Tradition & Critique

3 credits · Undergraduate

Nothing generates more controversy in our intellectual world than questions concerning the interpretation of history and culture. To what extent should interpretation be negative or critical? How are critical ideas contained in traditional practices and beliefs? In this class we explore the antagonism between tradition and critique. Starting from two opposed theories of interpretation - "deconstruction" (Derrida) and the "historicity of understanding" (Gadamer) - the class proceeds in a historically-oriented way to study, on the one hand, the philosophical traditions of idealism, Marxism, and hermeneutics and, on the other hand, psychoanalysis and literary criticism. We discuss amongst other things the distinction between myth and science, the notion of "progress" in history, and the sources of understanding. FORMATS: Seminar