COURSE CPHL 605
Existentialism
COURSE OUTLINE FOR WINTER 2010
INSTRUCTOR:
Donal O'Reardon
INSTRUCTOR PHONE:
INSTRUCTOR E-MAIL:
donal.oreardon@ryerson.ca
COURSE PREREQUISITES:
None.
The Chang School Office Hours:
Monday to Thursday – 8:00am – 7:00pm
Friday – 8:00am – 4:30pm
Saturday – 8:15am – 1:15pm (closed July and August)
Every effort will be made to manage the course as stated. However, adjustments may be necessary at
the discretion of the instructor. If so, students will be advised and alterations discussed in the class
prior to implementation.
It is the responsibility of students to ensure that they understand the University’s policies and
procedures, in particular those relating to course management and academic integrity. A list of relevant
policies is included at the end of this outline.
COURSE DESCRIPTION / OBJECTIVE:
Existentialism has been described as a "style" of philosophical thinking concerned with the meaning of
human existence. For this reason existentialist philosophers have often talked about death, despair,
anxiety, angst, dread and freedom. In this course we will look at some of the most important writings of
existentialist philosophers such as Soren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, Martin Heidegger and JeanPaul Satre. However, we will also look at how existentialist thinking has influenced literature by
looking at some of the work of the 19th century Russian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky and the 20th
century Irish writer, Samuel Beckett. The aim of this course is 1) To familiarize students with basic
existentialist ideas, 2) To help students to examine and anaylse these ideas in the texts we will meet
together and 3) To enable students to identify and apply these concepts in their further study and
research.
TEXTBOOK & READING LISTS:
George A. Marino (eds.) "Basic Writings of Existentialism", Modern Library, New York, 2004.
Samuel Beckett, "Waiting for Godot", Grove Press, New York, 1982.
Page 1 of 4
Course Outline –CPHL 605
OTHER MATERIALS:
Book of photocopied articles, available in Ryerson Bookshop.
METHOD OF INSTRUCTION:
This is a taught class that is text-driven. Classes will therefore entail a mixture of instruction, group
reading and class discussion.
METHOD AND SCHEDULE OF STUDENT EVALUATION:
This course has three forms of evaluation: A mid term examination (20%), a paper (40%) and a final
exam (40%). Dates for mid-term, paper and exam as well as titles for the paper will be discussed in
class.
MISSED TERM WORK OR EXAMINATIONS:
Students are expected to complete all assignments, tests, and exams within the time frames and by the
dates indicated in this outline. Exemption or deferral of an assignment, term test, or final examination
is only permitted for a medical or personal emergency or due to religious observance. The instructor
must be notified by e-mail prior to the due date or test/exam date, and the appropriate documentation
must be submitted. For absence on medical or religious observance grounds, official forms may be
downloaded from the Ryerson website at www.ryerson.ca/undergraduate/currentstudents/rr or picked
up from The Chang School at Heaslip House, 297 Victoria St., Main Floor.
COURSE SCHEDULE: This course is 14 classes in duration.
Class
Topic / Theme to be Examined
Class 1
1. Introductions, academic expectations, explanation
of assessments.
2. Existentialism in Context
September 16, 2010
3. Introduction to Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855)
Class 2
"Problema I" and "Problema II"
(Marino, pgs. 7-39)
Kierkegaard's "Sickness Unto Death"
"Despair is the Sickness unto
Death", "The Universality of This
Sickness", "The Forms of this
Sickness" (Marino, pgs. 43-105)
Introduction to the life and work of Friedrich
Nietzsche (1844-1900).
Examination of "On the Genealogy of Morals"
Excerpt from BBC documentary
on Nietzsche.
"First Essay" and "Second Essay"
(Marino. Pgs. 111-187).
September 30, 2010
Class 4
October 7, 2010
MacQuarrie "Existentialism", pgs.
1-40 (in photocopy pack)
Genesis 22:1-18, "A Panegryic
Upon Abraham"
Kierkegaard's "Fear and Trembling"
September 23, 2010
Class 3
Readings
Page 2 of 4
Course Outline –CPHL 605
Class 5
Class discussion on the influence of Nietzsche.
October 14, 2010
Introduction to the life and work of Fyodor
Dostoyevsky 1821-1881.
Examination of "Notes from the Underground" and
"The Brothers Karamazov"
Class 6
October 21, 2010
Class 7
October 28, 2010
Marino pgs. 193-254.
Mid-Term Examination (80mins)
Introduction to the Life and Work of Martin
Heidegger (1889-1976).
Examination of "Being and Time"
Excerpt from BBC Heidegger
documentary.
"Being and Time", #46-#53
Marino, pgs. 299-336.
"Being and Time" (cont.)
Comparison of Heidegger with Nietzsche
"Nietzsche" Vol. IV, pgs. 43-75
(in photocopy packet)
Excerpt from BBC Satre
documentary.
Introduction to the Life and Work of Jean-Paul Satre
(1905-1980).
Class 8
2nd excerpt from BBC Nietzsche
documentary.
Examination of "Existentialism is a Humanism"
Examination of "Being and Nothingness"
"Existentialism is a Humanism",
Marino, pgs. 341-367.
Marino pgs. 391-409.
"Being and Nothingness" (Cont.)
Marino pgs. 391-409
Analysis of key differences between Heidegger and
Satre
"Letter on Humanism", in
photocopy packet.
Papers due.
Introduction to the life and work of Albert Camus
1913-1960.
Examination of "The Myth of Sisyphus"
Excerpts from "The Plague"
(distributed in class).
Marino, pgs. 441-492.
Introduction to the Life and Work of Simone De
Beauvoir (1908-1986).
Marino pgs. 413-436.
Introduction to the Life and Work of Samuel Beckett
(1906-1989)
"Waiting for Godot".
Review of course, analysis of key concepts and
ideas, discussion and clarification for final exam.
All Texts
December 9, 2010
Class 14
Final Exam.
In classroom. 2 hours.
November 4, 2010
Class 9
November 11, 2010
Class 10
November 18, 2010
Class 11
November 25, 2010
Class 12
December 2, 2010
Class 13
December 16, 2010
PLAGIARISM:
The Ryerson Student Code of Academic Conduct defines plagiarism and the sanctions against students
who plagiarize. All Chang School students are strongly encouraged to go to the academic integrity
website at www.ryerson.ca/academicintegrity and complete the tutorial on plagiarism.
Page 3 of 4
Course Outline –CPHL 605
LATE POLICY:
Please note, I have no additional discretionary caveats on late work or missed examinations. The
Ryerson policy as it is outlined above and explained in the academic policy documents listed below is
the ONLY POLICY that operates in this course. Therefore, I must be informed of any possible missed
deadlines for papers, mid-term examinations or final examinations at least TWO weeks before the due
date of the paper / date of the examination. This must be accompanied by the relevant documentation.
As such, only reasons of medical appointments, religious observance or compassionate grounds will be
considered as valid grounds for a missed term paper due date or a missed examination. No other
requests will be considered.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:
Ryerson University and The Chang School are committed to the principles of academic integrity as
outlined in the Student Code of Academic Conduct. Students are strongly encouraged to review the
student guide to academic integrity, including penalties for misconduct, on the academic integrity
website at www.ryerson.ca/academicintegrity and the Student Code of Academic Conduct at
www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies.
COURSE REPEATS:
Senate GPA Policy prevents students from taking a course more than three times. For complete GPA
Policy see policy No. 46 at www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies .
RYERSON ACADEMIC POLICIES:
For more information on Ryerson’s academic policies, visit the Senate website at
www.ryerson.ca/senate.
Course Management Policy No. 145
Student Code of Academic Conduct No. 60
Student Code of Non-Academic Conduct No. 61
Examination Policy No. 135
Policy on Grading, Promotion, and Academic Standing Policy No. 46
Undergraduate Academic Consideration and Appeals Policy No. 134
Accommodation of Student Religious Observance Obligations Policy No. 150
Page 4 of 4
Course Outline –CPHL 605