ASP109 - Freedom and Power: Existentialism and Beyond
Unit details
| Year: | 2020 unit information |
|---|---|
| Important Update: | Classes and seminars in Trimester 2/Semester 2, 2020 will be online. Physical distancing for coronavirus (COVID-19) will affect delivery of other learning experiences in this unit. Please check your unit sites for announcements and updates one week prior to the start of your trimester or semester. Last updated: 2 June 2020 |
| Enrolment modes: | Final year of offer 2020 Trimester 2: Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong), Cloud (online) |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Unit Chair: | Trimester 2: Patrick Stokes |
| Prerequisite: | Nil |
| Corequisite: | Nil |
| Incompatible with: | ASP209 |
| Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150 hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. |
| Scheduled learning activities - campus: | 1 x 1-hour class per week and 1 x 1-hour seminar per week |
| Scheduled learning activities - cloud: | 1 x 1-hour class per week (recordings provided), 1 x 1-hour online seminar per week |
Content
Over the course of this unit, students will develop specific knowledge of the some of the key ideas in French existentialist philosophy. The philosophies of Camus, Sartre, de Beauvoir, and Foucault will be given particular attention, focusing on their views of freedom, anguish (or anxiety), mortality, authenticity, and value. In conclusion, we look at some subsequent objections to their views concerning the role of power in our lives.
| These are the Learning Outcomes (ULO) for this unit At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | ||
| ULO1 | Understand, critically evaluate, and compare key ideas in 20th-century French philosophy concerning the nature of subjectivity and freedom from a range of philosophers, including Camus, Sartre, Beauvoir and Foucault | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO4: Critical thinking |
| ULO2 | Apply a number of key ideas in metaphysics, ethics and political philosophy from 20th-century French thinkers to a range of different examples, and dilemmas, and understand how these ideas relate to current views about subjectivity and the social order | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO2: Communication GLO5: Problem solving GLO8: Global citizenship |
| ULO3 | Construct essay-length arguments of your own using language that is concise, clear and conforms to the standards of academic scholarship (e.g., proper referencing of sources) | GLO4: Critical thinking GLO6: Self-management |
These Unit Learning Outcomes are applicable for all teaching periods throughout the year
Assessment
Trimester 2:| Assessment Description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1 (Individual) - Essay 1 | 1500 words | 40% | Week 6 |
| Assessment 2 (Individual) - Essay 2 | 1500 words | 40% | Week 12 |
| Assessment 3 (Individual) - Quizzes - 20% | 20% | Ongoing |
The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Learning Resource
The texts and reading list for the unit can be found on the University Library via the link below: ASP109 Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
Unit Fee Information
Click on the fee link below which describes you: