1. Man’s Search for Meaning–Please be prepared to discuss the book on Monday!
2. Philosophy Packet–Please take very good care of the packet! 🙂
Future Readings:
1. (Due 9/20) Read and annotate William Barrett’s The Encounter with Nothingness(Second reading in the packet). Be sure to read all three parts (the third part being Science and Finitude). Barrett’s reading will give us just a nugget of context before we move ahead. Remember, you must annotate all readings for this class! Failure to do so will result in a zero!  You will learn how to provide some focus to your annotations.  Ultimately, focused annotating prepares you for your reading responses, formal essays, and class discussions. To annotate is to supply with critical or explanatory notes:
- identifying lines that resonate with you, confuse you, or make you want to know more
- asking questions of general thematic/philosophical value
- tracking the development of a theme that may connect to one or more of the philosophical readings or other fiction.
2. (Due 9/21) Existentialism is a Humanism–Jean Paul Sartre is often the first name to come to mind when one considers Existentialism. His brand of atheistic existentialism so dominates the existential landscape that one forgets that the “first existentialist” Kierkegaard was indeed a theist. Nevertheless, Sartre’s essay most clearly defines the existential mindset. It becomes a fundamental piece of this course’s foundation.  Additionally, his essay establishes some of the tenets of existentialism that are universally applicable.  Read and ANNOTATE! Be sure you are able to discuss the four reproaches of existentialism and his defense against those reproaches.
Class Forum–Remember you must post by midnight Tuesday (in preparation for Wednesday’s class)! AND REMEMBER TO BRING A PRINTED COPY OF YOUR RESPONSE IN TO CLASS. The responses should be added to the reading response section of your binder. Be sure to include the heading and title each printed response.
3. (Due 9/22) Soren Kierkegaard–Read and annotate That Individual. Be sure you can articulate Kierkegaard’s thesis and supporting argument. The following week we will write our first précis. This requires that you have at least Control of the source article. Print out the précis detail sheet.
