Continental Philosophy

Continental Philosophy

The impact of continental philosophy has been tremendous, infusing the humanities with a strange brew made up of energy and insight combined with absurdity and meaninglessness. This program delves deeply into concepts and thought processes that fueled the inquiries of the era’s major exponents: Hegel’s dialectic, Marx’s dialectical materialism, Kierkegaard’s lone individual standing before God, Nietzsche’s declaration that God is dead, Husserl’s intentionality, Heidegger’s Dasein, and Sartre’s assertion that people are condemned to be free. Illuminating commentary is offered by Merold Westphal, of Fordham University, and Alexander Nehamas, of Princeton University. Excerpts from Hegel’s Philosophy of Right, Nietzsche’s Thus Spoke Zarathustra, and Heidegger’s Being and Time are included. (48 minutes)

Ethics: What Is Right?
Moral philosophy lies at the heart of today's most heated issues-abortion, human cloning, assisted suicide, financial conflicts of interest, and environmental stewardship. In this program, Harvard University's Frances Kamm; Rutgers University's Larry.

Early Modern European Nations and Empire
What do modern art, a symphony, and a documentary film have in common? They all require aesthetic considerations. This program presents the ideas of key figures in the shaping and understanding of aesthetics-from Plato, Francis Hutcheson.