Issues in Existentialism

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

This course explores in detail some of the central issues in the existentialist philosophical tradition, such as authenticity, anxiety, identity, and the meaning of life. It may cover: proto-existentialist philosophers such as Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, and Heidegger; French existentialist philosophers such as Sartre, Camus, and Beauvoir; Spanish and Mexican existentialist philosophers such as Ortega, Unamuno, and Uranga; and treatments of existentialist issues in contemporary discussions of the meaning of life. Readings may include not only traditional philosophical texts but also plays, essays, stories, and films. This course satisfies the Texts & Traditions requirement in the philosophy major.