Introduction to Existentialism

All the basics, main themes and insights from the highly influential philosophical and literary movement existentialism!

4.15 (55 reviews)

Udemy

platform

English

language

Humanities

What you will learn

You will learn all about the essential themes and authors to the movement and theory of existentialism, including its lasting and profound influence on human society.

Why take this course?

Learn all about the basics of one of the most influential philosophical and literary movements of the 19th and 20th century. The course is based around lectures with slides and simultaneous video of the instructor. After an introductory session, it takes an author-centered approach of the eight most notable existentialists (Kierkegaard, Dostoyevsky, Nietzsche, Kafka, Heidegger, Sartre, Beauvoir and Camus), finishing with a concluding lecture about the status and ongoing influence of existentialism today. It will be of interest to anyone wishing for a well-rounded introduction, including its main historical authors and themes, as well as its ongoing significance.

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Reviews

Neel

November 19, 2023

Yes, certainly. I have general interest in philisophy and various schools of thought about human existence and this phenomenon called consciousness and self-awareness. In the backdrop of my understanding (or lack of it) of existentialism, this introductory lecture put things in perspective.

Mohsen

June 30, 2023

This well designed course was so deliberately motivating and informative, even for those who have been familiar with existentialism. It opened a new window "philosophical Anthropology" to me who was wandering around different disciplines of Anthropology. Thanks Dr Daniel, I believe that now, I know what to follow.

Brendan

December 1, 2022

I thought that it was a good introduction into the main contributors to existentialism and their works. I, however, am not sure whether or not I have learnt much about what existentialism is. I would probably have been happy to learn less about who had contributed to it and more about what it actually means - both philosophically as well as in real life.

Ellen

August 11, 2022

About to begin a masters program in philosophy and was light on existentialism broadly (other than two seminars on Nietzsche and Heidegger), so I felt I needed a better foundation. This course provided that very well. I feel that it will help me in my further studies. thank you.

Janine

May 3, 2022

I very much enjoyed this course and found existentialism much easier to relate to than some of the more abstract concepts of philosophy; I also enjoyed that it is not pessimistic, but urges us to find our own joy and meaning. Absurdity in particular appealed to me as I have been enjoying, and appreciating, Russian Literature lately - Gogol, in particular, with his Nose becoming a politician, and his losing battle with bureaucracy to try to retrieve his lost Greatcoat resonate very much - some of Bulgakov too!

Richard

June 17, 2021

Quite frankly there was a "data dump" of information. I felt overwhelmed in this introductory course.

Matthew

January 2, 2021

Thoroughly enjoyed. I bought a ton of recommended readings thanks to this course and am excited to dive deeper into these brilliant minds. 2021 goals: have a beer with Dr. O!