Existentialism: Condemned to be Free
People are nothing other than what they make of themselves, according to Jean-Paul Sartre. We are thrown into the world, and we have to fend for ourselves. At least, these are core ideas of existentialist thinkers. In this course, we will delve into the prominent themes of existentialism: freedom, alienation, absurdity, authenticity, and the importance of becoming an individual. We will look to texts in philosophy and literature to explore different thinkers and ideas that have contributed to an overall notion of what it means to exist. Despite the thinkers (e.g., Kierkegaard, Sartre, Beauvoir) being from the past, we will look to our contemporary situation as we hurtle toward the future.
People are nothing other than what they make of themselves, according to Jean-Paul Sartre. We are thrown into the world, and we have to fend for ourselves. At least, these are core ideas of existentialist thinkers. In this course, we will delve into the prominent themes of existentialism: freedom, alienation, absurdity, authenticity, and the importance of becoming an individual. We will look to texts in philosophy and literature to explore different thinkers and ideas that have contributed to an overall notion of what it means to exist. Despite the thinkers (e.g., Kierkegaard, Sartre, Beauvoir) being from the past, we will look to our contemporary situation as we hurtle toward the future.
- Teacher: Michael Spicher