Self

John Stuart Mill, Utilitarianism
This philosophical work, argues for collective utility, referred to as the "greatest happiness principle." The argument is that we should instead of using "good" or "bad" instead judge things by how much pleasure or pain they produce. Pleasure and lack of pain is the most pleasurable. Like Kant before him and Nietzsche after, Mill seeks to ground moral knowledge in human reason and understanding.

W.E.B Dubois, The Souls of Black Folk
This examines identity specifically African-Americans, who have to adhere to what he refers to as a "double consciousness." This doubleness having to separate apart of their identity because of the racial lines, and hide a part of themselves, the external and internal awarenesses of one's actions.

*Rene Descarte, Meditations on First Philosophy* This foundational text uses deductive reasoning and doubt to question if we really have knowledge. This skeptical approach questions the external world and seeks to find an "Infalliable" knowledge, which is the "cogito" the mind is a "thinking thing. His world separates the physical world (body) from the essences of thought (mind). Recognition of the "I" self leads to other knowledge.

Hannah Arendt, Eichmann in Jerusalem
This essay examines the trial of Eichmann, who was a Nazi who killed and exterminated Jews. His defense was that he was only doing his duty in a Kantian sense, the Categorical Imperative. Arendt says that he equated the moral duty with that of the state and country. She states his is guilty of being thoughtless and that evil is not something exciting, often it is done by those we least expect, summed up in the phrase the "banality of evil."

Franz Kafka The Metamorphosis This short novel reads as an existential crisis of gloom and alienation, after Gregor is turned into a vermin/insect, while also reflecting on the duties to the self, society, and family.

Judith Butler "Performative Acts and Gender Constitution: An Essay in Phenomenology and Feminist Theory"
This philosophical critique examines further the idea of gender. Gender Butler argues is an act, as in something we "do." Gender is also not consistent, but a projection by a collective society to perform. "Acts" create the appearance of substance through repetition.

Simone de Beauvoir The Second Sex
This philosophical piece, examined the notion that "one is not born, women...one is made". She explores the notion of gender and gender identity as projected on to women and there is no reason why men should hold all the power and women are treated as second-class citizens despite being 50% of the population.

Jean-Paul Sartre "Freedom and Responsibility" Much Like Sartre's other essay, this recognizes we have a duty to ourselves and others, but not of divine origin. It is the recognition that society is made of individuals

Charles W. Mills, "But What Are You Really? The Metaphysics of Race
This essay deals with identity and the problem of race, an issue of external judgments by others. He guides us through several thought experiments which expose our own quickness to judge or classify and exposing our own prejudices

Joshua Oppenheimer, The Act of Killing
This documentary is surreal, while also showcasing the evil that can be used to justify the killing and slaughter of those deemed political enemies. The documentary has those who have massacred to recreate their "victory" over those who were labeled Indonesian "communist". What is exposed is the internal justifications of duty and the self collide in reflection of the horrors.

John Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding Like Descartes, Locke is trying to found human knowledge and understanding, not within the self, but through our experiences. We are a tabula rasa, or a blank slate, that is filled with experiences from the external world. Human in his essay is more a universal concept, but one that an individual can reflect upon.

Jean- Paul Sartre, "Existentialism is Humanism"
This philosophical essay combats the idea that existentialism is of gloom and dread by it bolsters life where truth and action are recognized as human, and not divine or higher powers. Recognizing there is nothing beyond encourages us to live our best lives and treat others with this knowledge

Sophocles, Antigone
This Greek tragedy highlights the different duties, often at odds that one has to the self, the family, and the state. Antigone is forced to pick between one her brother and the laws imposed by society. To sort out such things is to have to reflect internally