Philosophy
Current Students: Undergraduates
Core Modules and Options at Level 9
PHI9HD - Heidegger's Being and Time
Heidegger’s Being and Time is a ground-breaking examination of what it is to be, and of how a number of different ways of being are related to human being. It is one of the formative works in twentieth-century continental philosophy. (In terms of philosophical style, your nearest reference point from previous philosophy modules is probably Sartre’s Existentialism and Humanism, as studied in From Plato to Existentialism.) At the core of Heidegger’s philosophy is a radical transformation in our understanding of what it is to be human, intertwined with an attempt to overthrow ‘Cartesian’ metaphysics. Being and Time is without doubt a complex and challenging book. Fortunately, a number of excellent book-length commentaries now exist, and we shall use this secondary literature, alongside a close and careful reading of the primary text, to interpret and engage critically with the important and fascinating ideas that Heidegger presents.
Outcomes
The module aims to give each student an understanding of the key philosophical concepts introduced in Being and Time, the ability to present a detailed interpretation of the overall philosophical position that Heidegger develops, and the capacity to formulate a sensitive critical response to that position. By means of this specific programme, the module further aims to improve critical reading, critical thinking, and oral communication skills through the seminar discussion and essay writing processes. (Refer to Section B of the Student Handbook for more details.)
Reading
Required text:
| M. Heidegger | Being and Time Translated by J. Macquarrie and E. Robinson, Oxford | Blackwell, 1926 / 1962 |
Two particularly useful secondary texts are
| H.L. Dreyfus | Being-in-the-World: a Commentary on Heidegger’s Being and Time, Division I. | Cambridge, Mass.: MIT, 1991 |
| S. Mulhall | Routledge Philosophy Guidebook to Heidegger and Being and Time | London: Routledge, 2005 |
Availability: |
Honours (semesters 6 or 8), 3 Year or General Degree |
|---|---|
Prerequisite: |
PHI9CA or PHI9CB |
Assessment: |
One coursework essay of around two thousand five hundred words (fifty per cent); final examination (fifty per cent). Students may write a second coursework essay. This is strictly optional. However, if the grade given to a second essay is higher than the grade given to the first, it will be the grade for the second essay that counts for assessment purposes |
Teaching Pattern: |
Two one-hour lectures and one one-hour seminar each week |
Regulations: |
For the purposes of the University’s attendance regulation 14, seminars are prescribed classes. The rationale for prescribing these classes may be found in the Philosophy Student Handbook, section F. This section also contains regulations relating to the submission of essays, and other matters |
Please contact Mike Wheeler if you would like to know more about this module.