The principal aim of this module is to give students a thorough understanding of one key movement in 20th century European philosophy, namely existentialism. The subordinate aim is to introduce students to other movements in European philosophy, using existentialism as a springboard, such as structuralism, post-structuralism, hermeneutics and Critical Theory.
The main objective is to ensure a thorough understanding of existentialist philosophy, its fundamental claims, its key tenets and its concepts and ideas. Another important objective is to demonstrate the power and influence of existentialist philosophy and to show its relevance in contemporary philosophical thinking.
Having completed the module, students can expect to have the appropriate background to read the key texts in the primary literature and to follow the relevant debates in the secondary literature. It is also expected that students will be able to discuss relevant issues critically and to identify areas for further study.
