FRENCH 451 - Special Topics in French Literature:The History of Truth and Authenticity from Montaigne to Sartre

Institution:

Reed College

Subject:

Description:

Full course for one semester. In an age when truth is conflated with "gut feeling" and facts with spin, it is necessary to investigate how theories of subjectivity, science, and philosophy have successively redefined authenticity, factuality, and the concept of truth itself. We will establish a historical inventory of these changing notions of truth, and analyze how literary works, especially fictions, rely on them to ground their own verisimilitude and meaning. We will read a variety of texts covering five centuries, including texts by Montaigne, Descartes, Pascal, Rousseau, Flaubert, Sartre, and Beckett. Conducted in French. Prerequisite: French 210 or demonstration of equivalent ability by placement examination. Conference.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.reed.edu

Phone Number:

(503) 771-1112

Regional Accreditation:

Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Calendar System:

Semester

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