Philosophy 235:  TWENTIETH CENTURY CONTINENTAL PHILOSOPHY

Spring, 2003

Professor:

Alan Schrift

Office:

Steiner 311

Office Phone:

3161

Office Hours:

T-TH 1:30 ‑ 3:30, and by appointment

Required Texts

R. Kearney & M. Rainwater:

The Continental Philosophy Reader

Jean‑Paul Sartre:

Essays in Existentialism

Michel Foucault:

The Foucault Reader

Hélène Cixous & C. Clément:

The Newly Born Woman

Jean-François Lyotard:

Just Gaming

In addition to these texts, a packet of copied material will be made available.

Course Objectives

This course seeks to examine several of the philosophical movements that have developed during the course of the twentieth century in France and Germany. Beginning with an examination of the origins of 20th-century European philosophy in phenomenology (Husserl), we will move on to examine existentialism (Sartre and Merleau‑Ponty), hermeneutics (Heidegger, Gadamer), critical theory (Benjamin, Habermas), structuralism (Saussure, Lacan), post‑structuralism and deconstruction  (Foucault, Derrida), French feminism (Cixous), and postmodernism (Lyotard).  Among the themes covered will include the relation between science and philosophy, the relations between language and thinking, the place of the subject in the human sciences and philosophy, the critique of foundationalism, and the functions of ideology, interpretation, power, and desire in the search for “knowledge” and “truth”.  During the semester, special attention will also be focused on connections between 20th century philosophy and developments in other humanistic and social science disciplines, including anthropology, literary studies, psychoanalysis, linguistics, and social/political theory.

Course Requirements

Final grades will be determined on the basis of overall class participation and the following requirements [percentage of final grade in brackets]:

1. Mid‑term/Short paper: in response to questions provided; 8‑10 pages. [30%]  Due: March 12 in class.

2. Final paper: topic of student’s choice, in consultation with instructor; 15‑20 pages. [50%] Due: May 9.   In connection with this final paper, keep in mind the following requirements/deadlines:

 

April 9:

turn in a one‑paragraph description of topic with annotated bibliography.
 

April 16:

turn in detailed outline.
 

April 22:

turn in 2 copies (one anonymous) of a 5‑page thesis statement that describes your project in some detail.  One copy will be evaluated by the instructor, and one copy will be evaluated by a fellow student.
 

April 28: 

turn in comments on one another’s thesis statements (Copy final page summary and submit this to the instructor).
 

May 9:

Paper Due.

3. Position Papers: each week, submit on Tuesday  a one‑page typed comment on some aspect of the reading of that week.  These papers will be graded, and will be figured into your class participation grade component.  They will provide you with an opportunity to try out theses/topics for possible papers. [10%]

4. Class Participation. [10%]

ATTENDANCE:  You are expected to attend class.  Although attendance normally will not be taken, more than three unexcused absences will result in a lowering of your grade for the class participation component.  More than SIX unexcused absences will result in failure of the course.

LATE POLICY:  Written assignments which are submitted late will be penalized  one letter grade for each 24 hours late.  Papers submitted more than 48 hours late will NOT be accepted.  Exceptions to this policy will be made only for medical reasons.

PHILOSOPHY 235:  Tentative Course Outline

Week of

      
       

Jan. 20

Introduction.

    
 

Review of Nineteenth Century Philosophy
       
 

PHENOMENOLOGY:

Husserl,  “Paris Lecture” + Other Selections (Copy)
       

Jan. 27

PHENOMENOLOGY: 

Husserl (Kearney, pp. 15-22)
   

Schmitt, “The Transcendental‑Phenomenological Reduction” (Copy)
   

Merleau‑Ponty, “Preface to Phenomenology” (Kearney)
       

Feb. 3

EXISTENTIALISM

Sartre, Transcendence of the Ego (Copy)
 

 

 Sartre, pp. 31‑62
   

Sartre, Being and Nothingness (Copy)
   

Sartre, pp. 63-73
       

Feb. 10

EXISTENTIALISM

Sartre, pp. 75‑186
       

Feb. 17

EXISTENTIALISM

De Beauvoir, The Second Sex (Kearney)
       

Feb. 24

EXISTENTIALISM

Heidegger: Being and Time, Introduction (Kearney)
       

Mar. 3

HERMENEUTICS

Heidegger, Being and Time, Chaps. 31-34 (Copy)
       

Mar. 10

HERMENEUTICS

Heidegger, Being and Time, Chaps. 31-34 (Copy)
   

Gadamer (Kearney)
 

CRITICAL THEORY

Habermas, Knowledge and Human Interests (Copy)
       

Mar. 12

MIDTERM PAPER DUE IN CLASS
       

March 14- 30

SPRING  BREAK

    
       

Mar. 31

CRITICAL THEORY

Benjamin (Kearney)
 

STRUCTURALISM

Saussure: Course in General Linguistics (Kearney)
   

Lacan (Kearney)
       

Apr. 7

POSTSTRUCTURALISM

Foucault,

“The Discourse on Language” (Kearney)
     

“What is an Author?” (FR 101‑120)
       

April 9: 

Description and Bibliography Due.

Apr. 14

POSTSTRUCTURALISM   

Foucault,

“Truth and Power” (FR 51‑75)
     

 “What is Enlightenment?” (FR 32-50)
     

 “The Great Confinement” (FR 124‑140)
     

“The Birth of the Asylum” (FR 141‑167)
     

“Method” (Copy)
     

“The Subject and Power” (Copy)
 

DECONSTRUCTION 

Derrida,

“Structure, Sign and Play in the Discourses of the Human  Sciences + Discussion” (Copy)

April 16: 

Outline Due.

    
       

Apr. 21

DECONSTRUCTION 

Derrida,

“Structure, Sign and Play in the Discourses of the Human  Sciences + Discussion” (Copy)
     

“Signature, Event, Context” (Copy)
     

Selections from Of Grammatology (Copy)
       

April 22: 

Thesis Statement Due by 11:00am.
       

Apr. 28

FEMINISM

Cixous, The Newly Born Woman, pp. 63-132
       

April 28: 

Thesis Statement Comments Due.
       

May 5

POSTMODERNISM

Lyotard, Just Gaming
       

May 9

PAPERS DUE

    

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