Modern Philosophies of Life: Adorno, Foucault, Agamben
CHUM 269
Fall 2008
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01
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Crosslisting:
GRST 269 |
If by the term "ethics" we mean the philosophical concern with the good and just life, does the philosopher Theodor Adorno's radical question "Can one live after Auschwitz?" still fall in the province of ethics? In this seminar, we will investigate extreme forms of ethical thought, born from the experience that modern life requires approaches to thinking that no longer take the categories of "life" and "death" for granted, but seek to call their seemingly universal and metaphysical truth into question. It is the goal of this seminar to evaluate the distinctly unique but related philosophies of life articulated by Adorno, Faucault, and Agamben as modern, and often scandalously ambivalent, reformulations of ethics and as critiques of contemporary political life and its institutions. A recurrent theme in this context will be the role of art and aesthetics. |
Essential Capabilities:
Ethical Reasoning, Interpretation Ethical Reasoning: The course will address the problem of the "right" life from different philosophical perspectives. Interpretation: A significant portion of this seminar will involve detailed and careful interpretation of philosophical (and some literary) texts and will address the particular challenges posed by the task of interpretation.
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Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA PHIL |
Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Graded |
Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Major Requirement for: None |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Adorno, MINIMA MORALIA: REFLECTIONS FROM DAMAGED LIFE, DIALECTIC OF ENLIGHTENMENT,NEGATIVE DIALECTICS, METAPHYSICS: CONCEPT AND PROBLEMS Foucault, THE HISTORY OF SEXUALITY VOL. 1, SECURITY, TERRITORY, POPULATION (LECTURES AT THE COLLEGE DE FRANCE, 1977-1978); THE BIRTH OF BIOPOLITICS (LECTURES AT THE COLLEGE DE FRANCE, 1978-1979) Agamben, STATE OF EXCEPTION, HOMO SACER: SOVEREIGN POWER AND BARE LIFE, REMNANTS OF AUSCHWITZ: THE WITNESS AND THE ARCHIVE Works by Walter Benjamin, Franz Kafka, and Primo Levi
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Additional Requirements and/or Comments: Students are required to read up to 70 pages of dense philosophical prose a week. Regular participation is expected. Grades are based on oral participation, bi-weekly response papers, and two long essays. |
Instructor(s): Plass,Ulrich Times: ..T.... 07:00PM-09:50PM; Location: CFH106; |
Total Enrollment Limit: 16 | | SR major: 1 | JR major: 1 |   |   |
Seats Available: 1 | GRAD: 0 | SR non-major: 5 | JR non-major: 5 | SO: 4 | FR: 0 |
Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
Total Submitted Requests: 1 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 1 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
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