Topics in Twentieth Century Continental Philosophy
 

Required Texts

 Edmund Husserl, Phenomenology and the Crisis of Philosophy
 Edmund Husserl, Origin of Geometry, "Introduction" by Jacques Derrida
 Martin Heidegger, Being and Time
 Jurgen Habermas, The Philosophical Discourse of Modernity

Course Outline

August 29   Course introduction

August 31  Husserl, "Philosophy and the Crisis of European Humanity," pp. 149-92

Sept. 7  Husserl, "Philosophy as Rigorous Science," pp. 71-122

Sept. 12  Husserl, "Philosophy as Rigorous Science," 122-47

Sept. 14  Husserl, "Origin of Geometry"

Sept. 19  Husserl, "Origin";  Derrida, "Introduction" to Husserl, pp. 25-76
Sept. 21  Derrida, pp. 76-121

Sept. 26   Derrida, pp. 122-153

Sept. 28  Heidegger, Being and Time, "Introduction," pp. 19-49

Oct. 3  Heidegger, pp. 49-64

Oct. 5  Heidegger, Preliminary analysis of Dasein, Being in the World, pp. 67-90

Oct. 10  Heidegger, Worldhood, pp. 91-127

Oct. 12  Heidegger, pp. 128-48

Oct. 17  Heidegger, Being in the World, pp. 149-68

Oct. 19  Heidegger, Being in, pp. 169-203

Oct. 24  Heidegger, pp. 203-24

Oct. 26  Heidegger, Care, pp. 225-56

Oct. 31  Heidegger, Disclosedness and Truth, pp. 256-73

Nov. 2  Heidegger, Dasein and Temporality, Being Towards Death, pp. 274-85

Nov. 7  Heidegger, pp. 285-311

Nov. 9  Heidegger, Authentic Potentiality for Being, pp. 312-335

Nov. 14  Heidegger, Conscience, Temporality, Care, pp. 335-52

Nov. 16  Heidegger, pp. 352-82

Nov. 21  Habermas, The Philosophical Discourse of Modernity, pp. 1-22, recommended: "Hegel's Concept of Modernity," pp.23-44

Nov. 23  Habermas, "The Entry into Postmodernity:  Nietzsche as a Turning Point," pp. 83-105

Nov. 28  Habermas, "The Undermining of Western Rationalism through the Critique of Metaphysics: Martin Heidegger," pp. 131-60

Nov. 30  Habermas, "Beyond a Temporalized Philosophy of Origins: Jacques Derrida's Critique of Phonocentrism," pp. 161-84

Dec. 5  Habermas, "An Alternative Way out of the Philosophy of the Subject:  Communicative versus Subject-Centered Reason," pp. 294-326

Dec. 7  Habermas, "The Normative Content of Modernity," pp. 336-67
 

Course Requirements

Everyone should attend each class prepared to discuss the assigned readings. Please make a habit of formulating at least one question about course material before each class.

There will be five short writing assignments due on the following dates:  Sept. 19, Oct. 3, Oct. 24, Nov. 21, Dec. 12.  Students have the option of substituting a class report on assigned material for at least one of the writing assignments.

Office Hours

Feel free to make use of office hours or make an appointment to discuss course topics or assignments.  I regularly check my E-mail, so this is another means to raise questions or to make suggestions about the class.

Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 1:45 to 2:45, and by appointment.

512 S.Kedzie,  353-9378  (messages: 355-4490)