SYLLABUS-IN-PROGRESS

Religious Studies 777: Rosenzweig and Levinas (Winter 2010)

This syllabus is posted at http://socserv.mcmaster.ca/danahol/777 and is also accessible by way of my home page (see below).  It will be updated periodically, and students in the class are asked to consult it regularly during the semester.

CLASS MEETINGS: (tentatively) Mondays, 12:30-2:30 p.m., University Hall 122

updated March 9, 2010


INSTRUCTOR: 

Dana Hollander, Department of Religious Studies, University Hall 109, (905) 525-9140, ext. 24759*, danahol@mcmaster.ca*,
http://univmail.cis.mcmaster.ca/~danahol/

*in your phone and e-mail messages, please let me know how I can reach you by phone

Office Hours: Mondays, 3:15-4:15 p.m. (No office hours on February 15 and March 29)


Course Description / Course Readings / Course Requirements   |   SCHEDULE: January / February / MarchApril


COURSE DESCRIPTION

A joint introduction to the thought of the German-Jewish philosopher Franz Rosenzweig (1886-1929) and the French-Jewish philosopher Emmanuel Levinas (1905-1995). We will consider how they posed their respective challenges to Western philosophical systems, as well as explore continuities between Levinas and the thinker whom he considered one of his most important inspirations.


COURSE READINGS

Details for how to obtain each reading appear beside the individual readings on the course schedule below.


COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Grades will be based on Participation/Presentation 50%, Secondary Literature Report 15%, Final Paper 35%.


January 4

Organizational Meeting

We will discuss options for the content of the course from February 8/March 1 onwards.


January 11

Introductions

ROSENZWEIG

LEVINAS
"The New Thinking" (1925), trans. Barbara E. Galli and Alan Udoff, in Franz Rosenzweig's "The New Thinking," ed. Udoff/Galli [master copy in UH 104] 
(Original: "Das neue Denken" in Zweistromland [book on reserve])
  • see also alternative translation in Philosophical and Theological Writings, ed. Franks/Morgan [book on reserve] as well as my list of Errata for that translation 
Ethics and Infinity. Conversations with Philippe Nemo (1982) [purchase book / make copy from book on reserve] 
(Original: Ethique et infini [book on reserve])

"Dialogue" with Richard Kearney (1981), from Kearney, Dialogues with Contemporary Continental Thinkers [book on reserve /  master copy in UH 104]

Brief Introductory Reading:

Myriam Bienenstock, "Rosenzweig, Franz" (1998), in Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy* [online / Mills Reference]

Arnold Betz, Franz Rosenzweig. His Life and Works. (Exhibit and Essay) [Website at the Divinity Library, Vanderbilt University]

Brief Introductory Reading:

Robert Bernasconi, "Levinas, Emmanuel" (1998), in Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy* [online / Mills Reference]

Dana Hollander, "Levinas, Emmanuel," from The Johns Hopkins Guide to Literary Theory and Criticism, 2nd ed., 2005 [handout / online (Note that the online version contains some errors.)

Further Material on Rosenzweig's Philosophy and Life:

Nahum Glatzer, "Introduction," Franz Rosenzweig. His Life and Thought (1953; new edition, 1998) [book to be placed on reserve]

Martin Jay, "1920: The Free Jewish School is founded in Frankfurt..." from The Yale Companion to Jewish Writing and Thought in German Culture, 1096-1996 (1997) [book will be placed on reserve]

Paul Mendes-Flohr, "1914: Franz Rosenzweig writes the essay 'Atheistic Theology'..." from The Yale Companion (1997) 

-----, "Rosenzweig" in Critchley/Schroeder (eds.), A Companion to Continental Philosophy (1999)

Stéphane Mosès, System and Revelation. The Philosophy of Franz Rosenzweig (1982) [book on reserve]

Norbert Samuelson, A User's Guide to Franz Rosenzweig's 'Star of Redemption' (1999) [book on reserve]

Further Introductory Reading:

Adriaan Peperzak, To the Other. An Introduction to the Philosophy of Emmanuel Levinas (1993) [purchase book / master copy in UH 104]

Edith Wyschogrod, Emmanuel Levinas. The Problem of Ethical Metaphysics, 2nd ed. (2000) [book to be placed on reserve]

*NOTE: To view the "Bibliography" portion of REP articles, click on "Bibliography" on the blue bar above the article heading.   


January 18

ROSENZWEIG

"The New Thinking," cont'd

The Star of Redemption (1921) [book available for purchase/make copy from book on reserve]: Introduction 
(Original: Der Stern der Erlösung [book on reserve / consult online])


January 25

Levinas, "Philosophy and the Idea of the Infinite" (1957), bilingual edition in Peperzak, To the Other [book is out of print; some copies are available from Canadian vendors via abebooks.com / master copy in UH 104 / make copy from book on reserve]


Friday, January 29, 3:30 p.m.:  Lecture by Sheldon Hanlon (Ph.D., McMaster, 2008), "Levinas and the Restless Subject," Philosophy Department, UH 316


  February 1

"Preface" to Totality and Infinity (1961) [master copy in UH 104]
(Original: Totalité et infini [book on reserve / master copy of Preface in UH 104])

"Is Ontology Fundamental?" (1951) in Basic Philosophical Writings [book on reserve / master copy in UH 104] 
(Original: “L’ontologie est-elle fondamentale?” in Entre nous [master copy of article in UH 104 / book on reserve])


February 8

"Meaning and Sense" (1964), trans. Lingis/Critchley/Peperzak, in Basic Philosophical Writings.  Alternative translation: "Signification and Sense," trans. Nidra Poller, in Humanism of the Other [book to be placed on reserve] 
"La signification et le sens" in Humanisme de l'autre homme
[book on reserve]

Background Reading:

Diane Perpich, The Ethics of Emmanuel Levinas (2008) [book on reserve], chaps. 3 and 4

Secondary Literature Report due February 10


February 22

Discussion of scholarship on Rosenzweig and Levinas, based on participants' Secondary Literature Reports.


March 1

"Enigma and Phenomenon" (1965), trans. Lingis/Bernasconi/Critchley, in Basic Philosophical Writings
"Énigme et phénomène," in En découvrant l’existence avec Husserl et Heidegger
[book on reserve]

Background Reading:

Diane Perpich, The Ethics of Emmanuel Levinas, chaps. 3 and 4


March 8

Otherwise than Being (1974), trans. Alphonso Lingis, chap. 4 [book on reserve]: "Substitution" (cf. "Substitution" [1968], in Basic Philosophical Writings)
Autrement qu'être ou au-delà de l'essence
[book on reserve]

Guest Speaker: Sheldon Hanlon (Ph.D., McMaster University, 2008)


March 15, 22

Otherwise than Being, chap. 5

Supplementary:

Oona Eisenstadt, Driven Back to the Text (2001) [book on reserve], chap. 2: 85-108.


March 29 (to be rescheduled due to Passover)

Rosenzweig, Star of Redemption, Part 3, Book 1


April 5

Levinas, "'Between Two Worlds'" (1959) in Difficult Freedom, trans. Seán Hand [book available for purchase / on reserve]
"'Entre deux mondes'" in Difficile liberté [book on reserve]

Supplementary:

Levinas, "Franz Rosenzweig: A Modern Jewish Thinker" (1965), in Outside the Subject, trans. Michael B. Smith
"Franz Rosenzweig: une pensée juive moderne" in Hors sujet

Oona Eisenstadt, Driven Back to the Text (2001), chap. 4: 201-47

 


Final Paper due April 19.


Copyright © 2009-2010 Dana Hollander