German Studies 353: Heidegger: Art, Thing, Technology

What makes a work of art a work of art? How are artworks distinguished from everyday things like tools and use objects? Where does technology fit in this schema? This upper level seminar explores these questions through some seminal writings by 20th-century German philosopher Martin Heidegger. Readings will include selections from Being and Time, "The Origin of the Work of Art," "The Thing," and "The Question Concerning Technology." The selections from Heidegger will be supplemented by Plato and Aristotle, Walter Benjamin's "Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction," Derrida's The Truth in Painting, and Giorgio Agamben's "The Apparatus." Students will be asked to explore works of art by German, Austrian, and Swiss artists as well as works of their own choosing. The course is taught in English, and culminates in a Final Portfolio that includes a Final Seminar Paper. Applies toward the German Studies major requirement for a course taught at the 350 level or above. May be elected as Philosophy 353.