Existentialism. You probably have a vague idea that it has something to do with big philosophical questions like, do I lead an authentic life? Is there human nature? Am I free? That’s a good start. But it’s also a literary act, evident via film, short story, and myth. And that’s how I will guide our exploration. Mostly using Friedrich Nietzsche, but including others like Fyodor Dostoevsky, Ernest Hemingway, and Kate Chopin, we will read existentialism, one of the most revolutionary philosophical movements of the past 150 years, as a philosophic poetic story.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR

Dr. Lou Caton is Professor Emeritus at Westfield State University. He has taught a variety of literature courses at the University of Oregon, Auburn University, and Westfield State University. Along with articles that have been published in newspapers and journals, he has two books: an edited collection (with Emory Elliott), Aesthetics in a Multicultural Age, 2002, (available from Oxford University Press), and Reading American Novels and Multicultural Aesthetics: Romancing the Postmodern Novel, 2008, (available through Palgrave-McMillan).

ABOUT CONTINUING EDUCATION SEMINARS

These courses, hosted by OLLI-UO, are for people eager to engage in a studious seminar format. Each in-person only Seminar meets weekly, over four sessions. The Seminars are led by current and retired professors who provide formal study guides and lead college-level discussions, with participants actively contributing to each session. Seminars are noncredit and ungraded but include challenging homework.
Participation is open to all adults; no previous affiliation with UO is required. Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) membership is not required, however, active OLLI members may register at a reduced fee.