Prof. Arnold I. Davidson Autumn 2011 Stuart 228 (773) 702

Prof. Arnold I. Davidson
Autumn 2011
Stuart 228
[phone]
Spiritual Exercises, Relations of Power, Practices of Freedom
Syllabus for PHIL #51990
(=DVPR 51990, CMLT 51990, HIJD 51990)
Introduction and Organization (1 seminar)
Michel Foucault: Power / Resistance / Counter - Conduct (1 seminar)
“Les mailles du pouvoir”, Dits et écrits, texte 297
Histoire de la sexualité, 1. La volonté de savoir, IV, 2, “Méthode”
“Le sujet et le pouvoir”, Dits et écrits, texte 306
Securité, Territoire, Population, Leçon du 1er mars 1978
Michel Foucaul: Ethics, Parrêsia, and the Subject (1 seminar)
L’Herméneutique du sujet, pp. 3-32, 170-179 (473-485)
Le Gouvernement de soi et des autres, pp. 41-69
Le Courage de la vérité, pp. 3-31, 145-176, 200-230
Pierre Hadot: Spiritual Exercises (1 seminar)
Exercices spirituels et philosophie antique, Chapters: “Exercices spirituels”, “La philosophie
comme manière de vivre”, “Un dialogue interrompu avec Michel Foucault, Convergences et
divergences”, “Refléxions sur la notion de ‘culture de soi’”, “Le sage et le monde”, “La
philosophie est-elle un luxe?”, “Qu’est-ce que l’éthique?”
Pierre Hadot: Philosophy as a Way of Life (1 seminar)
La Philosophie comme manière de vivre. Entretiens avec Jeannie Carlier et Arnold I. Davidson,
Chapters 3, 6-10, “Postface”
Supplementary reading: Études de philosophie ancienne, Chapters: “La philosophie antique:
une éthique ou une pratique?”, “La figure du sage dans l’Antiquité gréco-latine”, “Les modèles
de bonheur proposés par les philosophes grecs”.
Time permitting, we will also discuss George Lewis’ 2010 composition “Les Exercices
Spirituels”, which can be found on the CD Les Exercices Spirituels, Tzadik 2011.
(continued)

Martin Luther King, Jr.: Non-violence, Prison, Freedom (1 seminar)
Strive Toward Freedom, pp. 1-10, 30-55, 70-95, 122-142, 182-221
Why We Can’t Wait, pp. xi-16, 30-36, 78-112, 140-143, 154-191
Martin Luther King, Jr.: Racism, Chaos, Community (1 seminar)
Where Do We Go From Here, pp. 19-142
Primo Levi: Auschwitz (1 seminar)
Survival in Auschwitz, “Preface”, Chapters 1-3, 7-11, 13-14, 16
The Drowned and the Saved, “Preface”
For those students who can read Italian, I also recommend, La vacanza morale del fascismo.
Intorno a Primo Levi, a cura di Arnold I. Davidson
Primo Levi: Philosophical Witness (1 seminar)
The Drowned and the Saved, “Preface”, Chapters 1-7, “Conclusion”
Disobedience and Self-Reliance (1 seminar)
This last seminar will be used to draw together the different philosophical themes in Foucault,
Hadot, King, and Levi. If time permits we will discuss the following additional readings:
Henry David Thoreau, “Civil Disobedience”
Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Self-Reliance”
Albert Ogien and Sandra Laugier, Pourquoi désobeir en democratie?, Chapter 1
REQUIREMENTS:
Each person (auditors included) will be responsible for a seminar presentation on one of the
weeks’ readings. A 3-5 page discussion paper on the topic of your presentation should be
available for all seminar participants to read in advance (by noon on the Monday before your
presentation).
A final paper of approximately 15 pages is required of all students enrolled for credit.
If you need to contact me, do not send me email. Leave a phone message or a note in my
mailbox (always include a phone number where I can reach you.)
NO LATE PAPERS; NO INCOMPLETES.