Course name: What is Man? Or: Philosophic-anthropological Mapping of
Human Existence
Code:
Term:
ECTS credits:
Lessons per week:
Language:
Instructor:
Form of study:
Fall
6
90 + 90 min
Eng.
Fekete, Jozef
seminar
Prerequisites
According what will be agreed upon in modules (political science, philosophy, arts)
Course Objectives
The principal introductory questions of Kant critical enterprise express themselves in their
traditional order as follows: What can I know? 2. What ought I to do? 3. What may I hope? 4.
What is man? Converting their order we put the last one as a key for the reading of the rest of
them: What is man? An unknown for the man himself? A forgotten enigma? An
inapproachable itself? The one called into question by himself/herself? An object of empirical
investigation? Or a puzzle approachable only through an art of poetry? Two disqualifying
extremes or two positive limits, i.e. the investigative referential guide-lines?
Apart of the just expressed theoretical interrogations, being faced by new challenges of our
contemporary era, we cannot but ask further and with all the more consistent consequences:
Are we losing our traditional (even if uncritical, unproved and therefore uncertain) identity (is
there an identity at all for a “human being”?) by being digitally reconstructible to numeric
database identities? Who is loser in this struggle between an uncertain and enigmatic “What is
Man?” and its appropriation by proclaimed sciences (decoding of DNA) and adequately by
invisible power interests (Snowden affair)?
The aim of this course is to call at the bar of historical tribunal (à la Kant) the most exemplary
witnesses of our investigative question “What is man?” Our choice, being an exemplificative,
didactic and definitely not exhaustive, tries to cover both: the genealogical time axe (from the
Ancient time up to the present thinkers) as well as, in some extent, the thematic and genre
variety (drama, metaphysics, political philosophy, interplay of sciences, phenomenology). We
offer canonical text by such thinkers as: Euripides, Plato, Aristotle, Augustin, Descartes,
Pascal, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Camus, Levinas, Agamben, Marion.
The course in the form of seminar and with a demand of faithful personal preparatory reading
of texts is addressed to the interested students wishing to deepen their knowledge relating to
map the unknown but challenging topic of “subjectivity” involving our personal, social and
historical experience.
Contents
The treating of the chosen philosophical text regarding the centrality of human being and its
functional accent variations. Namely:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Euripides, Hecuba
Plato, Symposium
Aristotle, De anima
A. Augustin, Confessions
R. Descartes, Meditations on the First Philosophy
B. Pascal, Les pensées
F. Nietzsche, the item: Übermensch
M. Heidegger, Being and Time
A. Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus
E. Levinas, Ethics and Infinity
G. Agamben, Homo sacer
J. L., Marion, Erotic Phenomenon
Themes and Readings involved
1. Euripides: Hecuba (M. Nussbaum: The Fragility of Goodness) – At the beginning was
a drama
Obligatory Readings
- Euripides - Hecuba, (tr. by Kardan, Street) – we take this translation, /take into
account the stage direction as (red) highlighted in the Hecuba English translation by
E. P. Coleridge)
Supplementary Readings and Sources
- Nussbaum, M., The Fragility of Goodness; Luck and Ethics in Greek Tragedy and
Philosophy; Cambridge Uni. Press, (revised ed.) 2001, pp. 395-421.
- Nussbaum, M., The Fragility of Goodness; video interview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWfK1E4L--c
2. Plato: Symposium (androgyny myth; Diotima and eros - ladder) – The motus movens
of psyche
Obligatory Readings
- Plato, Symposium: Diotima introduce Socrates to the mystery of eros; See
Symposium 201d-212c, (pp. 37-50, in: Plato, Symposium, tr. By Howatson, Cambridge
ed. 2008)
- Plato, Symposium: Aristophanes’ Speech from Plato's Symposium, androgyny myth,
See Symposium 189b-193e (pp. 22-27)
Supplementary Readings and Sources
- a good introduction the Symposium, Plato: Symposium (Cambridge ed. 2008,
pp. vii) and http://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/symposium/context.html
- see commentary to the Symposium 189c-193e
(http://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/symposium/section6.rhtml)
- see commentary to the Symposium 201c-212c
(http://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/symposium/section9.rhtml)
- audio-formate: Dialogue Socrates Diotima http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=699XE8_9Hjw
(from the 5:00)
- well-done dramatization of the Socrates Diotima dialogue (in Italian):
Discorso di Diotima a Socrate sull'Amore: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhYWihYWk0E
- a nice and helpful video presentation of Aristophanes’ Speech from Plato's
Symposium https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8ftkAqeMWI
- Eros inside the ancient mythological tradition. The myth: Eros and Psyche
Eros and Psyche part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eg55AOjpEko
Eros and Psyche part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNLLPJnJKBg
Eros and Psyche part 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uKrMdA_1cE
3. Aristotle, De anima – Towards the roots of metaphysical-ego
Obligatory Readings
- Hillar, M., The Problem of the Soul in Aristotle´s De anima; in: Contributors
to the Philosophy of Humanism, M. Hillar and F. Prahl, ed, Humanists of
Houston, Houston, 1994, pp. 51-82
- Aristotle, De Anima, Books II and III (With Passages From Book I) (Oxford Uni.
Press, tr. by D.W. Hamlyn, 1993, 2002: 412a3-414b33; pp. 8-17; 412a27; 416b20;
431b20; 413b14
Supplementary Readings and Sources
- Charlton, W., Aristotle's Definition of Soul; in: Phronesis, Vol. 25, No. 2,
Aristotle Number (1980), pp. 170-186
- Hicks, Introduction to Aristotle´s De Anima, in: Aristotle, De anima, tr. by
Hicks, Cambridge 1907
4. A. Augustin, Confessions – Ego sum more than an auto-script
Obligatory Readings
- Augustin, A., Confessions, Book VIII.; (XI.);in: Augustine, Confessions and
Enchiridion, tr. by A. C. Outler, The Westminster Press, 1955/2006, pp. 157-177,
(244-269)
- a relatively historically faithful movie dramatization of the life of Augustin of Hippo
(Italian): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgYSO4lJmr4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqT4OT0MPcc
Supplementary Readings and Sources
- Commentary to the Confessions, Summary, Context, Characters … and Book
VIII, http://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/confessionsaug/summary.html
- Russell, B., The History Of Western Philosophy, 1945, Chapter Four from
Book Two, Part One,
5. R. Descartes: Cogito cogitans – At the threshold of the modern Age (Meditations on
the First Philosophy)
Obligatory Readings
- Descartes, R., Meditations on the First Philosophy, tr. by. M. Moriarty,
Oxford Uni. Press, 2008, II. Meditation, pp. 17-24; VI. Meditation, pp. 51-64
Supplementary Readings and Sources
- Commentary to the Meditations on the First Philosophy, Summary, Context,
single mediations (I.-VI.) http://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/meditations/summary.html
- a well done video presentation: Bernard Williams on Descartes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SK0G31rN1is
- Moriarty, M., Introduction, in: Descartes, R., Meditations on the First
Philosophy, tr. by. M. Moriarty, Oxford Uni. Press, pp. IX-XL
6. B. Pascal: Les pensées – Logical rebellion against Rationalism
Obligatory Readings
- Pascal, B., Les pensées (The thoughts): - Double condition of man § 434; two infinities § 72; - Culture is a second nature §§ 93, 95; - Misery and
boredom §§ 129, 131, 139, 170, 171, 172; - The limits of reason §§ 114, 99,
72; - The recognition of the limits of reason by reason §§ 253, 277, 267, 270,
272, 274; - The knowledge of the first principle is the knowledge by hear §
282; - Myself as unrecognizable and loathsome §§ 323, 451, 455; - Misery and
greatness of human being §§ 140, 398, 399, 402, 416, 347, 348, 147, 400, 404,
434; Misery of man without God §§ 60-183
Supplementary Readings and Sources
- Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) Pensées: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KNHmgywX6g
- a historical dramatization of B. Pascal life (French)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3fhX3q0-SQ
- Blaise Pascal in Britannica http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/445406/Blaise-Pascal
7. F. Nietzsche, Übermensch – The withdrawal from the metaphysics of substance
Obligatory Readings
- Übermensch (Superman, Overman), eternal return/recurrence, the will to
power; in: Diethe, C., Historical Dictionary of Nietzscheanism, The Scarecrow
Press, 2007, pp. XIV-XXI; 279-280; 81-85, 296-298
- Nietzsche, F., Thus Spoke Zarathustra: A Book for All and None,
Zarathustra's Prologue (§§ 1-10); and The Three Metamorphoses (Part 1, § 1)
Supplementary Readings and Sources
- Kaufmann, W., Nietzsche Philosopher, Psychologist, Antichrist, Princeton
Uni. Press, 1974, pp. 307-333
8. M. Heidegger, Being and Time – Dasein (Being-there) as the substitution for subjectum
Obligatory Readings
- Wrathall, M., How to read Heidegger, W.W. Norton and Company, 2006, 137
- Watts, M., Heidegger, A Beginner's Guide, Hodder & Stoughton, 2001, pp.
24-40; see the Glossary 91ff
- Heidegger, M., Being and Time, (tr. by Stambaugh, J., from the German Sein
und Zeit; State University of New York, 1996), despite indubitable difficulties
try at least to savor the taste of the text by reading pp. (1-12), 13-16
Supplementary Readings and Sources
- Cerbone, D. R., Heidegger a Guide for the Perplexed, pp. 3-10
- Sheehan, Th., Dasein, in: Companion to Heidegger, ed. by Dreyfus H. L.,
Wrathall M. A., Blackwell Publishing, 2005, pp. 193-213
- Carman, T., Heidegger´s Analytics, Interpretation, Discourse, and
Authenticity in Being and Time, Cambridge Uni. Press, 203, pp. 35-43
- Hoffman, P., Dasein and “Its” Time, in: Companion to Heidegger, ed. by
Dreyfus H. L., Wrathall M. A., Blackwell Publishing, 2005, pp. 325-334
- Frede, D., The Question of Being: Heidegger´s Project, in: A Companion to
Heidegger, ed. by Guignon, Ch. B., Cambridge Uni. Press, 1993, pp. 42-69
- Jones, W.T., Fogelin, R. J., A History of Western Philosophy, The Twentieth
Century To Quine and Derrida, Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 1997, 3rd
ed., pp. 308-357
- Schalow, F., Denker, A., Historical Dictionary of Heidegger's Philosophy,
Scarecrow Press, 2010
9. A. Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus – Meaningless absurdity of Being
Obligatory Readings
- Camus, A., The Myth of Sisyphus And Other Essays, tr. by J. O’Brien, 1955,
pp. (in PDF technical paging) pp. 4-78.
Supplementary Readings and Sources
- The Myth of Sisyphus, Summary and Analysis, Context… on
http://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/sisyphus/context.html
two explications of Camus´s The Myth of Sisyphus,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHZPcnf89W0&index=4&list=PLYUiZKFdCnGZwEDRNKVltfA3kOgQ77DNh
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6zaM5-Cnnc
10. E. Levinas, Ethics and Infinity – The Face of the Other and Me-myself
Obligatory Readings
- Levinas, E., Ethics and Infinity, Conversation with P. Nemo, tr. by R. a.
Cohen, Duquesne Uni Press, 1985, pp. 53-110
Supplementary Readings and Sources
- Eaglestone, R., The “ethical turn” in continental philosophy, in: Schrift, A.
D., The History of Continental Philosophy, University of Chicago Press, 2010,
vol. 7, pp. 207-220
Levinas, E., Totality and Infinity, tr. by A. Lingis, Duquesne Uni Press, 23. ed..
2011, pp. 189ff
Levinas, E., Otherwise Than Being, tr. by A. Lingis, Kluwer Academic
Publishers, 1996, 99ff
11. G. Agamben, Homo sacer – A boundary of human society
Obligatory Readings
- Agamben, G., Homo sacer, Sovereign Power and Bare Life, tr. by D. HellerRoazen, Stanford Uni. Press, 1998, pp. 1-12, 15, 71-90
Supplementary Readings and Sources
- Zakin, E., in: The History of Continental Philosophy, ed. by Schrift, A. D.,
University of Chicago Press, 2010, vol. 8, pp. 63-67
- Durantaye, L., - Giorgio Agamben A Critical Introduction, Stanford Uni.
Press, 2009, pp. 200-214; 335-345
- Kishik, D., The Power of Life. Agamben and the Coming Politics, Stanford
Uni. Press, 2012, pp. 13-27, 41, 73, 99
- listen to G. Agamben: The State of Exception - Der Ausnahmezustand.
Lecture at European Graduate School. August 2003:
http://www.egs.edu/faculty/giorgio-agamben/videos/the-state-of-exception-der-ausnahmezustand/
http://www.egs.edu/faculty/giorgio-agamben/articles/the-state-of-exception/
- very nice didactic presentation of Homo sacer principles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGUxQmRNhtk
- Agamben - European Graduate School: videos http://www.egs.edu/faculty/giorgioagamben/videos/
- Agamben - European Graduate School: Articles and Interviews
http://www.egs.edu/faculty/giorgio-agamben/articles/
12. J. L., Marion, Erotic Phenomenon – The surmounting of myself by the Other in erotic
reduction
Obligatory Readings
- Marion, J.L., The Erotic Phenomenon, tr. by S. E. Lewis, University of
Chicago Press, 2006, pp. 120-135 (§§24-25), 184-190 (§36), 212-215 (§41)
Supplementary Readings and Sources
- the three erotic reductions, Horner, R., Jean-Luc Marion: A Theo-logical
Introduction, Ashgate, 2005, pp. 135-146
- an introduction the philosophy of J.L. Marion by K. Hart, Introduction, in:
Counter-Experiences: Reading Jean-Luc Marion, edited by Kevin Hart,
University of Notre Dame Press, 2007, pp. 1-54
- Romano, C., Love in Its Concept: Jean-Luc Marion The Erotic Phenomenon,
in: Counter-Experiences: Reading Jean-Luc Marion, edited by Kevin Hart,
University of Notre Dame Press, 2007, pp. 339-356
- a short and enriching presentation of the philosophy of J.L. Marion by
himself (in French): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pODpmRGnIj0
- the presentation of the whole of The Erotic Phenomenon by the author
himself (in French): La logique du phénomène érotique: http://vimeo.com/30180915
- Entretien avec Jean-Luc Marion, in: Le philosophoire, 2000/1 - n° 11, p. 522
- a short framework presentation of The Erotic Phenomenon
http://www.oasiscenter.eu/reviews/2007/06/01/jean-luc-marion-the-erotic-phenomenon
- The Erotic Phenomenon reviewed by J. Caputo: The Erotic Phenomenon by
Jean‐Luc Marion, in: Ethics, Vol. 118, No. 1, (October 2007), pp. 164-168
- The Erotic Phenomenon reviewed by Lucia Teszler
http://metapsychology.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=book&id=4225
- Hubbard, K., The Unity of Eros and Agape: On Jean-Luc Marion’s Erotic
Phenomenon, in: Essays in Philosophy: Vol. 12: Iss. 1, Article 9.
- M. Rose´s, M. review The Erotic Phenomenon, in: Theology and Sexuality,
18.2 (2012), 158-160
- Lewis, S., The Four Loves, 1960, pp. 11-21
13. Recapitulation of the read
To bring with and present:
- the items of the concluding paper to be written and delivered
Evaluation Criteria
20% Active attendance at seminars, participation in debates, class preparedness
10% Written weakly class preparation (questions and comments on respective text or a short
reflection on the contents of previous lesson)
20% Presentation of one term item
50% Final essay (a longer essay of 7 to 10 pages for the 2nd and 3rd year)
Course Evaluation (%)
A –
B –
C –
D –
E –
Fx –
excellent:
very good:
good:
satisfactory:
sufficient:
fail:
100-93%,
92-84%,
83-74%,
73-63%,
62-51%,
50-0%.
Passing a course assumes that student was not absent at more than 4 lessons.