
• Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil.
• Friedrich Nietzsche, The Gay Science.
• Friedrich Nietzsche, Geneology of Morals
• Linda Patrick, Existential Literature.
• Jean-Paul Sartre, Basic Writings.
• Readings off the WEB: http://www.phil.tcu.edu, click on “Course Readings,” and follow the links.

2. COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES
What is existentialism? Good question. Let’s find out. Answering this question is tricky, since there are only a few philosophers out of the lot we shall study who even claim to be existentialists. Nevertheless, existentialism is one of the more important intellectual movements of the contemporary world. We shall be primarily concerned with the existentialists’ views on the following topics: being, meaning, truth, death, authenticity, anxiety, freedom, the self, morality. We shall examine some of the major works of existentialism, including the formal philosophical works of Friedrich Nietzsche, Martin Heidegger, and Jean-Paul Sartre, as well as literary works of Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, and Albert Camus. We shall also view some films from directors such as Woody Allen and Danny Boyle that invoke interesting existential themes. Students will be asked to consider the philosophical ideas of these authors/directors and what impact the ideas expressed in formal philosophy, philosophical literature, and film have on them personally. The convergence of all these avenues should provide us with a pretty good account of what existentialism is.

3. COURSE REQUIREMENTS
3.1. GRADED MATERIAL
1. Two take-home exams (150 pts. each)
2. Term Paper (200 pts.)
Total points possible: 500

3.2. EXAMS
The exams will be take-home. I shall assign a set of questions for you to answer; your double-spaced, typed answers are due at the beginning of the following class period. The explanations I want to see in your papers are ones you might give your roommate or friend if she or he asked you what, say, Sartre means by freedom. In other words, I don't want to see explanations full of the same jargon that the philosopher in question uses, but ones intended to convey the jargon to someone who doesn’t know it already. These explanations needn’t be long: what you want to do is answer the question or explain the given term or concept as clearly and concisely as possible. Also, you should be critical, in the sense that you evaluate the position you’re discussing. The sorts of questions you should keep in mind are: Are these claims defensible? Do I accept them? What difference, if any, do they make to me? Explain. What objections might someone raise? Are there any counter-objections the philosopher in question might have? What is vague or ambiguous about these claims?

3.3. FINAL PAPER
You will be required to write a two term papers. Topics will be announced ahead of time. The paper is to be original work, involving philosophical explanation and criticism of a particular philosopher’s opinion or argument. This paper must be double-spaced, typed, and roughly 8-10 pages in length. You are not required to use any outside sources; the paper is not to be a research paper so much as one expressing your own reflection on the issues we have been dealing with. You may use further material if you wish, but be sure your own viewpoint comes through clearly. As with the exams, this paper should reflect your ability to summarize and discuss a particular position concisely and critically. Be sure to check grammar and spelling! Any paper not meeting these requirements will receive a grade no higher than the equivalent of a ‘C’.
Plagiarism and Cheating: I strictly uphold the TCU Academic Conduct Policy published in the TCU Undergraduate Studies Bulletin or on the web at http://www.reg.tcu.edu. Anyone caught cheating, plagiarizing, colluding, etc. will face receiving an ‘F’ for the course, or something ontologically much worse! FOR NOTHING YOU GET NOTHING.

3.3. STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Students with disabilities needing academic accommodations should contact and provide appropriate documentation to the Coordinator for Students with Disabilities (Center for Academic Services) as soon as possible.

3.4. ATTENDANCE POLICY
Since, I suspect, most of you are enrolled in this course because you really want to learn something about existentialism, the following should go without saying, but: It is important that you attend class. If you do not attend class regularly, I guarantee you will NOT do well in this class.

4. SCHEDULE OF LECTURES AND READINGS
Towards the Future
Jan. 18: Syllabus and General Introduction.
An Ostensive Definition of Existentialism
Jan. 23, 25: The Absurd, Death, and the Meaning of Life.
Readings: Camus, The Stranger. Patrik, ch. 4.
Jan. 30, Feb. 1: The Absurd, Death, and the Meaning of Life.
Reading: Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus. Partik, ch. 5.
The Historical Horizon
Feb. 6, 8: The Human Predicament
Reading: Dostoyevsky, “Notes from the Underground” and “The Grand Inquisitor” (in Patrik)
Feb. 13, 15: Nietzsche
Readings: The Gay Science
Feb. 20, 22: Nietzsche
Readings: Beyond Good and Evil
Feb. 27: Nietzsche.
Readings: Geneology of Morals
Mar. 1: Exam I due no later than the beginning of class.
Movie: Woody Allen, Crimes and Misdemeanors.
Mar. 6. Movie cont. Discussion
Mar. 8: Heidegger
Reading: Being and Time, Introduction
Mar. 13, 15: The Being-for-Spring-Break: No Class.
A Question of Being
Mar. 20, 22: Heidegger.
Reading: Being and Time (selections TBA)
Mar. 27, 29: Sartre.
Readings: Basic Writings
Apr. 3, 5: Sartre
Readings: Basic Writing
Apr. 10, 12: Sartre
Readings: No Exit (in Patrik)
Film: Danny Boyle, Trainspotting
Apr. 17, 19: Addiction and Existentialism
Readings: TBA
Term Paper Due.
Apr. 24, 26: Simone de Beauvoir.
Readings:. A Very Easy Death and “The Woman Destroyed”
(both in Patrik)
May 1, 3: Existentialism in Art, Music
May 10, Second Test due no later than 3:00 in Philosophy Dept. office, 215 Reed. Graduating seniors turn in papers before 10 AM.

5. USEFUL LIBRARY AND WEB RESOURCES FOR PHILOSOPHICAL RESEARCH
The following publications and databases may be found in the Mary Couts Burnett Library, or on the web at: Philosopher's Index
• The Philosopher’s Index. Provides indexing and abstracts from books and journals of philosophy and related fields.
• Philosophy: a Guide to the Reference Literature (2nd ed., 1997) Annotated bibliography of several hundred reference resources, both special and generalized. Emphasis is on English-language works. (Reference Desk, Z7125 .B97 1997)
• Research Guide to Philosophy (1983). Covers the history of philosophy form the ancient Greeks to the 20th century. Discusses the major areas of philosophy; Reference Works at the back list bibliographies, dictionaries & encyclopedias, digests & handbooks, directories, a dissertation index, and several series. (Reference Room, B52 .T5 1983)
• The Philosopher's Guide to Sources, Research Tools, Professional Life, and Related Fields (1980). Comprehensive bibliography, some with brief annotations, of research resources in philosophy. (Main Stacks, Z7125 .D445)