80-253 Continental Philosophy

9 units, Carnegie Mellon University

Although "continental philosophy" is a very flexible term, it is most often used to group together a diverse tradition of interrelated philosophical movements originating in Europe within the last two or three hundred years and continuing to this day. In this course we will study the history of this tradition, paying special attention to the relationship between two of its central movements—phenomenology and existentialism—by reading key texts from Kant, Hegel, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Husserl, Heidegger, Sartre, Levinas and Derrida, among others. This material includes many rich and influential approaches to core philosophical topics such as ethics, metaphysics, the theory of knowledge, and the nature of philosophy itself.

Prerequisites: none listed

Offered: Fall 2026

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