The History of German Thought Ph.D. minor allows students to focus specifically on the philosophical and more broadly intellectual developments of the German-speaking world from Luther to the present. IUB has the distinction of being able to offer courses that explore the intellectual impact of figures from Luther, Leibniz, Kant, and Goethe to Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Haeckel, Frege, Heidegger, Schmitt, Arendt, Adorno, and Habermas (to name only some of the luminaries).

Arguably, the intellectual tradition stretching from Luther’s Protestant Reformation to the present is among the most fertile and consequential in Western thought. It has had a profound impact on a great variety of intellectual endeavors, among them theology, ontology, ethics, aesthetics, epistemology, the philosophy of science (especially of biology), political theory, psychoanalysis, the philosophy of history, and cultural theory. The German-speaking world has been at the vanguard of philosophical systematizing and is responsible for some of the deepest reflections on art that we have.

Jointly administered by the Departments of Germanic Studies and Philosophy, this minor seeks to break down disciplinary boundaries to allow doctoral students to make better use of the considerable intellectual and curricular resources in this rich area of study at Indiana University. The minor draws not only the strong concentration of scholars working in this area in the Germanic Studies and Philosophy Departments, but also related courses offered in units such as History & Philosophy of Science, Political Science, History, and Comparative Literature, among others.

By ‘related’ coursework we mean courses that include, as a central component of the course, an investigation of the social, cultural, scientific and philosophical theories developed in the German-speaking world from the 17th-20th centuries.

The program is co-directed by a faculty member from Germanic Studies and Philosophy each, appointed by the chair. This is, by default, the Director of Graduate Studies, but may be another faculty member with expertise in the history of German thought.

Students who wish to pursue the minor should contact one or both directors. In addition to the list of normally approved courses below—depending on the content of the specific iteration of the course—the directors will be responsible for keeping a current listing of approved courses for any given academic year from which students may choose. Students may petition either director for approval of courses not already on the list.

Requirements

Students wishing to earn a Ph.D. minor in the History of German Thought must complete a minimum of four graduate courses. These may be from the list of approved courses or courses approved ad hoc by either director. At least one course each must be taken in Germanic Studies and Philosophy.

At least three courses must be taken in these two departments, but the fourth course may come from another department.

Only graduate-level courses, i.e. those numbered at the 500 level or above, may count toward this minor.

Students must earn at least a B in any course that will count toward this minor, and courses taken towards the minor may not simultaneously fulfill major and minor requirements. Ordinarily, independent study courses do not count.

List of courses that would normally satisfy this minor depending on content as specified below:

Germanic Studies

G573: Historical Study of German Literature II

Historical treatment of a literary topic involving substantial developments within the time period between 1600 and 1800. (When topic focuses on intellectual history, philosophy, aesthetics, or cultural theory.)

G575: Historical Study of German Literature III

Historical treatment of a literary topic involving substantial developments within the time period between 1800 and 1900. (When topic focuses on intellectual history, philosophy, aesthetics, or cultural theory.)

G577: Historical Study of German Literature IV

Historical treatment of a literary topic involving substantial developments within the time period from 1900 to the present. (When topic focuses on intellectual history, philosophy, aesthetics, or cultural theory.)

G623: Intellectual History and Philosophical Traditions

Special topics on any aspect of the German-language philosophical tradition and/or intellectual history.

G625: Literature and Culture: Special Topics

Special topics on any aspect of the German language, literature, and/or cultural history. (When topic focuses on intellectual history, philosophy, aesthetics, or cultural theory.)

G627: Film and Media: Special Topics

Special topics on any aspect of German-language film, media, interarts, and/or visual culture. (When topic focuses on intellectual history, philosophy, aesthetics, or cultural theory.)

G825: Seminar in German Literature 

(When topic focuses on intellectual history, philosophy, aesthetics, or cultural theory.)

Philosophy

History of Philosophy

P522  Topics in the History of Modern Philosophy (3 cr.)

When selected topics involve German thinkers such as Kant, Hegel, Fichte, and so on (A. Wood)

P526 Nineteenth-Century Philosophy (3 cr.)

When topics involve German thinkers, as announced (Shapshay, A. Wood)

P531 Twentieth-Century Analytic Philosophy II (3 cr.)

Logical atomism and logical positivism, when topics involve figures such as Frege, Wittgenstein, Carnap, among others (Ebbs, Kaplan, Leite, Ludwig, Weiner)

P535 Phenomenology and Existentialism (3 cr.)

When selected topics involve German thinkers such as Husserl, Heidegger, or Buber, among others (A. Wood)

P710 Seminar: Topics in History of Philosophy (3 cr.)

When selected topics involve German thought, e.g. Kant, Fichte, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Frege, Wittgenstein, Heidegger. May be repeated with a different topic. (Baron, Leite, Shapshay, Weiner, A. Wood)

P730 Topics in Contemporary Philosophy (3cr.)

When selected topics involve German thinkers such as Freud. (Leite). 

Value Theory
P541 Selected Topics in the History of Ethics (3 cr.)

Selected topics in the history of ethics, when topics involve German thinkers such as Kant, Fichte, Hegel, Schopenhauer and others (Baron, Shapshay, A. Wood).

P740 Seminar: Ethical Theory (3 cr.)

Selected topics in ethical theory when topics involve German thinkers such as Adorno and Horkheimer, Habermas, etc.

P546 Philosophy of Art (3 cr.)

In-depth discussion of contemporary aesthetic theories. When topics include German thinkers such as Kant, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Adorno, among others. (McCarty, Shapshay) 

Social and Political Philosophy

P543 Contemporary Social and Political Philosophy (3 cr.)

When topics involve German thinkers.
P544 Selected Topics in History of Social and Political Philosophy (3 cr.)

Selected topics in the history of social and political philosophy, ancient, medieval, or modern. When German thinkers are involved.
P743 Seminar: Social and Political Theory (3 cr.)

Selected topics in social and political theory. When German thinkers are involved.

History and Philosophy of Science
X 508 History of Biology (Gliboff)

X705 The Meanings of Darwinism (Gliboff)

X706 Organism, Organicism, Mechanism, Vitalism-Concepts of Life and Body from the Early 20th Centuries [Deals with the Naturphilosophie of Goethe, Kant, Schelling] (Schickore) 

Political Science

Pols-G 675:Topics in Political Philosophy: European Political Thought (Scheuerman)