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The Making of the Modern Self

DIS and the University of Copenhagen Department of Theology
Spring Semester 2011

Class Meetings: Mondays and Thursdays 10:05-11:25.

Rooms: First three meetings (Jan. 20, 24, 27), in Auditorium 11, Købmagergade 44-46.
After Jan. 27, in Auditorium 1, Købmagergade 44-46.

Course Instructor: K. Brian Soderquist, Ph.D. in philosophical theology, University of

Copenhagen, 2005; M.A.R. in philosophy of religion, Yale University, 1994; B.A. in
philosophy and natural sciences, Utah State University, 1990.

Office: Søren Kierkegaard Research Centre

“Vartov” Building
Farvergade 27, Entrance D
Office Phone: 33 76 69 04
Home Phone: 28 26 77 21
Email: briansoda@gmail.com
Office hours: Wednesday 12:00-15:00 and by appointment.

DIS Contact
Jakob Lorentzen, ECH Program Director, jlo@dis.dk
Emily Smith, ECH Program Assistant, esm@dis.dk

Course Objectives and Content: Focusing on thinkers from Continental Europe like Martin
Heidegger, Hannah Arendt, Jean Paul Sartre, and Copenhagen’s own Søren Kierkegaard, this
course traces the development of the conception of “selfhood” in the 19th and 20th centuries.
We will observe how ethical thinking has moved from the language of duty to that of personal
answerability, and how the search for meaningful personal existence has increasingly become
the responsibility of the individual. The unique vocabulary of these authors appears not only
in works of philosophy, theology, and psychology, but also literature and theatre, which
illustrates the claim that we understand ourselves via the stories we tell, and shows how these
narratives are necessarily told in dialogue with “the Other,” our fellow human beings.

Lectures and Discussion: In general, class time will take the form of a facilitated dialogue
between instructors and the students. Readings will be assigned for each class period, and
discussions will focus on this reading.

Written Assignments: There will be four small written assignments (3 pages each).
(Please note: late papers will be penalized a half-grade).

Research Paper: Possible themes will be suggested in class. For bachelor’s credit (DIS
students) 19,200-24,000 characters including spaces; for master’s credit (KU students)
28,800-36,000 characters including spaces.

Course Evaluation:
Research Paper: 50%
Four small written assignments (each 10%): 40%
Attendance: 10%

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Readings:
Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855), The Concept of Anxiety (1844), excerpts from
Sickness unto Death, (1847).
Martin Heidegger (1889-1976), excerpts from Being and Time (1927).
Hannah Arendt (1906-1975), excerpts from Eichmann in Jerusalem (1963).
Jean Paul Sartre (1905-1980), Existentialism and Humanism (1945),
and excerpts from Being and Nothingness (1943).

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Course Schedule
1. Thurs. Jan. 20, Historical Introduction: “Selfhood” as a Project.
Reading: The Sickness unto Death, pp. 43-44; Heidegger, Being and Time, §25, pp. 149-153;
Reading: Sartre, Being and Nothingness, pp. 78-79; Reading: Sartre, Existentialism is a
Humanism, pp. 27-30.

Section I: Kierkegaard

2. Mon. Jan. 24, Anxiety in Eden

Reading: The Concept of Anxiety, pp. 25-41.

3. Thurs. Jan. 27, Anxiety and Spirit

Reading: The Concept of Anxiety, pp. 42-51.
Election of class representatives

4. Mon. Jan. 31, Freedom and the Anxiety of Good and Evil
Reading: The Concept of Anxiety, pp. 111-129.

Thurs. Feb. 3, No class, DIS Jutland tours

5. Mon. Feb. 7, Anxiety and Gaining a Perspective of “Finitude”

Reading: The Concept of Anxiety, pp. 155-162.

6. Thurs. Feb. 10, Film: Lars Von Trier’s Anti-Christ, first half.
We will see the film at the DIS campus, Vestergade 7, room 31.
First written assignment due.

7. Mon. Feb. 14, Film: Lars Von Trier’s Anti-Christ, second half.
We will see the film at the DIS campus, Vestergade 7, room 31.

8. Thurs. Feb. 17, Self and Spirit

Reading: The Sickness unto Death, pp. 43-58.

9. Mon. Feb. 21, Imbalances in the Self

Reading: The Sickness unto Death, pp. 59-72.

Section II: Heidegger

10. Thurs. Feb. 24, “Dasein,” the “World,” and The They
Reading: Heidegger, Being and Time §12-13, pp. 78-90, §25, pp. 149-153.

11. Mon. Feb. 28, The They and the “Disburdening” of Responsibility
Reading: Heidegger, Being and Time, §26-27 pp. 153-168.

12. Thurs. March 3, The Banality of Evil

Reading: Arendt, Eichmann in Jerusalem, pp. 21-35, 48-55, 135-138, 276-279.
Second written assignment due.

Mon. March 7, No class, DIS study tours

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Thurs., March 10, No class, DIS study tours

Section III. Sartre

13. Mon. March 14, Freedom and Facticity.

Reading: Sartre, Being and Nothingness, pp. 503-511.

14. Thurs. March 17, Bad Faith.

Reading: Sartre, Being and Nothingness, pp. 70-72, 78-85.

15. Mon. March 21, The Look of the Other.

Reading: Sartre, Being and Nothingness, pp. 276-292.

16. Thurs. March 24, Guest Lecture, Jon Stewart: “Sartre and Existential Theater: Bariona
and The Flies.”
Reading: Sartre, The Flies in No Exit.
Third written assignment due.

17. Mon. March 28, Ancient Fate and Modern Freedom

Reading: Sartre, The Flies in No Exit.

18. Thurs. March 31, The Look of the Other and Bad Faith in No Exit
Reading: Sartre, No Exit in No Exit.

19. Mon. April 4, A Popular Defense of Existentialism.

Reading: Sartre, Existentialism is a Humanism, pp. 23-44.

20. Thurs. April 7, A Popular Defense of Existentialism.

Reading: Sartre, Existentialism is a Humanism, pp. 45-68.
Fourth written assignment due

Travel Break

21. Thurs. April 28, A Popular Defense of Existentialism.

Reading: Sartre, Existentialism is a Humanism, discussion.

22. Mon. May 2, Guest Lecture

Reading: TBA

23. Thurs. May 5, Concluding Discussion

Research Paper due Tues. May 10.

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