Theory, Critique, Politics
PHIL 280
Spring 2021
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01
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The subject of this course centers on two questions in 20th century continental philosophy. First, what can theory bring to our understanding of politics? Second, what is the role of critique for political judgment? We will begin with Kant for an understanding of the meaning of "critique" that many 20th century continental philosophers draw upon. Following this introduction, the course will be split between German philosophers and French philosophers to allow us to understand the tensions and convergences between the two camps. The German philosophers we will read are Heidegger, Adorno, Herbert Marcuse, and Ernst Bloch. For the French philosophers, we will read Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, and Michel Foucault. By the end of the course students will be able to assess how different thinkers attempted to resolve the relationship of the philosopher to political society. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS PHIL |
| Course Format: Lecture / Discussion | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (PHIL)(PHIL-Philosophy)(PHIL-Social Jus) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: 75% - 89% |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Immanuel Kant, What is Enlightenment? and Transcendental Aesthetic from Critique of Pure Reason
Martin Heidegger, The Self-Assertion of the German University and Letter on Humanism Theodor Adorno, selections from The Dialectic of Enlightenment, The Actuality of Philosophy and The Culture Industry
Herbert Marcuse, selections from One-Dimensional Man and selections from Negations: Essays in Critical Theory
Ernst Bloch, selections from The Principle of Hope, Can Hope be Disappointed and Something's Missing from The Utopian Function of Art and Literature
Jean-Paul Sartre, selections from What is Literature? and selections from Critique of Dialectical Reason
Simone de Beauvoir, selections from Ethics of Ambiguity and other essays
Maurice Merleau-Ponty, selections from Humanism and Terror and selections from Adventures of the Dialectic
Michel Foucault, Polemics, Politics, and Problematizations and What is Enlightenment in Ethics: Subjectivity and Truth
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Examinations and Assignments:
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Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
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| Instructor(s): Paris,William Times: .M.W... 02:50PM-04:10PM; Location: ONLINE; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 25 | | SR major: 5 | JR major: 5 | | |
| Seats Available: 7 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: 5 | JR non-major: 5 | SO: 5 | FR: 0 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 0 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
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