Aesthetics of the Uncanny
PHIL 275
Spring 2026
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01
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In contrast to beauty, pleasure, and harmony, uncanniness stands as the ugly stepchild of philosophical aesthetics. In this class, we will survey ways of interpreting, explaining, and appreciating the aesthetic experience that more literally translates from German as "the unhomely" or "the not-at-home." As such, and more precisely, this course will explore the aesthetic experience of the unfamiliar or the unnaturally familiar. Our survey will take us through the horror genre, the post/modernist avant-garde, Internet aesthetics, terror-tinged spirituality, and psychedelicism, as well through theorists like Stanley Cavell, Sigmund Freud, and Cynthia Freeland. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS PHIL |
| Course Format: Lecture / Discussion | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (Philosophy)(Social, Cultural and Critical Theory Certificate) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
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