Essay Instructions: Paper Topic Assignment: Nihilism is sometimes characterized as the stance of the agent who comes to the conclusion that nothing matters. Drawing on ideas from Nietzsche’s explore the following questions: How could such a conclusion be reached? Could it be averted? How?
Primary emphasis of this assignment: creative skills.
These might include the ability to propose and develop new ideas (i.e., ideas not covered in class), the ability to offer new illustrations or new presentations of old ideas, or the ability to create a coherent, well-organized paper out of disparate class materials, for example by drawing new connections among ideas discussed independently of each other. The topics are defined fairly loosely, leaving room to showcase all these forms of creativity.
The paper must make reference to the following list of materials: please make sure that there is at least one citation per page from the most relevant materials from the list below (I really would prefer it if you didn't use any outside sources from the ones I provided) and the paper should demonstrate a clear comprehension and understanding of all the following assigned readings. Please try and stay as close to these readings as much as possible, I will also send powerpoint lecture presentations relevant to the topic. I really recommend starting with the presentations as they will show the extent to which we've covered a topic and make references to relevant readings.
I've ordered a paper before which I didn't even use because it strayed too far away from my topic, and it wasn't something I could hand in for class. This is not a research paper, even though it should emphasize creative skills, so please try to focus on the presentations and the following list of readings. The goal of the paper should demonstrate what I have learned from this class.
I've broken down the readings into the specific topic they discuss, and this should also make a good outline for the paper. I would like about the last 3 pages of the paper to focus on the topics "Overcoming Despair" which addresses the paper topic of how nihilism could be averted. The very last reading is written by my professor and should probably given special attention to. I will also send over a guideline to writing philosophy paper as there is a very specific structure that my professor would like us to adhere to; please make sure the paper is written as close to the guideline as possible.
1) The concept of a meaningless life: despair and disorientation; the death of God
- Nietzsche, The Gay Science, §§1, 343, 346;
- Nietzsche, "The Will to Power"
2) Overcoming disorientation
- R. Shafer-Landau, “Ethical Subjectivism”
- N. Hussain, “Honest Illusion”
3) Despair
- Kierkegaard, The Sickness Unto Death in Bretall, pp. 341-371
4) Pessimism, contemplation, and resignation
- Schopenhauer, The World as Will and Representation §§38, 56-8, 65, 68-70 in CP
5) Overcoming despair, I: death and the meaning of life
-Heidegger, BT §§49-53
- Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus
- Julian Young, “A Life Worth Living”
6) Overcoming despair, II: suffering and the meaning of life
- Nietzsche, Suffering and Will to Power
- Bernard Reginster, “Nietzsche’s ‘New Happiness’: Longing, Boredom, and the Elusiveness of Fulfillment”
If you do not have access to any of these materials, please let me know asap so I can send them to you without affecting the quality of my paper. If you need any additional information and have questions, please feel free to contact me. In fact, I would really appreciate it if you could send me a thesis and/or outline once you have it for the paper. I've had a terrible experience with the paper I ordered before and I want to make sure this paper will come out just the way I want it.
There are faxes for this order.
