Early in the twentieth century, Edmund Husserl initiated the phenomenological movement in philosophy by advocating a turn away from arguments and theories, a turn "back to the things themselves," to phenomena as we encounter them. Husserl's student Martin Heidegger transformed phenomenology by focusing not on things but on being, and on us not as knowers of things, but as beings who dwell within the world; he thereby gave powerful impetus to the development of existentialism. We will begin our study of phenomenology with Robert Sokolowsky's Introduction, then proceed through selections from Husserl, Heidegger, and French phenomenologists, beginning with Maurice Merleau-Ponty. Format: seminar. Requirements: regular class presentations, a short mid-term paper (c. 5 pages), and a final paper (10-15 pages). Prerequisite: Philosophy 101 or 102; 201 strongly recommended. Enrollment limit: 19 (expected: 5-15).