In-Class Writings

February 20: What do you make of Nietzsche's critique of (self)-consciousness in Solomon, pp. 46-49.  Does this disqualify Nietzsche as being either type of existentialist?

April 3:  Summarize in your own words Camus' argument against suicide.

May 1:  In what ways does Simone de Beauvoir's view of freedom differ from Sartre's?

May 8:  Prepare to write for 10 minutes on either of these questions.  You may use your Solomon text during the writing.

1.  When Buber states that "one cannot live in the pure present" (309), this appears to be contrary to many of our existentialists who encourage choosing one's self in the present and for the future.   What do you make of this this curious paragraph?

2. On pp. 309-312, Buber writes about causality and freedom.  Does his analysis remind us of any philosopher that we studied previously?  What do you make of his claims about fate and freedom (p. 310 bottom)?