Course Syllabus

The Concept of Evil in Contemporary Culture

Semester & Location:	Spring 2024 - DIS Copenhagen
Type & Credits:	Elective Course - 3 credits
Major Disciplines:	Literature, Philosophy
Prerequisite(s):	None
Faculty Member:	Morten Lykkegaard
Time & Place:	Mondays & Thursdays 10:05 - 11:25 in Købmagergade 52-Studenterhuset

 

“The great epochs of our lives occur when we acquire the courage to rename our evil quality our best quality.”

Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil

“Is evil just something you are or something you do?”

Morrissey, Sister, I’m A Poet

 

Faculty: Morten Lykkegaard

Cand.mag. (History of Literature, Modern Culture and Philosophy, University of Aarhus, 2003). Former editor of Lettre Internationale. With DIS since 2013 and also teaches Future Is Now: Science Fiction in Film, Literature and Video Games and Guilty Pleasures of Pop Culture.

 (current students please use the Canvas Inbox)

 

Description of Course

We witness manifestations of evil everywhere – from ruthless harassments in schools and at work, to brutal assaults, murder, genocide and war. We see different representations of evil in pop culture, literature, politics, and philosophy. How exactly is evil reflected and defined in our culture? Why are we so fascinated with this concept?

Questions such as why there is evil in the world and how evil is to be understood have always fascinated and terrified humankind. They address the most fundamental aspects of our way of life, our relations with one another, and our need to find meaning and comfort in the world. Imagine, hard as it may be, how altogether different the world would be, had it been devoid of any form of evil, and how this would probably render the entire legal system and its different forms of enforcement (police, military etc.) superfluous. Acknowledging that there is evil, however we may define it, and therefore that evil needs to be contained, is thus one of the presuppositions of any modern society.

This course examines the concept of evil through the lens of contemporary culture, exploring questions such as: is evil done for the sake of evil itself, which the notion of the psychopath in modern crime series often suggests? Does it require a specific evil intention to perform evil acts? How do we respond to evil acts which seem to be founded in a fundamental nihilistic attitude towards life in general? Would acts of terrorism fit this description, however much they may claim to be religiously and/or politically motivated? Are some acts of evil simply to be regarded as an unfortunate means to an end, often motivated by some higher political purpose, which, for example, seemed to be the general view in the Western world in regards to the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945?

We will analyze contemporary cases – film, TV series, novels, political events – and relate them to modernity’s search to reconcile reason with nature and to make sense of all the evil in the world, even when faced with the most atrocious and horrifying events of the 20th and 21st century.

Learning Objectives of the Course

By discussing and analyzing different philosophical approaches to and pop cultural representations of the concept of evil, the students will gain a basic understanding of the concept, how the understanding and reflection of it has changed over time, and, perhaps most important of all, which repercussions these reflections have had in relation to our current sense of ethics and morality.

The Course is Divided into Five Main Modules

1.  Contemporary Evil in Modern Pop Culture: Mythologizing the Psychopath

Evil holds great fascination in contemporary pop culture, and especially the portrayal of the charismatic psychopath, who seems to have transcended all moral norms, thus challenging our traditional distinction between hero and villain and threatening to throw everything we hold dear into question, has begun to dominate current TV series, films and literature. We will discuss different examples of this, for example in TV series such as Dexter (2006-13) and Sherlock (2010-17) and movies such as The Dark Knight (2008) and Joker (2019).

2.  Philosophical Background, Part 1: Entering a Frighteningly New and Modern World

During the Enlightenment philosophers such as Leibniz, Rousseau, and Kant set forth to radically think evil beyond traditional Christian concepts. The focus was to locate the possible causality between natural evil and moral evil, to render the world intelligible, and to ensure, through Leibniz’ notion of theodicy, that we live in the best of all possible worlds. But how preserve this morally upbeat version of the world when you’re suddenly exposed to a disastrous event such as the Lisbon earthquake in 1755, killing thousands of presumably innocent people? In response to this question, we will read Voltaire’s satirical Candide (1759) and discuss Kant’s philosophical reflections on how evil relates to the concept of man’s free will in a world where we can no longer be sure that God is holding our hand.

3.  Archetypes of Evil: Politics, Nationalism, and the ‘Other’

Throughout history, political ideologies and different manifestations of evil have been inextricably linked to one another. The birth of nationalism and the political desire to create the best of all possible worlds has often had catastrophic consequences for those deemed not to fit within the confines of this world. We will explore and question different ideologies of ethnic superiority and national paranoia, analyzing, among other works, Hannah Arendt’s seminal book on the banality of evil, Eichmann in Jerusalem (1963), and Leni Riefenstahl’s infamous propaganda movie, Triumph des Willens (1935).

4.   Philosophical Background, Part 2: How to Exist in the New World Beyond Notions of Theodicy, Benevolent Reason and a Higher Good?

The philosophers of the Enlightenment found it more and more difficult to establish a harmonious correlation between reason and nature, and thus secure firm ground on which to base our sense of ethics and a clear distinction between good and evil. Towards the end of the 19th century, Nietzsche declared God dead and John Stuart Mill laconically remarked that “nearly all the things which men are hanged or imprisoned for doing to one another are nature’s everyday performances. Killing, the most criminal act recognized by human laws, nature does once to every being that lives.” The terrifying question now presenting itself was: Why not kill? How justify the conviction that killing a fellow human being is morally abhorrent and completely unacceptable if the metaphysical basis for such a justification is no longer there? In response to this, we will confront the thoughts of Nietzsche and Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard, read Ágota Kristóf’s The Notebook, and discuss how to deal with the “existential experiments”, as Ian Brady phrased it, of a serial killer.

5.  Evil in the Age of New Technologies and Modern Conspiracy Theories

Technology has always played a great part in how evil manifests itself. From the construction of primitive weapons in ancient times to the massive explosion of new technologies in the 20th and 21st century. In the context of war, this development culminated with the use of nuclear bombs and even more advanced weapons of mass destruction, the goal presumably being not only to kill as efficiently as possible, but to do so with the least amount of emotional investment. The question of what role technology plays in human desensitization does not, however, confine itself to a war scenario but also affects our everyday lives at home. How has digital technologies and social media affected our ethical encounter with the ‘other’? Has it exposed us to new forms of potential evil? We will also look at modern conspiracy theories, and how they deal with a world politically and ethically more complex than ever.

Required Texts

Literature

François de Voltaire, Candide (1759)

Hannah Arendt, Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil (1963)

Ágota Kristóf, The Notebook (1986)

Ian Brady, The Gates of Janus: Serial Killing and its Analysis (2001)

Susan Neiman, Evil in Modern Thought: An Alternative History of Philosophy (2002)

Miguel Sicart, The Ethics of Computer Games (2009)

Movies and TV Series (excerpts to be analyzed in class)

Leni Riefenstahl, Triumph des Willens (1935)

Dexter, season 1, episode 1: “Dexter” (2006)

Jesper Ganslandt (dir.), Apan (2009)

Danny Ledonne (dir.), Playing Columbine: A True Story of Video Game Controversy (2011)

Sherlock, season 2, episode 3: “The Reichenbach Fall” (2012)

Approach to Teaching

Each lecture will begin with a presentation of a given subject, either by me or a student. This presentation will typically lead into a class discussion. Group work and various exercises where students can elaborate upon their views and arguments based on the lecture and/or discussion in class will also form a vital element in this class. Given the variety of the subjects, lectures will include the presentation of many different forms of cultural expression, including film, visual aids, digital media, etc.

Expectations of the Students

I expect the students to have done the reading in order to participate in an open and engaged discussion about the given subjects. Students are also encouraged to discuss works presented in class that they have not necessarily prepared for in advance. I also expect students to draw upon personal aesthetic experiences and discuss these in a reflective, analytical, and critical manner. Remember, you don’t necessarily have to agree with what your teacher is saying. It will not affect your grade negatively to contradict your teacher as long as your arguments are solid and well-reflected. 

Grading

Engaged participation	40 %
Oral presentation	30 %
Term paper	30 %

Engaged Participation

The course is not a lecture class, but relies heavily on class discussion, informed by an in-depth, critical reading of the assigned texts. It is crucial to be able to analyze and criticize the arguments put forth in the reading. Sharing a merely intuitive and personal opinion can be a useful starting-point, but is not sufficient. Students must be able to relate their points of view to an academic and research- based argument. Overall grades will depend on engaged, informed, and highly active participation in class discussion. I strongly encourage you to be critical in discussions and please do not be afraid to contradict what I am saying or present a different perspective on the topic we are discussing/analyzing.

Participation Grade Policy

Active class participation throughout the semester: A / A-

Occasional participation: B

Little or no participation: C

Oral Presentation

The students will be asked to deliver an oral presentation on a given subject related to the content of the course. The oral presentation will be supplemented by a written page presenting the content and objective of the oral presentation. This page will be given to me on the day of the presentation. The oral presentation should not take more than 10-15 minutes. Students may very well include power points, visual aids, and film excerpts etc. that are relevant for the presentation. Please refrain from too general a presentation of the topic and focus instead on your specific perspective/analysis. What do you find interesting and compelling about the topic that you are presenting? What is your critical take on this topic? Present questions to be discussed in class.

Research Paper

Each student will produce a research project in the form of a topic paper that reflects the theme of the course from one of a range of disciplines: history, sociology, literature, philosophy or cultural studies. Throughout the semester, the students’ reflection process will become increasingly individualized as they find texts that fit into the research project that will be completed at the end of the semester as their topic paper. The paper is expected to be research-based, amount to max. 1500 words, and rely on a clear thesis.

As the first preparatory stage for this paper, you are required to present your topic and a thesis in class. To find a good thesis, it often helps to ask yourself: Why is this thesis interesting for me and important for others? A thesis is often based on an ”academic problem”, for example: a lack of knowledge, an unexplained observation, something not yet analyzed (from this perspective), something contrary to common perception, a contradiction, something worth arguing for (or against). Please do not hesitate to make use of the DIS library for this portion of the paper.

All assignments must be handed in on the due date. Not meeting the requirements regarding word count, or handing in assignments late could affect the grade substantially.

Classroom Etiquette

The unnecessary use of distracting devices (smartphones, iPads, laptops, etc.) is strictly prohibited during class. Failure to comply will adversely affect participation grades. Use of laptops for the purpose of note-taking requires prior consultation with the professor. Students should refrain from all other computer activities, as they prove distracting to themselves and fellow students. Mobile phones and other electronic devices should of course be turned off and stored away. In some lessons based on exercises etc. laptops may be allowed.

 

Academic Regulations  

Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on: 

• Course Enrollment and Grading  
• Academic Expectations and Honor Code 

 

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