- UCAS course code
- LM39
- UCAS institution code
- M20
Course unit details:
Existentialism
Unit code | PHIL23001 |
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Credit rating | 20 |
Unit level | Level 2 |
Teaching period(s) | Semester 1 |
Available as a free choice unit? | Yes |
Overview
Existentialism is an approach to philosophical questions that can be found in the writings of Nineteenth Century authors such as Kierkegaard, Dostoyevsky, and Nietzsche, and more explicitly in Twentieth Century Philosophers Heidegger, Sartre, and de Beauvoir. Existentialist thought focuses on the meaning—for our individual lives—of lived experience, value, freedom, responsibility, and commitment, and is often associated with an ethics of authenticity. In this unit we will consider a selection of writings by these authors, looking at how existentialist ideas have been represented in both philosophy and literature.
Aims
The unit aims to:
- introduce students to the philosophical writings of Nineteenth & Twentieth Century existentialists;
- present the historical, philosophical, and literary context in which existentialism was developed;
- explore in detail some central concepts of existentialism: meaning, value, lived experience, authenticity, mortality, etc;
- show how existentialism relates to issues in ethics, epistemology and the philosophy of mind.
Teaching and learning methods
There will be a mixture of lectures and tutorials.
Please note the information in scheduled activity hours are only a guidance and may change.
Knowledge and understanding
- identify the main philosophical questions arising in a variety of texts by Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Sartre, de Beauvoir, and Fanon
- clearly articulate existentialist philosophical claims
Intellectual skills
- evaluate the claims and arguments of Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Sartre, de Beauvoir, and Fanon
- relate existentialist philosophy to other areas of philosophical inquiry
- evaluate existentialist philosophy's lasting significance
Practical skills
- interpret and criticise both primary and secondary texts
Transferable skills and personal qualities
- undertake independent research and apply theoretical knowledge to complex issues
Assessment methods
Method | Weight |
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Other | 50% |
Written exam | 50% |
Two written assignments (inc essays) 100%
Feedback methods
Recommended reading
Reading list:
The following reading list is indicative, and students are not required to read all of the publications listed.
Smith, Joel. 2022. Existentialism: A Philosophical Inquiry. London: Routledge
Webber, Jonathan. 2018. Rethinking Existentialism. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Dreyfus, Hubert L. and Mark A. Wrathall (eds.). 2006. A Companion to Phenomenology and Existentialism. Oxford: Blackwell.
Daigle, Christine. 2010. Jean-Paul Sartre. London: Routledge.
Arp, Kristina. 2001. The Bonds of Freedom: Simone de Beauvoir’s Existentialist Ethics. La Salle, IL: Open Court.
Study hours
Scheduled activity hours | |
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Lectures | 20 |
Tutorials | 10 |
Independent study hours | |
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Independent study | 170 |
Teaching staff
Staff member | Role |
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Joel Smith | Unit coordinator |