PHI 393-01 - Advanced Studies in History of Philosophy: Spinoza and Relational Autonomy

4 credits

The notion of individual autonomy has undergone significant criticism by feminists and others for its commitments to independence, atomistic conception of persons, and disregard for the social, political and moral dimensions of persons, who live in inter-dependent relation with each other. Of particular concern is its failure to address the complex ways oppressions harm an individual’s capacity for autonomy and agency. In this course, we will read current philosophers who are looking to Spinoza’s philosophy to add to our understanding of the relational nature of autonomy. We will examine Spinoza’s writings in light of this new literature.

Prerequisite: PHI 233 or PHI-295/GWS-295 Epistemic Injustices.
Note: Plus-2 option available.
Instructor: Nyden