Course Description:

Our examination will center around four existential themes, each of which will be anchored by a philosophical text and a literary one. These themes include the death of God and the experience of nothingness (Nietzsche and O’Connor), the human predicament of freedom (Sartre), contingency and absurdity (Camus and Dostoevsky), and despair as the sickness unto death (Kierkegaard and Percy).

Required Texts:

Friedrich Nietzsche, The Portable Nietzsche, ed. Walter Kaufmann

Jean-Paul Sartre, Existentialism and Human Emotions

Albert Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus

Soren Kierkegaard, The Sickness Unto Death

Flannery O’Connor, “A Good Man is Hard to Find”

Jean-Paul Sartre, Nausea

Fyodor Dostoevsky, Notes from Underground

Walker Percy, The Moviegoer

Requirements:

1. First paper on Nietzsche, 4-5 pages, typed, due September 26, 2000. (20%)

2. Second Paper on Sartre, 4-5 pages, typed, due October 12, 2000. (20%)

3. Third Paper on Camus, 4-5 pages, typed, due October 31, 2000. (20%)

4. Fourth Paper on Dostoevsky, 4-5 pages, typed, due November 14, 2000. (20%)

5. Final cumulative exam, to be scheduled by the registrar’s office (20%)

1. Students are expected to attend class. Failure to do so (more than three unexcused absences) will be reflected in your final grade.

2. All assignments must be submitted on their due date during class time. Late papers will be marked down one grade for each day they are overdue. Students will not be permitted to make up exams at a later date unless they have an excused absence that has been arranged with me in advance of the exam date.

3. All students are expected to participate actively in class. Mere presence is not

enough--you must be prepared to say something thoughtful about the text.

4. The syllabus clearly indicates what percentage of the final grade correlates to each assignment. Grades will be assigned with these figures in mind but other factors, including attendance and participation (but not limited to them) may also be considered in the determination of the final grade.

8/29: Introduction, Read in class The Gay Science, pp. 95-96 in The Portable Nietzsche

8/31: Read Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Prologue, pp. 121-137.

9/5: Read TSZ, Part I, pp. 137-191

9/7: TSZ, Part I, cont.

9/12: TSZ, Part I, cont.

9/14: Read TSZ, Part II, pp. 191-259

9/19: TSZ, Part II, cont.

9/21: TSZ, Part III, 264-343; (if time is available)

9/26: Read O’Connor, “A Good Man is Hard to Find”. First Paper on Nietzsche due

9/28: Read Sartre, Existentialism and Human Emotions, pp. 9-51

10/3: EHE, cont.

10/5: Read Sartre, Nausea

10/10: Columbus Day Holiday

10/12: Nausea, cont. Second Paper on Sartre due

10/17: Read Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus, pp. 3-65

10/19: MS, cont.

10/24: Read MS, pp. 66-92

10/26: Read MS, pp. 93-123.

10/31: MS, cont. Third Paper on Camus due

11/2: Read Dostoevsky, Notes from Underground

11/7: Notes from Underground, cont.

11/9: Read Kierkegaard, Sickness Unto Death, pp. 5-28

11/14: Read SUD, pp. 29-74 Fourth Paper on Dostoevsky due

11/16: SUD, cont.

11/21, Read SUD, pp. 77-131.

11/23: Thanksgiving Holiday

11/28: Read Percy, The Moviegoer

11/30: The Moviegoer, cont.

12/5: Review for Final Exam to be scheduled by Registrar’s Office during exam week