Philosophy 359 - Kant and the Nineteenth Century

Immanuel Kant's philosophy set off a revolution that reverberated throughout 19th-century Europe. That revolution was grounded in Kant's radical claim that it is our own reason, not God or nature, which is the original source of all moral principles, freedom, and even goodness itself. Why is this radical? Because it is counterintuitive. Our individual freedom is not curbed by morality. Rather, Kant suggests, it is precisely what commits us to being part of the moral community. We will investigate the Kantian project through close examination of his Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (1785). Then we will explore critical engagement with Kant’s philosophy, and with Enlightenment thought more generally, in works by Hegel, Marx, and Nietzsche. Our larger aim in studying these four authors will be to clarify for ourselves what it means to be free in the modern world. 

Prerequisite: One course in Philosophy. Limited to 20 students. Fall Semester. Professor Rafeeq Hasan. (H)

How to handle overenrollment: forthcoming

Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: Emphasis on written work, readings, and class participation.