Earlham College, Spring Semester 2000-2001
Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10:00-10:50. Carpenter 320
Instructor: Ferit Güven
Office: Carpenter 331
Office Hours: Monday, Friday, 12:00-2:00 and by appointment
Office Phone: 983-1399 (voice mail)
e-mail: guvenfe@earlham.edu
web page: http://www.earlham.edu/~guvenfe/

Course Description: The aim of this course is to introduce you to the philosophical movement called Existentialism through close readings of texts representing this movement. Although Existentialism as an explicit school of thought, emerges in the 20th Century, its roots lie in the 19th Century. Therefore, we will begin our readings with texts by 19th Century thinkers, and then move to texts written in the 20th Century. Existentialism can be understood in relation to (or as a reaction against) modern philosophy, specifically the Enlightenment. Existentialist thinkers question the ideals of the Enlightenment and the presuppositions of modern philosophy, in particular the consideration of the rational human subject as the basis of philosophy and reason as the essence of human beings, and the belief that philosophy should concern itself primarily with the objective world. Existentialism, while adhering to the idea of the primacy of the human being as the basis of philosophy, questions the primacy of reason and attempts to broaden the meaning of human existence. Existentialist philosophers try to describe human existence in concrete situations and in terms of several dimensions other than or in addition to reason. Existentialism also questions the relationship between philosophy and human existence. Existentialist thinkers argue that philosophy should be concerned with questions related to life, death and existence rather than with more "abstract" issues such as knowledge and truth. In this course we will not only study philosophical texts, but also try to understand the context in which we can think of our own lives in terms of philosophy, that is, we will try to understand the ways in which philosophizing, in particular the consideration of the meaning of human existence, is relevant for our own lives.

Required Texts: (available in the Earlham College bookstore)

William Barrett, The Irrational Man, (New York: Double Day, 1962)
Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Notes From Underground / The Double, (New York: Penguin Books, 1972)
Friedrich Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra, (New York: Penguin Books, 1978)
Søren Kierkegaard, Fear and Trembling, (New York: Penguin Books, 1985)
Jean-Paul Sartre, Existentialism and Human Emotions, (New York: Philosophical Library, 1984)
Martin Heidegger. Discourse on Thinking, (New York: Harper & Row, 1966)
Simone de Beauvoir, Ethics of Ambiguity, (New York: Philosophical Library, 1995)

Reading Assignments: I expect you to read every text assigned for the week very carefully at least twice. As you will see, some of the passages we will read are very difficult. An important aim of this class is to learn how to read, comprehend and respond to a philosophical text.

Course Requirement and Evaluation: You are expected to write three 5-6 page papers: I will provide paper topics for each assignment. You are also allowed to decide on your own topic provided that you discuss your topic with me at least a week before the deadline. Along with the paper topics I will also provide specific guidelines for each topic. Besides this, for every paper (including papers on topics of your own choice) you are responsible for following the general guidelines provided. (See "Comments and Suggestions for Papers").

For each week, three students will work together in order to prepare a two paged (single-spaced) protocol of the material discussed during the previous week. A protocol is a carefully edited summary of the previous class sessions written in full sentences. Protocols will be photocopied by the student who wrote it and handed out to all students at the beginning of each Monday to be read aloud, and will serve as a cumulative record of the course. The students who prepare the protocol should come to class a couple of minutes early, so that the protocols will have been distributed at the beginning of the class (i.e., at 10:00). In addition to reviewing the material covered in the previous class, the protocol should include announcements made in class, questions raised, and, if possible, future questions for the material to come. The best protocols will be those that do not simply reproduce word for word everything that was said during class, but those that rearrange the material thematically, editing out what was unimportant, and emphasizing what was significant. The point of this is not only to get you to work together, but also to allow you to think during class, and not just take notes; because someone will be taking notes for you, you can concentrate on the ideas being presented, and participate without having to write constantly. Also you will have a summary of every class which will help you with writing papers.

There will be announced or unannounced quizzes either at the beginning or at the end of the sessions. There will be no make-ups for the quizzes.

There will be no final examination!

Your grade will be calculated according to the following distribution: Paper I: 15%, Paper II: 20%, Paper III: 25%, Protocol: 10%, Quizzes: 20% Participation and Attendance: 10%.

In order to pass the course you must fulfill all the requirements.

Participation and Attendance:

Class participation is an important dimension of your grade. However, I expect you to participate not simply for the sake of your grade, but hopefully because you will be interested in what will be discussed in class. The success of this course depends heavily on your contribution. You need to come to class prepared (having read the assigned readings, and ready to answer questions) and ready to participate in the discussions.

If you miss more than six classes you will fail this course regardless of your grade.

Our sessions will start at 10:00 am. Students are expected to come on time. Walking into the classroom while the session is in progress is extremely disruptive for everybody; so is walking out while the session is in progress. I ask you not to do these. I will mark late students absent, and reduce their grade.

Office hours are for students to discuss ideas, assignments and questions. You are encouraged and welcome to come by my office or make appointments for times other than scheduled office hours. You should take advantage of office hours and appointments not simply to discuss your papers (you are obviously welcome to do that too) but also to understand ideas, and texts discussed in class.

Any student with a documented disability (e.g., physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the instructor and Disability Services Office (Academic Support Services) at the beginning of the semester. Accommodation arrangements must be made during the first-two weeks of the semester.

Calender:
There may be some modifications to this calender. It is your responsibility to be aware of these changes. These changes may be announced in class. If you miss a class you should make sure that you are informed about the assignments for the next session.

Week 1: January 10-12: Introduction and Barrett, Irrational Man, pp.1-22
Week 2: January 15-17-19: Irrational Man pp. 23-65
Week 3: January 22-24-26: Kierkegaard, Fear and Trembling
Week 4: January 29-31- February 2: Kierkegaard, Fear and Trembling
Week 5: February 5-7-9: Dostoyevsky, Notes from Underground, First Paper Due
Week 6: February 12-14-16: Dostoyevsky, Notes from Underground
Week 7: February 19-21 (23: Mid-semester Break)
Week 8: February 26-28 March 2: Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra
Week 9: March 5-7-9: Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra
Week 10: March 12-14-16: Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Second Paper Due
Spring Break: March 17-25
Week 11: March 26-28-30: Heidegger, Discourse on Thinking
Week 12: April 2-4-6: Sartre, Existentialism and Human Emotions
Week 13: April 9-11-13: Sartre, Existentialism and Human Emotions, Simone de Beauvoir, Ethics of Ambiguity
Week 14: April 16-18-20: Simone de Beauvoir, Ethics of Ambiguity
Week 15: April 23-25: Evaluation and Review, Final Paper Due