PHIL 339: Recent Continental Philosophy

PHIL 339-002: Recent Continental Philosophy
(Fall 2025)

01:30 PM to 02:45 PM MW

Horizon Hall 1009

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Section Information for Fall 2025

Thinking After the Human

Beginning with Nietzsche but becoming a central thread of European philosophy in the latter part of the 20th Century, the human came to be understood as a thoroughly modern concept: that is, the human is a historically determined concept central to European Modernity.  This course will examine thinkers that respond to this and make an effort, not only to identify the limits of the human, but to examine what it means to think after the human.  Based as it is in a response to the end of the human, this not a clearly defined field. Therefore, rather than attempt to define this post-human thinking, we will focus on a few important voices through close textual readings of such thinkers as Michel Foucault, Jean-François Lyotard, Rosi Braidotti, Giorgio Agamben and Donna Haraway in order both to draw a limit to the human and to explore the space opened for thinking after the human.

Course Information from the University Catalog

Credits: 3

Examines themes in continental philosophy from the late twentieth century to the present day. Particular themes will be explored through a variety of thinkers, such as Agamben, Cavarero, Deleuze, Derrida, Foucault, Irigaray, Kristeva, Lyotard, Nancy, Ranciere, or Stiegler, and approaches, such as postmodernist, poststructuralist, decolonial, or feminist. Possible themes will include temporality, alterity, language, history or technology. Offered by Philosophy. May be repeated within the degree for a maximum 9 credits.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Recommended Prerequisite: 3 hours of PHIL or permission of instructor.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.

The University Catalog is the authoritative source for information on courses. The Schedule of Classes is the authoritative source for information on classes scheduled for this semester. See the Schedule for the most up-to-date information and see Patriot web to register for classes.