Baudrillard’s actuality 3800-AB26-S-OG
In a world dominated by digital technologies, Baudrillard’s ideas from over four decades ago
regarding simulation and the blurring of the line between simulacra and reality seem prophetic. The
same goes for his reflections on the “implosion” of society. Where does this sense of untimeliness
come from? Are Baudrillard’s concepts, once considered extravagant, truly becoming relevant today?
During the seminar, we will discuss excerpts from the French philosopher and sociologist’s most
important works, in which he sought to capture the meaning of processes that shaped his
and—perhaps—our actuality. We will examine how he described the relationships between things and
signs or symbols, how he redefined the concept of production, and how he described consumer
society. Finally, we will also attempt to understand the nature of his strategy as a critical thinker who
abandoned the traditional rhetoric of critical thought.
Additional requirements for students:
Passive knowledge of English
Course coordinators
Type of course
general courses
Learning outcomes
Acquired knowledge:
- students will be familiar with the chosen Jean Baudrillard’s theories and with its applications in the
analysis of society and culture
- students will be aware of the chosen norms that constitute and regulate social structures and
institutions, and able to identify the sources of these norms, their nature and many ways they
influence human behaviour
Acquired skills:
- students will read and interpret selected philosophical texts
- students will be able to identify links between the formation of ideas and social/cultural processes
- students will be able to apply in a correct manner the philosophical vocabulary pertaining to the
problematic of the course
Acquired social competence:
- students will be aware of the range of knowledge they acquired and understand the need for
continual education
- students will be open to new ideas and ready to change their views in the light of available data and
arguments
Assessment criteria
Grading will be based on presentations or essays. Presentations should elaborate the problematic
discussed during particular meetings by deepening it and referring to additional sources. Essays
should contain well thought out, coherent and informed elaborations of the chosen aspects of the
course’s problematic
Bibliography
Excerpts from Jean Baudrillard’s works
1968. The System of Objects
1970. Społeczeństwo konsumpcyjne
1972. For a Critique of the Political Economy of the Sign
1973. The Mirror of Production
1976. Wymiana symboliczna i śmierć
1977. Zapomnieć Foucaulta
1978. W cieniu milczącej większości
1979. O uwodzeniu
1981. Symulakry i symulacja
1983. Fatal Strategies
1986. Ameryka
1987. The Ecstasy of Communication
1990. Przejrzystość zła
1991. Wojny w Zatoce nie było
1992. Rozmowy przed końcem
1995. Zbrodnia doskonała
1999. Impossible Exchange
2002. Duch terroryzmu. Requiem dla Twin Towers
2004. Pakt jasności. O inteligencji zła
2007. Dlaczego wszystko jeszcze nie zniknęło?
2010. The Agony of Power