Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Lecturer
Jean-Philippe Deranty
Contact via 98506773
W6A 736
tba
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Credit points |
Credit points
3
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
12cp or admission to GDipArts
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
This unit studies key philosophical questions (the meaning of life and death, freedom and responsibility, politics and history) from the perspective of existentialist philosophy. The unit is organised around the most important texts in this tradition. In particular, we investigate the way in which existentialist thinkers explored philosophical questions through literature.
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Name | Weighting | Due |
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Introduction to Existentialism | 10% | Week 3 and 4 |
Weekly exercises | 40% | Weeks 5-12 |
Participation | 10% | Throughout the course |
Final essay | 40% | Monday 15 June |
Due: Week 3 and 4
Weighting: 10%
Tutorials are organised as workshops in which students work on and finalise their answers to questions set the previous week. After the tutorial, students have until the Monday of the following week to submit their response. Each exercise is worth 5% of the overall mark. Students receive feedback during the week, in time for the next weekly exercise. In the first two weeks, the questions relate to key concepts and ideas that form the basis of existentialist approaches.
Due: Weeks 5-12
Weighting: 40%
In the following weeks, exercises will test and extend the understanding of key notions and arguments, provide guidelines for productive personal research, and offer opportunities to practise philosophical writing. Answers to the set questions will require small amounts of research and writing, a few sentences in the first half of the course, up to a page in the later stages of the course. The exercises will cover the different types of skills required for writing a philosophical essay.
Due: Throughout the course
Weighting: 10%
The participation mark reflects the amount of productive involvement in the weekly workshops, in terms of preparation and active participation.
Due: Monday 15 June
Weighting: 40%
In the final essay, students have the opportunity to explore a topic related to the course content and to develop a personal response to a complex issue. Some set questions will be suggested but students will also be able to devise their own essay question. This major assignment is designed to test students ability to engage with a topic in depth, to express, analyse and organise key ideas clearly and systematically, and to develop an argument or point of view in a sustained and coherent manner. The required word length will be between 3,000 and 4,000 words.
This unit uses an ilearn website and Echo360 lecture recordings (https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/MQ/). The website contains links to lecture notes, ilecture recordings, and other learning materials. Students will therefore require access to a computer and a good internet connection in order to access all the material, and participate in the unit effectively.
PHL238 will be delivered using a combination of lectures (live and pre-recorded) and tutorial work. Lectures are organised around key texts in which fundamental concepts and arguments are introduced and explained. Tutorials are organised as workshops in which weekly exercises are analysed and brainstormed in group discussions, to assist each student in completing timely submission of their answers. The weekly exercises are designed to practise the various skills required in philosophical writing. They will be scaffolded to help students in the preparation of the final essay. External students will conduct these workshops online via iLearn.
Lecture and Tutorial Times
There are two lectures per week:
Tuesday 2-3pm C5A 226
Friday 3-4pm E6A 108
Two tutorials are scheduled:
Tuesday 3-4pm W5C 334
Friday 4-5pm W5C 334
Weekly tutorials will begin in WEEK 2 and will continue until Week 13.
Week 1 |
Introduction to PHL 238 |
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“There is only one serious philosophical problem”: authentic existence, the question at the root of all philosophical inquiries |
Week 2 |
The Absurd – Camus’ challenge Key text: Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus, chapter 1. |
Week 3-4 |
Boredom, Death and Care – Heidegger’s challenge Key text: extracts from Heidegger, Being and Time, What is Metaphysics? |
Week 5 |
The Power of Nothingness – Sartre’s Challenge Key text: extract from Existentialism is a Humanism |
Week 6 (only 1 lect) |
The Authentic Body: Merleau-Ponty’s challenge Key text: Merleau-Ponty, extracts from The Phenomenology of Perception |
Week 7 |
The Authentic Self and the Other Key texts: Heidegger, “The They” (from Being and Time); Sartre’s “being-for-other” (from Being and Nothingness and No Exit); Merleau-Ponty’s co-presence (from Pheno of Perception) |
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“What ought I to do”? Morality, Politics and Art as existential tasks |
Week 8 |
Nature versus History – Camus’ response to the Absurd Key texts: Camus, Nuptials at Tipasa, The Outsider (final page) |
Week 9 |
De Beauvoir: freedom as duty Key texts: De Beauvoir, Ethics of Ambiguity, chapter 1; The Second Sex, Introduction |
Week 10 |
Sartre: the responsibilities of literature Key text: Sartre, Black Orpheus |
Week 11 |
The work of art as safeguard of truth Key text: Heidegger, The Origin of the Work of Art |
Week 12 |
The truth of painting: Cézanne as a Philosopher Key text: Merleau-Ponty, extract from The Eye and the Mind |
Week 13 |
Wrap up, feedback and Essay preparation |
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html
Grading Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html
Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html
Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.
In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/
Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
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