Continental philosophy encompasses a wide range of philosophical schools, including Existentialism, Phenomenology, Hermeneutics, Deconstruction, Critical Theory, and Postmodern Thought, all of which have shaped our understanding of the human condition, not only in philosophy proper, but also in art, literature, architecture, film, theology, politics and across the social sciences. Central themes in this unit are: the role of subjectivity in an increasingly scientific, technological world; the loss of binding values and the emergence of nihilism; the pathologies of scientism; the inescapable finitude and historicity of human life; the contingency of interpretive frameworks; the critique of power-structures in bureaucratic-capitalist and totalitarian societies; the search for a sustainable dwelling on earth; and the ethical commitments we owe to the other. The unit offers a broad overview of the development of Continental Philosophy; it also includes in-depth readings of select, seminal texts and essays that encapsulate the power of Continental Philosophy as an ongoing live issue. Since Continental Philosophy is a continuation of and reaction to Modern Philosophy, it is recommended that it is taken after Foundations of Modern Philosophy (HPH202).

The exact content of this unit will rotate from year to year. For more specific information about the content of this unit in any given year, see the Teaching Plan available at the Philosophy homepage.