Philosophy and Tragedy
F05
Karen Gover
Western philosophy has a rich tradition—extending back to its very beginnings—of taking up Greek tragedy as an occasion for reflection. Indeed, some have argued that philosophy has its birth precisely in distinguishing itself from tragedy. In this course, we will survey the philosophical tradition of its engagement with Greek tragedy, from Plato and Aristotle up until the present day. We will read some of the tragedies themselves in conjunction with the major philosophical reflections on them, in addition to secondary literature. What the assigned readings may occasionally lack in length they will more than compensate for in difficulty. Readings include works by Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Plato, Aristotle, Hegel, Nietzsche, Freud, Heidegger, and Butler.