uwloo

PHIL 265The Existentialist Experience

Units
0.50
Faculty
Arts
Subject
Philosophy

When it runs

  1. F24
  2. W25
  3. S25
  4. F25
  5. W26
  6. S26
  7. F26
  8. W27
  9. S27

Ran in 1 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: scheduled, 2 lecture sections. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.

What does it mean to exist in the world today? Who gets to define what existence means for you? While philosophers have grappled with notions of existence for centuries, many have ignored the ways in which theories of existence impact, and have been impacted by, changes in the social world. With an emphasis on applying an intersectional lens to scholarship on existential theorizing, this course will allow students to consider how gendered, raced, ethnic, (dis)abled, and/or queer bodies have been understood in existential scholarship while making use of varied course materials to provide a new starting point for key discussions in existential thought (e.g., readings, videos, and podcasts). Expanding upon traditional ideas found in existential scholarship (e.g., bad faith, freedom, and notions of being and becoming etc.) this course will make use of class discussions and traditional academic writing assignments to introduce students to existentialism as it has been explored across the globe.

Prerequisites

None listed.

Antirequisites

None listed.

Leads to

No course lists it as a requisite.

Winter 2027 sections

Enrolment from UW Open Data, which can trail Quest by up to two days. Instructors and rooms: Schedule of Classes.
SectionClassEnrolledMeets
LEC 00176970 / 50M 18:30–21:20
LEC 701825426 / 9999Online or by arrangement

Reviewed on UW Flow

69% liked it82% easy67% useful

From 16 ratings and 4 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.

  • Took it online and as my first philosophy course. Like another student mentioned, the readings ranged from easy to Nietzsche, but the ideas were explained in the lectures even if you didn't fully understand them. The lectures were in audio format with no video or subtitles and were a bit of a slog to sit through, but you can put them on at 1.5x speed and listen to them like a podcast while doing something else. The grading scheme was split into 4 parts: 15% first essay, 25% midterm, and 30% second essay and final each. The midterm and final were take home assignments and were much easier than the essays. Overall I found the content to be really interesting, if you take the time to think…

    Apr 2024 · liked it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this

  • If you put the effort in, this course will change the way you live your life. There are amazing lessons to be learned from existential philosphers. I know it seems like a dreary subject (that's what I thought before taking the course), but it actually taught me many things that make me happier on a daily basis.
    About the course though: We had two essays, a midterm, and an exam. The essays were marked pretty tough, but the midterm and exam were very straightforward and the prof was generous.
    Some of the readings are very easy, Camus specifically, but some of them are kind of tough like Nietzsche. For the harder reads, sparknotes is super useful.

    Jul 2022 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • its an awful lot of hearing a guy talk for 40 minutes at a time with more pauses than actual content.

    Dec 2015 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Requires a bit of reading, but for the most part they're all interesting and the work itself isn't too hard.

    Dec 2014 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

Discussed on r/uwaterloo

13 posts and comments in 13 threads mention PHIL 265, March 2015 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.

Winter 2020

Anyone taking PHIL 265? 2 points, 2 comments

u/ee_stu: “Saw the outsider as the required reading in the bookstore today, which is one of my fav read this year. I would be greatly appreciated if you sent me the course notes for the course as it seems like it’s online only.”

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Winter 2019

Any one taken a philosophy minor before 3 points, 6 comments

u/katsukichan: “… Tolkien &x200B; PHIL 221: Ethics &x200B; PHIL 251: Metaphysics and Epistemology &x200B; PHIL 265: The Existentialist Experience &x200B; PHIL 302: Topics in Feminist Philosophy &x200B; PHIL 324: Social and Political Philosophy &x200B; PHIL 328: Human Rights &x200B; PHIL 384: …”

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Fall 2018

Winter 2018

Fall 2017

Any way to disable UWCourseLinker from posting? 16 points, 26 comments

“posting a reply to my comment I find the bot annoying.”

u/Jackhofmann: “PSYCH 483 PSYCH 484 PSYCH 485 PSYCH 486 PSYCH 490R PSYCH 499A PSYCH 499B PSYCH 499C PSYCH 621 PSYCH 630 PSYCH 677A PSYCH 704A PSYCH 704B PSYCH 707 PSYCH 710 PSYCH 714 PSYCH 717 PSYCH 720A PSYCH 721A …”

u/Jackhofmann: “… PHIL 215 PHIL 216 PHIL 220J PHIL 221 PHIL 226 PHIL 240 PHIL 247W PHIL 251 PHIL 256 PHIL 258 PHIL 265 PHIL 283 PHIL 284 PHIL 319J PHIL 320 PHIL 327 PHIL 329 PHIL 340 PHIL 356 PHIL 371 PHIL 420 PHIL 459 PHIL 482 PHIL 498 PHIL 670 PHIL 673 PHIL 675 PHIL 680A PHIL 696 PHIL 698 PHIL …”

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Spring 2017

Fall 2016

Winter 2016

Spring 2015

Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026

Calendar versions

Undergraduate Calendar