Arendt, Strauss, Levinas: The Philosopher as Public Thinker

Undergraduate / Graduate

What does it mean to do philosophy in public? Is it different from doing philosophy in private, or only for other philosophers? Is the philosopher inherently a political actor, and should they be? In this course we will look at a series of case studies of philosophers who have adopted a range of approaches to both the philosophy and practice of thinking in public. Among the questions we will consider are: Is it desirable for philosophers to align themselves with social and political movements or do they have some other role that renders such alignments unwise or even dangerous? Does the philosopher have a responsibility to be accessible? To persuade? To explain? Or to resist the jargon of a false society? On whose behalf does the philosopher speak when they speak in public? And to whom? Students will also analyze examples of contemporary philosophers who are making interventions into today's cultural landscape, and work on a public intervention of their own. This year's readings include: Heidegger, Arendt, Strauss, Levinas, Adorno, Foucault, Greif, Callard, Srinivasan and others.