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Classical Texts in Philosophy Seminar

Code: 108431
Credits: 6
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Philosophy OP 3

Contact lecturer

Name :
Jesús Hernandez Reynes
Email :
jesus.hernandez@uab.cat

Teaching staff

Nuria Estrach Mira

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

No specific prior requirements


Objectives

The Dark Enlightenment


This seminar is dedicated to introducing us to the so-called "Dark Enlightenment". We will focus on the reading and commentary of the philosopher Nick Land's text The Dark Enlightment (2012). Throughout the Seminar, Lang's thought will be confronted with other positions of the so-called "Accelerationism" and with other critical currents.


Learning outcomes

  • CM23 (Critically interpret, through the integration of different philosophical knowledge, the human dimension in its multiple facets: existential, social, ethical and aesthetic.) Critically interpret, through the integration of different philosophical knowledge, the human dimension in its multiple facets: existential, social, ethical and aesthetic.
  • CM24 (Develop a plural, reflective and committed philosophical attitude, capable of dialoguing with different cultural traditions and ways of thinking.) Develop a plural, reflective and committed philosophical attitude, capable of dialoguing with different cultural traditions and ways of thinking.
  • CM25 (Attempt a philosophical reflection oriented towards life, mutual understanding and the critical transformation of social, symbolic and cultural frameworks.) Attempt a philosophical reflection oriented towards life, mutual understanding and the critical transformation of social, symbolic and cultural frameworks.
  • KM26 (Recognise the diversity of ways in which philosophy is expressed and articulated with culture, politics, literature, and everyday life.) Recognise the diversity of ways in which philosophy is expressed and articulated with culture, politics, literature, and everyday life.
  • KM27 (Identify interpretative frameworks for the analysis of complex philosophical texts, both classical and contemporary, in their respective historical and cultural contexts, highlighting in both the social position of the subjects.) Identify interpretative frameworks for the analysis of complex philosophical texts, both classical and contemporary, in their respective historical and cultural contexts, highlighting in both the social position of the subjects.
  • KM28 (Identify key concepts, problems, and authors from different philosophical traditions, both Western and non-Western, with an emphasis on omissions due to gender, race, or class discrimination.) Identify key concepts, problems, and authors from different philosophical traditions, both Western and non-Western, with an emphasis on omissions due to gender, race, or class discrimination.
  • KM46 (Recognise through debates the relationship between literature, philosophy, knowledge and interpretation of reality.) Recognise through debates the relationship between literature, philosophy, knowledge and interpretation of reality.
  • SM27 (Make a rigorous and profound analysis of philosophical texts from various traditions and genres, identifying argumentative structures, presuppositions and key problems.) Make a rigorous and profound analysis of philosophical texts from various traditions and genres, identifying argumentative structures, presuppositions and key problems.
  • SM28 (Apply philosophical categories in interdisciplinary contexts, articulating conceptual thinking, historical sensibility, and critical awareness.) Apply philosophical categories in interdisciplinary contexts, articulating conceptual thinking, historical sensibility, and critical awareness.
  • SM29 (Communicate complex philosophical reflections, both orally and in writing, with clarity, argumentative coherence and use of technical language in diverse discursive contexts.) Communicate complex philosophical reflections, both orally and in writing, with clarity, argumentative coherence and use of technical language in diverse discursive contexts.
  • SM45 (Comparatively analyse philosophical and literary texts, exploring how both fields dialogue on topics such as subjectivity and truth.) Comparatively analyse philosophical and literary texts, exploring how both fields dialogue on topics such as subjectivity and truth.

Contents

The syllabus of the subject consists of the following topics, which follow the parts of Land's reference texts:

  1. Inhibited synthesis.
  2. The machinic desire.
  3. Techno-capitalist singularity.
  4. From the Cybernetic Culture Research Unit (CCRU) to neoreaction (NRx).
  5. Neo-reactionary exit from the system.
  6. Apocalyptic end of democracy.
  7. The spirit of the times: universalism.
  8. Government management of the racial problem.
  9. Culture war through political correctness.
  10. Freedom has no future.
  11. Secularized neo-puritanism of the Cathedral.
  12. Bionic horizon.
  13. The "hero" Curtis Yarvin and xenosystems.



Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Office hours 15 0.6 CM23, CM24, CM25, KM26, KM27, KM28, KM46, SM27, SM28, SM29, SM45
Reading texts 16.5 0.66 CM23, CM24, CM25, KM26, KM27, KM28, KM46, SM27, SM28, SM29, SM45
Reading and study 75 3 CM23, CM24, CM25, KM26, KM27, KM28, KM46, SM27, SM28, SM29, SM45
Classes 30 1.2 CM23, CM24, CM25, KM26, KM27, KM28, KM46, SM27, SM28, SM29, SM45

The classes consist of the presentation and discussion of texts on the subject. Interventions by the teacher and the participating students are expected. The class dynamics make it necessary to read the texts outside classroom hours that will later be treated in the classroom. Attendance at classroom sessions is essential.

The Monday sessions will be reserved for the reading of Land's book The Dark Illustration and some other short texts. The Thursday sessions, which are divided into two groups, are reserved for student presentations and for analyzing Lang's thought from different perspectives.

15 minutes of a class will be reserved, within the calendar established by the center, for the complementation by the students of the surveys for the evaluation of the performance of the teaching staff and the evaluation of the subject.


Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Test 45% 1.5 0.06 CM23, CM24, CM25, KM26, KM27, KM28, KM46, SM27, SM28, SM29, SM45
Oral presentation 35% 1.5 0.06 CM23, CM24, CM25, KM26, KM27, KM28, KM46, SM27, SM28, SM29, SM45
Class participation 20% 10.5 0.42 CM23, CM24, CM25, KM26, KM27, KM28, KM46, SM27, SM28, SM29, SM45

This subject does not admit the single evaluation system.

The evaluation will be made on two tests, with a joint value of 80%, and on class participation and attendance, with a value of 20%. The evaluation tests will be a written exam, with a value of 45%, and an oral group presentation, with a value of 35%.

The dates of the assessment tests will be communicated through the Virtual Campus at the beginning of the course.

On the date established by the Dean's Office, an exclusive recovery will be made for those who fail, through a final exam with a weighted value of 80%. The participation is not recoverable.

The evaluation of all activities will be reviewed individually in the office of the professor, on the date that will be announced in due course through the Virtual Campus.

To sit for the retake, it is necessary to have taken at least the exam and to have attended the seminar sessions. The final grade is the weighted average of all the activities evaluated.

A student who does not take a minimum of assessment activities that represent 2/3 of the relative weight is considered non-assessable.

Use of AI

In this subject, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is allowed as an integral part of the development of the study and evaluation work, provided that the final result reflects a significant contribution of the student in the analysis and personal reflection. In the case of assessment activities, the student should clearly identify which parts have been generated with this technology, specify the tools used and include a critical reflection on how these have influenced the process and the final result of the activity. The non-transparency of the use of AI in the assessable activities will be considered academic dishonesty and will lead to the activity being evaluated with a 0 and cannot be recovered, or greater sanctions in cases of severity.

In general, in the event that the student makes any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade of an evaluation act, this evaluation act will be graded with a 0, regardless of the disciplinary process that may be instructed. In the event that there are several irregularities in the assessment of the same subject, the final grade for this subject will be 0.


Bibliography

Land's texts:

Land, Nick. 1988. “Kant, Capital, and the Prohibition of Incest: A Polemical Introduction to the Configuration of Philosophy and Modernity.” Third Text 2 (5): 83–94. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/09528828808576206.

Land, Nick. 1993. “Machinic Desire.” Textual Practice 7 (3): 471–82. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/09502369308582177.

Land, Nick. 1997. “Meltdown”. Abstract Culture: swarm1 (Winter): 03–15.

Land, Nick. 2022. The Dark Enlightenment. Perth: Imperium Press.

Digital versions:

The Dark Enlightenment, by Nick Land | The Dark Enlightenment

Unqualified Reservations by Mencius Moldbug

Translations:

Land, Nick. 2019. Fanged Noumena Vol. 1. Barcelona: Holobionte.

Land, Nick. 2022. La Ilustración oscura. Y otros ensayos sobre la Neorreacción. Segovia: Materia-Oscura.

Studies:

Avanessian, Armen y Mauro Reis (comp.). 2017. Aceleracionismo. Estrategias para una transición hacia el postcapitalismo. Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires: Caja Negra.

Fernández Liria, Carlos. 2026. Contra la Ilustración oscura. Marx y Nietzsche frente al transhumanismo aceleracionista. Barcelona: Arpa.

Miranda, Arnaud. 2026. La Ilustración oscura: Comprender el pensamiento neorreaccionario. Madrid: Taurus.


Software

Not required.

Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching Group Language Semester Shift
(TE) Theory 1 Catalan/Spanish second semester morning-mixed
(SEM) Seminars 11 Catalan/Spanish second semester morning-mixed
(SEM) Seminars 12 Catalan/Spanish second semester morning-mixed