PHIL-443 Detachment
How much should we care about what happens in our lives? If we care too much, we risk being mired in anxiety and pain, but if we care too little, we seem to lose something central to our humanity. In this seminar we will explore how various philosophical traditions and ages, from East to West, from Ancient to Contemporary, have aimed to resolve this issue through the notion of detachment. We will consider how detachment—in its various forms—can form a central part of a good human life. We also explore critiques of detachment by examining its connections to authenticity and alienation. Examples of traditions to be explored include Stoicism, Epicureanism, Daoism, Buddhism, Existentialism, and Absurdism.
Seminar (12)
Credits
1
Prerequisite
Three courses in Philosophy or consent of the instructor