Mar 28, 2024  
2017-2018 Undergraduate Academic Catalog 
    
2017-2018 Undergraduate Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

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HU 434 - Existentialism

3 lecture hours 0 lab hours 3 credits
Course Description
Existentialism may be viewed more as a collection of diverse philosophical attitudes toward life and the human condition than a specific school of philosophical thought. In this course, students will study and critically evaluate the positions of selected writers and philosophers that are often called “existentialist”. Some topics that will be explored are questions of meaning and value in life, freedom and responsibility, issues of an “authentic existence” and similar existential themes in literature, drama, and philosophy. Students will be encouraged to explore their own personal and philosophical positions on the questions and issues. (prereq: none)
Course Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  • Better understand and critically evaluate the philosophical movement of existentialism
  • Develop and critically evaluate his or her own philosophical positions on existential themes and issues
  • Apply his or her evaluations and conclusions to his or her own professional and personal life

Prerequisites by Topic
  • None 

Course Topics
  • Philosophy and existentialism (3 classes)
  • Forerunners of existentialism (3 classes)
  • Kierkegaard and Nietzsche (3 classes)
  • Heidegger (5 classes)
  • Sartre and de Beauvoir (3 classes)
  • Marcel and Buber (3 classes)
  • Camus (6 classes)
  • Future directions of existentialism (3 classes)
  • Midterm (1 class)
  • Final Exam (2 classes)

Coordinator
Jon Borowicz



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