Texts:
The Discovery of Being, Rollo May
Sections from The Portable Nietzsche, F. Nietzsche (W. Kaufmann, ed., trans.)
Notes from the Underground, F. Dostoyevski
Sections from Martin Heidegger: Basic Writings, M. Heidegger (D. Krell, ed.)
Sections from Essays in Existentialism, J. P. Sartre (W. Baskin, ed.)
I and Thou, M. Buber (R. Smith, trans.)
Other possible readings & thinkers as class interest indicates
 

   Course Description:
This course explores existential philosophy's principal concepts, texts and thinkers, with an emphasis on their significance for psychological theory and praxis.
 

  Course Objectives:
  (1) This course seeks to impart a firm understanding of existentialism's central concepts, texts and thinkers.
  (2) This course seeks to explore the significance of existentialism for psychology -- both theoretically and practically.
  (3) This course seeks to call the student into a deeper, more powerful appropriation of his or her own existence.
 

  Course Requirements:

  There will be three non-cumulative tests during the semester, each worth one third of the final grade. The dates of these tests will be announced beforehand in class. The tests will consist of a combination of short definition, short answer and essay. While there is no attendance requirement as such for this course, it is imperative that you keep abreast of what's going on. Some reasons for this are: (1) test dates are announced in class, (2) much of the material on the tests will come directly from the class notes and discussions, and (3) half of life is just showing up.
 

  Grading:
  33.3% for Test #1
  33.3% for Test #2
  33.3% for Test #3

 
  Make-up Tests:
  Anyone who misses a test must make arrangements to take a make-up test within one week of the original test date. All make-up tests will be graded at a penalty (to compensate for the advantage you would have in taking the test at your convenience).
 

  Attendance and absences:
In this class there is no formal attendance policy, however I have found over the years that students who miss class frequently rarely do well on the tests, and hence rarely receive a good grade for the course. If you do need to miss class, you do not need to notify me (except for test days, as described above). Bear in mind that specific test dates are determined in class (except for the date of the last test), so you do need to keep apprised of any in-class announcements; this is YOUR responsibility. Also, since tests in this class tend to draw heavily from the class-notes, I highly recommend keeping your notes updated. Finally, I don't give out my own class-notes to people who are absent, so please don't ask. It's YOUR responsibility to obtain class-notes if you're absent.
 

  Extra-credit paper:
You may opt to write an extra-credit paper worth 2 to 8 percentage points added to your final average. This paper should focus on the following two-part question: What is existential psychology, and how does it matter to you personally?
The basic format of this paper is as follows: 6 to 8 typed, double-spaced pages of text (not including title, table of contents, space for your name, lengthy quotes, pictures, references (if any), blank filler pages, etc.). Please use 12-point print, with 1-inch margins all around. If your word-processor doesn't easily conform to this format, that's okay -- just make sure that you write extra pages to compensate. The exact due-date will be toward the end of the semester, and will be announced in class. All papers that are late, or that are judged by me to be short will be heavily penalized (and yes, I do know all of the tricks for expanding text to fill pages).
 

  Special Arrangements:
Any student who due to disability requires special arrangements to take this course should see me now.