PHIL 418 A: Jewish Philosophy

POWER, POLITICS, AND PROPAGANDA" STUDIES MODERN JEWISH PHILOSOPHY, SPECIFICALLY, THE APPROACHES OF BENEDICT SPINOZA, MOSES MENDELSSOHN KARL MARX, MOSES HESS, ROSA LUXEMBURG, EMMA GOLDMAN, WALTER BENJAMIN, HANNAH ARENDT, THEODOR ADORNO, EMMANUEL LEVINAS, AND JUDIT BUTLER TO QUESTIONS OF SOVEREIGNTY, VIOLENCE, SOCIAL HIERARCHY, POLITICAL ECONOMY, MINORITY RIGHTS, LANGUAGE AND PERSUASION, REASON AND AFFECTS, IDENTITY AND SUBJECTIVITY. EACH OF THESE PHILOSOPHERS DEVELOPS IDEAS CRITICAL OF THE REGNANT PHILOSOPHICAL CONCEPTS AND DOMINANT CULTURAL NORMS OF THEIR MOMENT. THE LEGACIES OF THEIR CRITIQUES REMAIN SALIENT, PRESENTING INCISIVE REJOINDERS TO THE LOGICS THAT UNDERWRITE CERTAIN MOVEMENTS, INCLUDING VARIETIES OF LIBERALISM, IDEALISM, CAPITALISM, INDIVIDUALISM SEXISM, IMPERIALISM, COLONIALISM, AND FASCISM. THROUGHOUT THIS COURSE WE WILL ENGAGE CRITICALLY WITH THES THINKERS AS WE THINK WITH THEM.