The course will critically examine philosophical ideas about humans, animals, and machines. We will think about the current stage of technological development—the ways in which contemporary technologies both expand and interrupt what it means to be human. We will focus on several key concepts of Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari (including becoming-animal, lines of flight, and reterritorialization). Our discussions will situate these concepts in the context of past and ongoing posthumanist debates, placing them alongside the contributions of contemporary philosophers, such as Bernard Stiegler and Catherine Malabou. The plays and short stories of Anton Chekhov will help chart out—not so much the lines of flight, as footpaths for slower becomings and futures.
This course will meet twice a week with CSLC 230, and for one additional 85 minute session per week to develop Russian students’ language skills. Students will have an opportunity to translate and discuss selections from Anton Chekhov’s stories and plays in the original Russian. Students who complete the final paper for this course, with a grade of C or higher, can use this work to satisfy the second-stage writing requirement.