This course is an introduction to Modern Intellectual History. It will examine the period from 1870-1960 focusing on several main trends and key figures. Late nineteenth century authors like Nietzsche, Weber, and Freud will be examined against the backdrop of the classical social theories of Marx and Mill. The era of totalitarianism after World War I will be examined with particular attention to Communism, Nazism (Carl Schmitt), and the debates over humanism and existentialism. The course will conclude with discussions of thinkers during the Cold War including, Raphael Lemkin, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Hannah Arendt.
M 1:30-4:20pm
