| Unit name | Schopenhauer and Nietzsche |
|---|---|
| Unit code | PHIL20041 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Seiriol Morgan |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | Department of Philosophy |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Schopenhauer and Nietzsche were two of the nineteenth century's most radical critics of the philosophical tradition, and two of its most influential. Schopenhauer's metaphysics asserts that the inner nature of the world is Will, that is, the same blind ultimately purposeless striving force that he takes to be responsible for human behaviour. This metaphysics underpins Schopenhauer's famous pessimism about human life, which he characterises as inevitably a mixture of suffering and boredom. However, he also explores various possibilities for transcending the pain and pointlessness of the human condition, including the redemptive power of aesthetic experience, and compassion. Nietzsche's philosophy is best known for his attack on morality, in which he claims that the moral outlook is merely a psychological projection of the hatred and resentment that weak human beings have for their betters. This unit aims to give students a solid understanding of the basic ideas of these important thinkers.
Aims:
The unit aims to give students a solid understanding of a number of basic central themes in the work of these two important philosophers. Their positions and arguments will be considered and assessed, and their interest and enduring importance brought out.
On successful completion of this unit students will:
1) Have a good understanding of some central themes in the philosophy of Schopenhauer and Nietzsche.
2) Be able to engage critically with their positions and arguments, and offer their own assessment of them.
10 x 1-hr lectures; 10 x 1-hr tutorials.
e hour unseen examination
