The nineteenth century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (in)famously announced that ?God is dead,? by which he meant not that any supernatural entity had perished or ceased to exist, but rather that in a modern context, ?belief in the Christian God has become unworthy of belief.? One of the great philosophical challenges of modernity, as Nietzsche saw it, was to overcome the nihilism apt to ensue from our loss of belief in what had previously served as the foundation for ethics. This seminar explores attempts to explain and justify value and meaning in life in a world without god(s), examining historical and contemporary works of philosophy from the ?analytic? and ?continental? traditions alike. Through class discussions and a blend of oral presentations and essay assignments, students will practice critical thinking while honing their public speaking and analytical writing skills. Prerequisite: one course in philosophy.
