DESCRIPTION
Philosophical writing is often thought to be impersonal and abstract, focused on rigorous argument and high theory to the exclusion of personal narrative, voice, humor, and literary style. But not all philosophy takes that form. This seminar explores the alternative mode of more personal philosophical writing, as it appears in contemporary personal essays on philosophical themes and pieces of public philosophy with a personal slant (in e.g., The New York Times, The Point, Aeon, and The New Yorker.) The course is structured as a writing workshop, and centrally aims to develop students’ confidence and skill in writing their own pieces of autobiographical philosophy. Students will create a portfolio of writing and workshop it closely with their peers and professor throughout the semester.
Prerequisite
Permission of instructor required.
Intended for philosophy majors and minors, but students with at least two courses in philosophy will be considered.
GOALS
By the end of this course you will have:
Gained a broader perspective on the nature of philosophy as an activity and academic discipline.
Come to better understand your own experiences and values, and their intersection with philosophical questions.
Honed your capacity to write clearly, cogently and compellingly on philosophical subjects.
Developed your ability to work together with others, to respond positively to feedback, and to provide constructive advice to your peers.
Written a portfolio of pieces of personal philosophical writing that you are proud of.
LOGISTICS
Professor: Helena de Bres
Contact: hdebres@wellesley.edu
Website: helenadebres.com
Office: Founders Hall 320
Class time: Tuesdays, 12:45-3:25, Fall 2026
Venue: Pendleton East 251
Office hours: Tuesdays 3:45-4:45, Fridays 11:20-12:20, or by appointment.
Note: my office hours run differently from the standard model. I prefer to schedule meetings with students in advance (either solo or in a small group with other students), so that no one has to wait fruitlessly outside for an hour. The office hour slots above are a starting point for requesting a time to meet: please propose those times first when emailing me for an appointment. If these times don't work for you, we can definitely arrange an appointment at a different time: just let me know what you have free.
You're also always very welcome to drop by my office without an appointment during the above listed times: if you do it that way, you just won't be able to guarantee I'm not meeting with another student.
No need to have a specific question when coming in for a chat--we can talk about class material, philosophy, writing, or whatever else is on your mind.
If I'm not on campus and we have to use zoom to meet, we'll use this link.
Communication:
Outside of class, we'll be communicating via our Google Group, which has this email address: phil-331-01-fa26@wellesley.edu
I'll make all announcements via the Group, and you can also use it to send messages to the class as a whole.
I will try to respond to any email you send me within 48 hours. After that, feel free to send me a gentle reminder.
BUT I try not to reply to emails on weekends, so, if you want a prompt reply, it’s best not to send me an email past 4 p.m. on a Friday.
Readings:
Two books are required for the course: Chloe Cooper-Jones, Easy Beauty (Simon and Schuster, 2021) and C. Thi Nguyen, The Score: How To Stop Playing Somebody Else's Game (Penguin, 2026)
Other readings (mainly optional) will be articles, available on the course website or the course’s Google Drive.
Site:
See the links at the top right for the format of the course, the assignments, the schedule for the semester, some course policies and some additional resources related to personal philosophical writing.
Illustrations are pictures I've stolen off the internet of philosophers who write autobiographically or essayists who write philosophically. Smoking looks hot but is bad for your lungs!