Existential Philosophy and Literature

In this course we will examine how existential thinkers and writers confront core dilemmas of existence such as mortality, anxiety, and the paradox of life. Existential thinkers attempt to make sense of a disordered world, but more importantly, to live meaningful lives within a state of ambiguity. Themes such as the comic, the absurd, freedom, choice, and indirect communication will fuel our discussion of authenticity in response to paradox. Existentialism as a way of life will be central to our work, as will the relationship between philosophy and literature. Authors will include Kierkegaard, Kafka, Camus, Sartre, de Beauvoir, and Dostoevsky. This course counts as elective credit towards the Philosophy major and the Comparative Literature major.