PHILOSOPHY 375A: EXISTENTIALISM
Fall 2004
Mondays and Wednesdays 13:35 – 14:25, and one mandatory conference
PROFESSOR A. AL-SAJI
Office: 932 Leacock, ext. 1207
Email: alia.al-saji@mcgill.ca
Office hours: Mondays and Wednesdays 14:40-15:40 (and by appt.)
Teaching Assistants: Chloe Taylor and Florentien Verhage
Course Description:
The topic of this course is existential philosophy. Existentialism is the general name given to a
philosophical movement that arose in Europe in the 1930s and included several thinkers in
France and Germany. Although not all of these thinkers always accepted the label
“existentialist” (e.g. Heidegger), they all sought in their philosophies to reconceptualize the
nature of human existence. More precisely, they are joined in the belief that human existence
cannot be defined by a predetermined essence.
Although the term “existentialism” is also sometimes used to describe a popular cultural
phenomenon that arose in the middle of the 20th century, this course will be concerned with the
philosophical sense of existentialism. In particular, existential philosophers (e.g. Sartre and de
Beauvoir) distinguished sharply between their writings and the existentialist fashion of the times,
which they saw as seeking to profit from the popularity of their writings by repeating key terms
(such as “anguish” or “bad faith”) but emptied of their philosophical sense. Existentialism is
thus not a matter of personal reflection or a style of life, but a philosophical approach to human
existence that presents a certain number of concepts or themes.
The existential themes discussed in this course are: the intentional nature of consciousness
(Husserl and Sartre); the function and nature of emotion (Sartre); what anxiety reveals about
human existence in general (Sartre and Heidegger); bad faith (Sartre); the structure of
intersubjective relations (Sartre and de Beauvoir); the nature of human freedom, responsibility
and choice (Sartre and de Beauvoir); the social constitution of the self and of the sense of one’s
own body (de Beauvoir and Fanon); the critique of humanism and metaphysics (Heidegger); the
absurdity or groundlessness of human existence and the definition of this existence as perpetual
becoming (all thinkers); and the significance of this absurdity for the question of suicide
(Camus).
This course is organized according to three aims: (i) To acquaint students with the immediate
philosophical background of existentialism, seen in the phenomenology of Edmund Husserl. The
intentional theory of consciousness, developed by Husserl and appropriated by Sartre in his
description of human emotion, will provide the basis for understanding all other existential
concepts in the course. (Weeks 2-3) (ii) To acquaint students with the major themes of
existential philosophy. This will be done by means of a close study of the most systematically
developed version of French existentialism, the philosophy of Jean-Paul Sartre. (Weeks 4-7)
(iii) To present students with a sense of the diversity of existential positions. To this end, we
will study contrasting approaches to existentialism—seen in the feminist philosophy of Simone
de Beauvoir, the anti-colonialist stance of Frantz Fanon, the existential phenomenology of Martin
Heidegger, and the philosophy of the absurd developed by Albert Camus. (Weeks 8-13) The
A. Al-Saji, PHIL 375, p. 2
general purpose of the course is therefore not to present a survey of all so-called existentialisms,
but to allow students to arrive at an understanding of what constitutes existential philosophy by
means of a study of some of its most important manifestations.
Prerequisites and Expectations:
This course has as a prerequisite one prior course in philosophy at the introductory level. No
prior knowledge of existentialism is required. Students should, however, be prepared to read a
substantial amount and to learn how to read, write and discuss philosophy. Note also that this
course will present close readings and textual analysis of parts of the texts assigned. Students
should thus expect a treatment of philosophical concepts, not of the circumstances or biographies
of the authors in question.
Texts:
Course Pack (McGill Bookstore)
Sartre, Sketch for a Theory of the Emotions, pp. 34-64 (On Reserve)
Assignments and Grades:
Two papers (30% each) and one final take-home examination
(35%). The remaining 5% depends on your participation and attendance at conferences.
Each paper will take the form of a five page essay and must be chosen from a list of topics
provided by the instructor. The purpose of these papers is to give you practice in writing
philosophical, that is, critical and well-reasoned, essays. (Guidelines for writing such essays will
be handed out in class and explained in conference.)
The take-home final will aim to be comprehensive. It will involve a series of short answer
questions and one to two essay questions.
Conferences are mandatory. For each weekly conference, you will be required to come with one
question on that week’s reading. The question should be written (along with your name) on a
note card that you hand in to your TA. These note cards will be used to determine your
attendance at conferences. This, as well as your participation in conference, will contribute to
the remaining 5% of your grade in the class.
Policy on Extensions:
No extensions will be granted without an appropriate medical note. Late work will be penalized
at the rate of one letter grade per calendar day past the due date. For instance, a paper that is
evaluated as a B, if one day late, will be assigned a B-, and if two days late, will receive a C+.
McGILL UNIVERSITY VALUES ACADEMIC INTEGRITY. THEREFORE ALL STUDENTS
MUST UNDERSTAND THE MEANING AND CONSEQUENCES OF CHEATING,
PLAGIARISM AND OTHER ACADEMIC OFFENCES UNDER THE CODE OF STUDENT
CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES (see www.mcgill.ca/integrity for more
information).
A. Al-Saji, PHIL 375, p. 3
Schedule of Readings:
September
1
6
(All readings are in the course pack unless otherwise indicated.
Page numbers refer to those of original sources.)
Introduction. “What is Existentialism?”
LABOUR DAY. No classes.
INTRODUCTION: THE PHENOMENOLOGICAL BACKDROP TO
EXISTENTIALIST PHILOSOPHY
8
Husserl, “The thesis of the natural standpoint and its suspension” (pp.
91-100); and Sartre, “Intentionality: A fundamental idea of Husserl’s
phenomenology” (pp. 4-5).
13
Continue Husserl and Sartre. Begin Sartre, Sketch for a Theory of the
Emotions, pp. 34-64 (ON RESERVE)
15, 20 Sartre, Sketch for a Theory of the Emotions, pp. 34-64 (ON RESERVE)
EXISTENTIALIST PHILOSOPHY OF JEAN-PAUL SARTRE
October
22
Sartre, The Philosophy of Jean-Paul. Sartre, pp. 101-107 and pp. 115123 (“Consciousness of Something” and “Anguish”)
[Optional reading: “The Question” from The Philosophy of Jean-Paul.
Sartre, pp. 110-115]
27
Sartre, The Philosophy of J.-P. Sartre, continue discussion of “Anguish”
(pp. 115-123), and begin “Self-negation”, pp. 136-166
29
Sartre, The Philosophy of J.-P. Sartre, “Self-negation”, pp. 136-166
4, 6
Sartre, The Philosophy of J.-P. Sartre, pp. 185-208
(“The Encounter with the Other”)
And No Exit (To be discussed during conferences)
11
THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY. No classes.
13, 18 Sartre, The Philosophy of J.-P. Sartre, pp. 255-281 (“Being and Doing”).
First paper due OCTOBER 18th in class
EXISTENTIALISM AND FEMINISM: SIMONE DE BEAUVOIR
November
20
“Introduction to The Second Sex” (from “One Is Not Born a Woman,”
pp.6-20)
25
Continue “Introduction to The Second Sex” (pp.6-20) and begin “The
Mother” (pp. 20-27)
27
Class Cancelled
1
“The Mother” and “The Woman in Love” (pp.20-34)
A. Al-Saji, PHIL 375, p. 4
EXISTENTIALISM AND POST-COLONIALISM: FRANTZ FANON
November
3
Fanon, “The Fact of Blackness” (Correct translation of this title is: “The
lived experience of the black”) (pp. 109-140)
8
Continue Fanon, “The Fact of Blackness” (pp. 109-140)
10
Continue Fanon, “The Fact of Blackness” (pp. 109-140)
EXISTENTIAL PHENOMENOLOGY OF MARTIN HEIDEGGER
15, 17 Heidegger, “What is Metaphysics?” (pp. 89-110)
22, 24 Heidegger, “Letter on Humanism” (pp. 213-265)
[Note: Heidegger’s “The Age of the World Picture” is not required reading. It is
provided for those interested in reading more of Heidegger and will not be
discussed in class.]
Second paper due NOVEMBER 24th in class
PHILOSOPHY OF THE ABSURD: ALBERT CAMUS
December
29
Camus, “An Absurd Reasoning” (pp. 11-35, 51-63)
1
Continue “An Absurd Reasoning” (pp. 51-63) and “The Myth of
Sisyphus” (pp. 107-111)
QUESTIONS FOR TAKE-HOME FINAL WILL BE HANDED OUT IN
CLASS ON DECEMBER 1st.
DECEMBER 1st IS LAST LECTURE. LAST DAY OF CONFERENCES IS DECEMBER 3rd.
DUE DATES FOR PAPERS: October 18th, November 24th.
Essay topics and guidelines will be handed out in class on September 15th and October 20th
respectively.