Topic: Free Will/Choice

Exploring Existential Angst and The Self in Social Media

Existentialism of Jean-Paul Sartre in Nausea Students will be introduced to Existentialism through discussion and excerpts from Jean-Paul Sartre’s novel, Nausea, which describes a certain vague feeling that the main character, Roquentin, calls “nausea”. This feeling is basically a result of suspecting that there is a reality behind what we perceive as reality, an objective Exploring Existential Angst and The Self in Social Media

Can We be Authentic in Everyday Life?

“Republic of Silence,” by Jean-Paul Sartre Jean-Paul Sartre came to define post-war Existentialism.  In this prominent editorial published shortly after the occupation ended, Sartre articulates both the context to his views and the suggestion that everyday life may present even more challenges to real “Existential Choice.”  After watching this short video, read the essay and Can We be Authentic in Everyday Life?

Escape from Spiderhead

Spider-webs in grass

Introduction: George Saunders’ “Escape from Spiderhead” is a dystopian short story that portrays a controlled pharmacological environment in which scientists experimentally manipulate the desires and emotions of human subjects. Students are confronted with the question of whether the chemical cocktails produced by our brains grant greater freedom than Spiderhead. Sanders’ riveting story is thought-provoking and Escape from Spiderhead