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Unit of study_
PHIL2687: Existentialism and Lived Experience
2026 unit information
This unit examines a major movement in 19th and 20th century European philosophy, with a focus on key questions and figures from the movement. Topics to be considered include: the possibility of morality after the death of God, meaning in human life, the self, freedom, finitude, and historicity. The unit develops these topics in communication with early modern and modern discussions on the role of feelings, passions, and lived experience in processes of self-constitution and the shaping of interpersonal relationships.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Arts and Social Sciences
| Study level | Undergraduate |
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| Academic unit | Philosophy |
| Credit points | 6 |
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Prerequisites:
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12 credit points at 1000 level in Philosophy |
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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PHIL2648 or PHIL2675 |
| Assumed knowledge:
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None |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. Demonstrate understanding of Existentialism as a historical movement and a philosophical approach to questions regarding life, morality, history and human experience.
- LO2. Explain how philosophers from the late 19th and 20th century have contributed to Existentialist thought.
- LO3. Explore Existential questions regarding self-constitution and the shaping of interpersonal relationships.
- LO4. Analyse ideas and philosophical arguments encountered in historical texts.
- LO5. Demonstrate understanding of ideas within their context and of the history and development of ideas.
- LO6. Critically evaluate scholarship in existentialism.
- LO7. Articulate ideas with clarity of expression and exposition.
Unit availability
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The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.
| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
|---|---|---|---|
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Semester 2 2026
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Normal day | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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There are no availabilities for previous years.
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Modes of attendance (MoA)
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