Existentialism

Philosophy 525, Spring 2015

Drew.Christie@unh.edu
Tuesday-Thursday
2:10-3:30, HS 140
EURO GN8 HUMA INQ
CRN: 54659
Office: HS 50A
Hours: Tues. 11-1:30
and by appointment

Jean Paul Sartre and Simone De Beauvoir

The term existentialism calls to mind two images. One image is of 1940s French intellectualsJean Paul Sartre,
Simone de Beauvoir and Albert Camusdeep in thought at left-bank Parisian Cafes. The second image is of an angst
ridden adolescent in existential despair, having seen through the shallowness and pretense of conventional life
forced on one by society. Both images of Existentialism contain important partial truths. Yes, Existentialism was a
cultural movement associated primarily with French intellectuals during forties and fifties, though important
precursors included Soren Kierkegaard, Frederick Nietzsche, Franz Kafka and Martin Heidegger. Yes, Existentialism
shows great interest in individual feelings of dread, anxiety and alienation.
.

Frantz Fanon

However, there is much more to Existentialism. Additional

key issues include, what is it to be an authentic individual in
a society dominated by conformity and the Media? What are
we to make of the fact that life on Earth is but a blip in
cosmic time? What should self-defining organisms without
natures do? Is freedom a gift or a burden? Is Reason overrated? Is academic philosophy dry, overly abstract and
irrelevant? What is it to take our finitude (death) seriously?
What to make of living in a fishbowl, constantly subject to
the gaze of others? In what ways is the gaze focused on
women and minorities oppressive? What existential perils
exist in love and sex?

Books
Camus, Albert. The Stranger, Vintage ISBN
0-679-72020-0
Mariano, Gordon. Basic Writings of
Existentialism, Modern Library, ISBN 0-37575989-1
Requirements
35%
7 contribution to discussion board
with reply to a classmate.
30%
Term Paper
30%
Two reading tests (midterm, final)
5%
Attendance
Albert Camus

Cl
as
s
1

Da
te

Po Topic & Reading -- M=Marino

st PHIL 525, Spring 14
What is Existentialism?

1/2
0
1/2
2
1/2
7
1/2
9
2/3

2/5

Existentialism,

A-L

L-M

Intro., M ix-xvi | Abraham Tested, Genesis 22 (Bible, Blackboard) | Kierkegaard,

M3-9 Problema I
Kierkegaard, M10-23 Problema I. video: BBC Kierkegaard Sea of Faith Prt. I, II
(10 min. each)
Kierkegaard, M24-39 Problema II, audio: Clare Carlisle (on Blackboard)

A-F

Kierkegaard, M41-57 Sickness unto Death

G-L

2/1 M-R
0
2/1 S-Z
2
2/1 A-F
7

Dostoyevsky, Underground I-VI M189-210 | study questions | video available

online.
Dostoyevsky, Underground VII-XI M210-230 | study questions | video available
online.
Dostoyevsky, The Grand Inquisitor, M231-254 | video available online

13

2/1 G-L
9
2/2 M-R
4
2/2 S-Z
6
3/3 A-F

14

3/5

G-L

15

3/1 M-R
0
3/1 S-Z
2

3
4

8
9

10
11
12

16

17
18
19

3/2 A-F
4
3/2 G-L
6
3/3 M-R
1

2
3

3
3
4

Nietzsche, Parable the Madman (on Blackboard), Genealogy I M107-124 |

Reading questions | Video: Human and too human BBC Nietzsche (watch at
home)
Nietzsche, Genealogy I M124-144 | audio: Chris Janaway on Nietzsche on
Morality (Blackboard)
Nietzsche, Genealogy II M145-175 | audio: Brian Leiter on Nietzsche Myths
(Blackboard)
Nietzsche, Genealogy of Morals, Third Essay (on Blackboard) Sections 1-15.
Sartre, Existentialism M337-345 | video online: Human all too human BBC Sartre
(at home) | A students guide to Jean-Paul Sartres Existentialism and Humanism
Nigel Warburton (online)
Sartre, Existentialism M346-367

Sartre, No Exit first half (Blackboard) | video online: In Camera, Jean Paul Sartre,
No Exit, Huis Clos, Harold Pinter (excellent, optional)
Sartre, No Exit (finish) | audio: Gardner on Sartre on Bad Faith (Blackboard)

Break 2015
Sartre - Self Deception M369-373; 380-390 |audio: Jean-Paul Sartre)

5
5

Sartre, The Encounter with the Other | audio: Warnock on Sartre on Existentialism
(on Blackboard)
Heidegger M295-315,video: BBC Human all too Human