Existentialism

Philosophy 211

Fall 2003, T Th 2:30-3:55, Sills 107

<http://www.bowdoin.edu/~pmagnus>

Professor:   P.D. Magnus

Campus phone x3982

Office hours W F 10:00-11:00 and by app't

Texts:   the course packet [CP]

Heidegger, Being and Time [BT]

Sartre, Being and Nothingness [BN]

de Beauvoir, The Ethics of Ambiguity [EA]

Requirements

20% paper #1 (3-5 pages)

15% mid-term exam

30% paper #2 (8-10 pages)

25% final exam

10% participation

Policies

Academic honesty:   Students are expected to abide by the Bowdoin Academic Honor Code. Students are encouraged to discuss issues from the course with each other and with others outside of class, to take advantage of the Writing Project, and so on. However, they are responsible for their own ideas. Papers should include citations to any works cited or consulted, as well as acknowledgments of helpful interactions.

Late papers:   Assignments will be considered late if the are not ready to hand in at the beginning of class on the day they are due. Each day late will result in a loss of one letter grade.

Absences:   Students who will need to miss class for religious observance, away games, or for other scheduled reasons should discuss these issues with the professor at the beginning of the term. If an emergency results in absence, the student should contact the professor as soon as possible. Make-up exams will be given only for documented, excused absences.

Schedule

Th 9/4

Introduction

The meaning of life

T 9/9

What's existentialism?
read Sartre's humanism essay, CP1

Th 9/11

-continued-

T 9/16

Existentialist literature and death
read `No Exit', CP2

Th 9/18

-continued-
read Calvino, CP3

Heidegger: The analytic of Dasein

T 9/23

Phenomenological method
suggested reading BT §7

PAPER #1 DUE

Th 9/25

The analytic of Dasein
read BT §§2,9- suggested: §5

T 9/30

Handiness and objective presence
read BT §§12,14,15,16

Th 10/2

Being with others
read BT §§25,26,27

T 10/7

Mood
read BT §§29,30

Th 10/9

Anxiety
read BT35,37,38,40

T 10/14

Death
read BT §§47,53- suggested: §50

Th 10/16

MIDTERM EXAM

T 10/21

Fall Vacation

Catch up on sleep.

Sartre: The struggle with others

Th 10/23

Negation and nothingness
read BN pt.1 ch.1 §§1,2 and selections from §5 (pp. 33-44, 56-69)

T 10/28

Bad faith
read BN pt.1 ch.2 selections from §§1-3 (pp.86-90, 96-116)

Th 10/30

-continued-

T 11/4

The look of the other
read BN pt.3 ch.1 §1 and selections from §4 (pp.301-303, 340-355)- optional: §2

Th 11/6

Freedom
read BN pt.4 ch.1 selections from §2 and §3 (pp.619-629, 647-653, 701-711)

T 11/11

Implications
read BN Conclusion 1-2 (pp. 785-798)

Th 11/13

Criticisms
read Marcel, CP4

de Beauviour: Beyond bad faith

T 11/18

The ethics of ambiguity
read EA ch.I

Th 11/20

Relations with others
read EA ch.II

T 11/25

The positive project
read EA ch.III §§1-2

Th 11/27

Thanksgiving

Eat too much.

T 12/2

The future
read EA ch.III §§3-4

PAPER #2 DUE

Th 12/4

Ambiguity
read EA ch.III §5

T 12/9

-continued-
read EA ch.III Conclusion

Th 12/11

Reflections and review