PHIL 333 - Existentialism

What is the purpose of our existence? Why are we here on earth? What is the meaning of life? How do we live knowing that we will die? How do we endure death? Can life even be meaningful in the face of the grave? Does life even matter? What does it mean to live authentically? Is freedom something to which we are “condemned” as opposed to something we deserve and enjoy? Is there a God? If not, is “everything permitted”? Do we create ourselves? Are we victims? Are we promethean gods? Are we responsible for what we do? Are we real? Existentialism is concerned with these and other questions regarding the human condition, the purpose of life, the authenticity of one’s being and actions, the attempt to find meaning amidst the absurdity and finitude of existence, the nature of what if anything we owe one another. While the existentialist school of thought can be traced back to the 19^thcentury, it is not surprising that it gained traction during and after the devastation wrought by the two world wars of the 20^th century. While we today inhabit a whole new century, the questions raised by the nauseating spectacles of trench warfare, high-tech aerial bombing and other forms of modern warfare, death camps, and the impact of the atom bomb upon the human body remain with us still, haunting our celebrations of the benefits wrought by modernity and forcing us to confront the abyss of death that lies at or even forms the center of life in ways that our forbearers could never have imagined. With all of this in mind, this course explores some of the great works of existentialist philosophy as they ponder the meaning (or meaninglessness) of existence, the alleged death of God, the authentic life and moral responsibility in the face of nothingness, and our struggle against fate. Letter grade. (Offered as needed.) 3 credits