The aim of this course is to study the original texts of the existentialist philosophers and discuss their main themes in comparison with a view to understand and interpret their major questions and arguments.
A study of the philosophy of being of Søren Kierkegaard, Karl Jaspers, Martin Heidegger, Gabriel Marcel, Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus; an analysis and comparison of the concepts of freedom, action, choice, alienation, anxiety, death, God, being, existence within the texts of these philosophers.
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Course Learning Outcomes
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Learning Outcomes Upon the completion of this course a student: |
Program Learning Outcomes |
Teaching Methods |
Assessment Methods |
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1) acquires detailed knowledge of various existentialist philosophers. |
1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 |
1, 2, 3, 4 |
B, C, D, E |
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2) compares the concepts and arguments of different existentialist philosophers. |
1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 |
1, 2, 3, 4 |
B, C, D, E |
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3) assesses the implications of existentialism for social theory, literature and ethics. |
1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 |
1, 2, 3, 4 |
B, C, D, E |
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4) discusses the problems and implications of different philosophies of existence. |
1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 |
1, 2, 3, 4 |
B, C, D, E |
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5) discusses existentialism’s significance for and contributions to current philosophical questions. |
1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 |
1, 2, 3, 4 |
B, C, D, E |
Course Flow
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COURSE CONTENT |
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Week |
Topics |
Study Materials |
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1 |
Introduction: Existentialism as a movement and philosophy |
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2 |
The classical formulation of existentialism in context: Sartre |
Being and Nothingness |
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3 |
Sartre’s existentialism against the background of the phenomenological tradition |
Being and Nothingness |
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4 |
Existentialism avant la lettre: Existentialism and philosophies of existence |
Heidegger, Jaspers, Marcel |
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5 |
Existentialism avant la lettre: Heidegger and Jaspers |
Heidegger, Jaspers, Marcel |
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6 |
Existentialism avant la lettre: Heidegger and Jaspers |
Heidegger, Jaspers, Marcel |
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7 |
Freedom, responsibility and others before existentialism |
Marcel, Buber |
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8 |
Existence and dialogue |
Marcel, Buber |
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9 |
The disaster of the 20th century and the humanism debate |
Heidegger, Sartre |
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10 |
Existentialism and the question of humanism |
Heidegger, Sartre |
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11 |
Existentialism and literature: Sartre and Camus |
Sartre, Camus |
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12 |
Existentialism and Marxism: Sartre and Althusser |
Excerpts |
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13 |
The prehistory of existentialism: Kierkegaard |
Kierkegaard |
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14 |
The prehistory of existentialism: Nietzsche |
Nietzsche |
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15 |
The prehistory of existentialism: Dostoevsky |
Excerpts |
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16 |
The legacy of existentialism |
- |
Recommended Sources
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RECOMMENDED SOURCES |
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Textbook |
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Additional Resources |
M. Buber, I and Thou. Tr. Walter Kaufmann. New York: Scribner, 1970. A. Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays. Tr. Justin O'Brien. New York: Knopf, 1955. M. Heidegger, Being and Time. Tr. John Macquarrie and Edward Robinson. New York: Harper and Row, 1962. M. Heidegger, “Letter on Humanism,” in Pathmarks. Ed. William McNeill. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998. K. Jaspers, Reason and Existenz, New York: Noonday Press, 1968. S. Kierkegaard, Concluding Unscientific Postscript. Tr. D. F. Swenson and Walter Lowrie. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1971. S. Kierkegaard, Fear and Trembling. Tr. Howard V. Hong and Edna H. Hong. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1983. G. Marcel, Being and Having. Tr. Katherine Farrer. London: Westminster, 1949 G. Marcel, The Philosophy of Existentialism, New York: Citadel, 1968. J.-P. Sartre, 1968. Search for a Method. Tr. Hazel Barnes. New York: Vintage Books, 1968. J.-P. Sartre, Critique of Dialectical Reason I: Theory of Practical Ensembles (1960). Tr. Alan Sheridan-Smith. London: Verso, 1976. J.-P. Sartre, Being and Nothingness. Tr. Hazel Barnes. New York: Washington Square Press, 1992. J.-P. Sartre, Existentialism is a Humanism. Tr. Carol Macomber. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007. |
Material Sharing
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MATERIAL SHARING |
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Documents |
Selected papers. |
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Assignments |
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Exams |
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Assessment
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ASSESSMENT |
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IN-TERM STUDIES |
NUMBER |
PERCENTAGE |
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Participation in seminar discussions |
1 |
10 |
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Assignments |
2 |
10 |
|
Presentation |
1 |
15 |
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Critical reading notes |
5 |
25 |
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Final Paper |
1 |
40 |
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Total |
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100 |
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CONTRIBUTION OF FINAL PAPER TO OVERALL GRADE |
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40 |
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CONTRIBUTION OF IN-TERM STUDIES TO OVERALL GRADE |
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60 |
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Total |
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100 |
Course’s Contribution to Program
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COURSE’S CONTRIBUTION TO THE PROGRAM |
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No |
Program Learning Outcomes |
Contribution |
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1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
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1 |
acquires fundamental conceptual and methodological knowledge to use productively and creatively in academic studies. |
X |
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2 |
improves a versatile critical and analytical approach, problem-solving, interpretative and argumentative skills in relation to advanced philosophical investigations. |
X |
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3 |
proves to be a philosopher with principles, who communicates effectively, is specifically successful in written and oral presentation, has proper capacities for teamwork and interdisciplinary studies, takes the initiative, has developed a sense of responsibility, and contributes original ideas to the field of philosophy. |
X |
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4 |
applies life-long learning attitude to various ways of acquiring knowledge in order to maintain a professional and personal development. |
X |
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5 |
develops a consciousness of professional and social ethics. |
X |
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6 |
acquires the necessary skill of choosing and developing actual means and using computing technologies effectively for a philosophical study . |
X |
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7 |
conducts an advanced study in history of philosophy which requires expertise, independently by using original texts. |
X |
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8 |
applies philosophical knowledge to questions concerning contemporary, socio-cultural and political problematics. |
X |
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9 |
considers universal values and concepts of philosophy as a basis for [furthering] philosophical studies in Turkey; and is able to develop an approach to study and analyse issues that might arise when conducting discussions concerning history of philosophy in the Turkish language. |
X |
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10 |
acquires the skill and background for making contributions to the field of history of philosophy, in national and international terms. |
X |
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11 |
uses his/her philosophical knowledge to establish interactions at national and international level. |
X |
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12 |
produces work of the quality of a contribution in national and international peer-reviewed journals in philosophy. |
X |
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13 |
holds the necessary knowledge of classical languages, a modern language in addition to English and history of philosophy to conduct an advanced philosophical study particularly in history of philosophy. |
X |
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ECTS
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ECTS ALLOCATED BASED ON STUDENT WORKLOAD BY THE COURSE DESCRIPTION |
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Activities |
Quantity |
Duration |
Total |
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Course Duration (Including the exam week: 16 x Total course hours) |
16 |
6 |
96 |
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Hours for off-the-classroom study (Pre-study, practice) |
15 |
10 |
150 |
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Assignments |
2 |
20 |
40 |
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Presentation |
1 |
30 |
30 |
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Critical reading notes |
5 |
30 |
150 |
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Final Paper |
1 |
60 |
60 |
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Total Work Load |
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526 |
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Total Work Load / 25 (h) |
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20,92 |
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ECTS Credit of the Course |
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20 |