Existentialist philosophy represents a crucial development in the 20th Century, and calls on us to reflect meaningfully on our lives, particularly on our social and personal values. This course ties existentialist philosophy to social-philosophical questions in today’s world, particularly those regarding race, gender, oppression and liberty. Students critically analyze pivotal existentialist texts alongside related films and novels, including: Nietzsche’s The Gay Science/Groundhog Day; Sartre’s Existentialism is a Humanism/Crimes and Misdemeanors; Camus’ The Stranger; the film, Ikiru; de Beauvoir’s The Second Sex/Monk Kid’s The Invention of Wings, and Fanon’s Black Skin/White Mask. Students appreciate the relevance of existentialist thought to issues of social, economic, and psychological oppression, especially in terms of race, class, and gender. General Education: Humanities: Philosophical Inquiry
- Teacher: Sally Fischer