Kierkegaard and Nietzsche - Philosophy 341
Syllabus
TEXTS:
 | R. Bretall (ed.), A KIERKEGAARD ANTHOLOGY (KA) |
| S. Kierkegaard, FEAR AND TREMBLING and REPETITION (F&T) |
| W. Kaufmann (ed.), THE PORTABLE NIETZSCHE (PN) |
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
In this course we shall compare the thinking of two existentialist philosophers, Søren Kierkegaard and Friedrich Nietzsche. In many ways these two nineteenth century thinkers were alike. They shared a number of concerns about society, religion, and morality. Each was at odds with his culture, and each spoke to and challenged his respective society as an outsider. Each is, at bottom, addressing the fundamental question "What gives ultimate meaning to life?" And while each gives a kind of existentialist answer to this question, the answer of the one is utterly different and irreconcilably at odds with the answer of the other. For Kierkegaard, the religious existentialist, the answer is to embrace internally the full demands of faith. For Nietzsche, the "Antichrist," the answer is the rejection of all religion and the creation of our own value.
Our effort in this course will be, first, to understand the thinking of these two philosophers, and, second, critically to reflect on their very different views about what is most meaningful in life.
BASIS OF GRADE:
Your grade will be based on four essays of 4-5 pages. Each essay will count for one fourth of your course grade, although in marginal cases I will consider class participation and improvement.
Regular attendance is strongly recommended, for much of the material of the course will be developed in our class discussion. While attendance itself is not a part of the basis of your grade class participation, which requires attendance, can affect your grade. Please explain any absences to the instructor. Plus and minus grades will be used.
OFFICE LOCATION:
My office is ST 527; Phone: (818) 677-4854.
Messages may be left with at this number. My email address is james.kellenberger@csun.edu. I will check my email on Tuesday and Thursday.
OFFICE HOURS:
| Tuesday & Thursday: 9:15-10:30 AM; |
| Wednesday: 6:30-7:00 PM; and |
| By appointment. |
My office hours are for discussion with students, and you are encouraged to use them to discuss with me anything about the class material that you would like to explore or have clarified. Also I encourage you to discuss among yourselves outside class the issues that the course will cover, including those on the essay assignments. But your individual written work must be your own.
No written work that shows signs of plagiarism or academic dishonesty will be used as a basis of grade.
PLEASE NOTE:
The deadline this semester for dropping a course with only the
instructor's signature is Friday, September 15. After that date,
withdrawals will require additional approvals and can only be obtained for
"serious and compelling reasons." See schedule of Classes, pp. 15-16.
TOPICS & READING ASSIGNMENTS
I. Introduction to the Course, Mechanics, Why Kierkegaard and Nietzsche?
WEEK ONE
READING: Bretall's Introduction to KA, pp. xvii-xxv, and Kaufmann's Introduction to PN, pp. 1-9
II. Kierkegaard's Criticisms of "Christendom" and of Hegel, and
an Introduction to FEAR AND TREMBLING
WEEK TWO
READING: "The Present Age," pp. 258-69 in KA; "The Sort of Person They Call a Christian" and "Confirmation and the Wedding," pp. 450-58 in KA; Hong and Hong's Historical Introduction, pp. ix-xxxix and pp. 1-8 in F&T
III. Faith in FEAR AND TREMBLING: the absurd, the double movement of
faith, infinite resignation, the ethical, the teleological suspension of the
ethical
WEEK THREE
READING: pp. 9-53 in F&T
WEEK FOUR
READING: pp. 54-81 in F&T
WEEK FIVE
READING: no additional reading
FIRST PAPER (4-5 pages)
IV. The esthetic and the demonic
WEEK SIX
READING: pp. 82-123 in F&T
V. Faith in the POSTSCRIPT: subjectivity and objectivity, the idol
worshipper, the absurd, the absolute paradox, passion and uncertainty
WEEK SEVEN
READING: pp. 190-231 of POSTSCRIPT in KA
WEEK EIGHT
READING: pp. 231-58 of POSTSCRIPT in KA and "The Point of View of My Work as an Author," pp. 323-39 in KA
SECOND PAPER (4-5 PAGES)
VI. Nietzsche as critic of religion and transcendent ethics
WEEK NINE
READING: THE ANTICHRIST, pp. 565-656 in PN
VII. Nietzsche/Zarathustra as prophet: transvaluation, the death of God,
the Ubermensch, eternal recurrence, will to power
WEEK TEN
READING: First Part of THUS SPOKE ZARATHUSTRA, pp. 103-91 in PN, and from TOWARD A GENEALOGY OF MORALS, pp. 450-54 in PN, and from BEYOND GOOD AND EVIL, pp. 443-46 in PN
WEEK ELEVEN
READING: Second Part of THUS SPOKE ZARATHUSTRA, pp. 192-259 in PN, and from THE GAY SCIENCE, pp. 93-102 and 447-50 in PN
WEEK TWELVE
READING: Third Part of THUS SPOKE ZARATHUSTRA, pp. 260-343 in PN
THIRD PAPER (4-5 PAGES)
WEEK THIRTEEN AND FOURTEEN
READING: Fourth Part of THUS SPOKE ZARATHUSTRA, pp. 343-439 in PN
WEEK FIFTEEN
READING: no additional reading
FOURTH PAPER (4-5 pages)