Course Syllabus

JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "PH 302i"
COURSE NAME: "Phenomenology and Existentialism"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2025

SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Brunella Antomarini
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: TTH 11:30 AM 12:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS:
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisites: One previous philosophy course or Junior Standing Co-requisites: EN 110; Recommended Junior Standing
OFFICE HOURS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Phenomenology is a movement in twentieth century philosophy that attempts to overcome the separation of mind from body, and to instead understand our mental processes as embodied in the natural and social world. On this course students will study Husserl’s fundamental methods of phenomenological self-observation and the groundbreaking innovations made by such figures as Heidegger, Arendt, and Jaspers. These methods will allow students to then explore the movement’s legacy in French existentialism, as represented by figures such as Sartre and Merleau-Ponty. Ideas such as intentionality, perception, correlation, being-in-the-world, embodied mind, existence, choice, forms of life, issues of technique and groundlessness, and the implications for political action and individuals’ existential freedom and responsibility will be considered in relation to contemporary debates over such things as digital culture, virtual and augmented reality, new technologies, and embodiment.

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

What does 'existence' mean today? Traditionally, philosophy tended to separate living beings into mind and body, subject and object. In the early twentieth century, however, a group of philosophers called "phenomenologists", as well as "existentialists" and others, developed new approaches meant to overcome this separation and to produce a unified view of human life, based on a concrete description of our mental processes and of lived experience.

Proto-existential reflections:

Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil, pp. 21-24 (§13,16,17,18,21,34,35, 257). Genealogy of Morals, pp. 199-223 (§1,3,4,10,12). The Gay Science (§§. 373) (in The Essential Nietzsche, JCU).

https://psyche.co/ideas/when-nietzsche-said-become-who-you-are-this-is-what-he-meant?utm_source=Aeon+Newsletter

Karl Jaspers, Philosophy of existence (introduction) (JCU).

French existentialism:

Albert Camus, Caligula, pp.59-61; 134-136.

Albert Camus, Absurd Creation pp. 60-62; The Myth of Sisyphus, pp. 75-78 (in: The Myth of Sisyphus).

Albert Camus, Neither Victims nor Executioners, pp.257-261 ().

J.P. Sartre, Essays in Existentialism, pp. 63-68

From Being and Nothingness: The Look, pp.220-221

https://edisciplinas.usp.br/pluginfile.php/6564640/mod_resource/content/2/Being%20and%20Nothingness.pdf

Interview to Sartre:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g8JVK4Fppw&t=133s

Guy Debord, Society of Spectacle (Ch.I. JCU library)

Jean Baudrillard, Simulacra and Simulations (pp.166-184)

American existentialism (materials)

Norman Mailer: The White Negro (1957)

https://www.dissentmagazine.org/online_articles/the-white-negro-fall-1957/

From Stanford University 1960s:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uh2kK5IfS-8&t=84s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6rKUf9DWRI&t=2s

Existentialist legacy today:

Markus Gabriel, Neo-existentialism (excerpts)

Raymond Ruyer, Neofinalism, Ch.3.

Peter Sloterdijk, Rules for the Human Zoo (Environment and Planning D: Society and Space 2009, volume 27, pages 12-28)

Katherine Hayles, My Mother Was a Computer (Prologue to p.5)

J. Xun, Hypnocracy (excerpts)

SCREENING OF FILM:

A Real Pain by Jesse Eisenberg (2024)

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Developing skills in critical thinking, theoretical analysis, ability in distinguishing relevant and updated elements of existentialism.

TEXTBOOK:

NONE

REQUIRED RESERVED READING:

NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:

NONE

GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Assignment	Guidelines	Weight
Short papers at home		20%
PRESENTATION (mid-term exam)		20%
PRESENTATION (final exam)		40%
Attendance and participation		20%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
The course aims at a phenomenological analysis, discussion, and development of the most important theme in existential philosophy: the Self, understood as consciousness, confronting a world and engaged in human action. Beginning with selected writings by Nietzsche and Kierkegaard, the fathers of Existentialism, the course will explore issues such as freedom, responsibility, decision, finitude, and alienation. These issues will be discussed in their existential contexts as they emerge from the works of philosophers such as K. Jaspers, Sartre, Heidegger, etc. A special emphasis will be placed on the relevance and critical significance of these issues to everyday life in contemporary society.

ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.

STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE

I WEEK

Intro

II WEEK

Nietzsche

III WEEK

Camus

IV WEEK

Camus

V WEEK

Sartre

VI WEEK

Debord

VII WEEK

MIDTERM

VIII WEEK

Simondon and guest lecture by Francesca Sunseri

IX WEEK

Film: A Real Pain

X WEEK

Baudrillard

XI WEEK

Ruyer and Gabriel

XII WEEK

Sloterdijk

XIII WEEK

Hayles and Xun

XIV WEEK

Review