PHIL 352 Existentialism

Existentialism, an intellectual movement that came to prominence in the 19th and 20th centuries, holds that the most fundamental questions are too important to be merely factual or objective, too important to be decided by scientists or other experts. Such existential questions, such as 'Who am I?', 'What gives my life purpose and significance?', require though on the part of the individual. Existentialists are especially concerned with the ideas of individuals freedom and self-creation. We shall explore these and other major existentialist themes through selected readings of Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Heidegger, and Sartre.