PHI 2231 - Philosophy and Literature

Credits: 4
This course examines works of literature—fiction, drama, poetry—that discuss important philosophical themes and topics: reality, time, evil, fate, death, authenticity, selfhood, and responsibility. In addition to texts from the ancient world (Greek epic and tragedy, Hebrew and Christian scripture), the course will focus on modern works of Western literature from the Enlightenment to the present: authors include Voltaire, Dostoevsky, Mann, Camus, Sartre, Beckett, Borges, Calvino, Murdoch, Kundera, Müller, Silko, Munro and others. Emphasis will be on the historical and cultural context of each work and its relationship to philosophical issues of the time. The course will also examine more general questions: what is the difference between literary discourse and other forms of philosophical presentation? what kind of knowledge does literature offer? how do we determine the intentions of a literary work and its author, and why does that matter? what role does literature play in the development of compassion and ethical response?
McDaniel Plan: Textual Analysis