PHL 3180 - Existentialism

Credits: 4

Existentialism focuses on the question about the meaning of human life, especially in connection with the reported death of God. Examining the origin and evolution of human values, existentialists such as Kierkegaard, Dostoyevsky, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Sartre, de Beauvoir, and Camus exercise powerful influences on contemporary ethical questions and moral problems, for example, social justice and injustice, punishment and responsibility, gender relations, imperialism and racism, the origin and evolution of values, and the roles of reason and religion in ethics. The course examines existentialist concepts, arguments, and positions, and clarifies how they arise in value disputes with essentialists, deontologists, positivists, and utilitarians. Classes encourage students to engage in rigorous but respectful discussions and to learn how to apply ethical reasoning to make moral decisions in their own lives.
Prerequisite(s): PHL 1000.
Fulfills: E in LS Core

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