PHILOSOPHY TOPICS III

FROM ENLIGHTENMENT TO ANXIETY

(A) Crisis in Western Thought: Historical and Social Context

1. The Romantic Rebellion
2. Industrial Revolution & World Wars
3. Problems Generated:
a. The Collapse of Reason
b. Redefining Value
c. Crisis of Meaning & Spirit

(B) Dostoyevsky: Assessment and Response:

1. Image of man: Underground
a. Disease of Consciousness
b. Being vs Becoming
c. The Crystal Palace

(C) Nietzsche: Radical Individualism & Freedom

1. Collapse of Western Metaphysics
Substance:
a. God
b. Self
c. External World
2. Critiques of:
a. Reason
b. Religion
c. Morality

(D) James: Will to Believe: Pragmatic Man

1. Criteria for Genuine Options
2. Pascalʼs Wager
3. Our Passional Nature
4. Pragmatic Truth

(E) Freud: Psychoanalytic Man

1. Division of the Psyche
2. Theory of Instinct (Eros & Thanatos)
3. Happiness & the Problem of Suffering
4. Value and Danger of Civilization

(F) Sartre: Existentialism

1. Existence precedes Essence
2. Freedom & Responsibility
3. Problem of Consciousness
4. Bad Faith & authenticity