Philosophy
403 |
Office
Hours in RH-436 (445-4489) |
Heroism
and the Human Spirit |
MWF |
Philosophy
Seminar, Fall, 2005 |
and by appointment. |
Prof.
Michael Kagan |
Email:
kagan@lemoyne.edu |
Goal: The main
purpose of this course is to provide students with an opportunity to develop their
own answers to the question, "What makes a person great?" It is hoped
that giving students a chance to address this problem while seeing its
inter-connections with fundamental philosophical issues will help them
integrate their heroic visions into their own philosophies of human existence
and/or philosophic religious faith.
Requirements and grading
ABOUT THE SHORT WRITING ASSIGNMENTS: You are
to select and complete five of the eight short writing assignments. A
reading question is given along with each assignment. Unless otherwise
indicated, please answer the reading question in less than one TYPED page
(all assignments, except in-class writings, are to be typed).Make sure
you are working with the current version of this syllabus.
STUDENT PRESENTATIONS: For every presentation,
you will be required to turn in an outline or abstract of your presentation, complete
with a list of all works used. Also, if you use any web pages, not only should
these be listed on the outline with the rest of your bibliography, but you are
also required to turn in a printout of all web pages used in preparing the
presentation. If your group divides the work into separate parts, each member
of the group will need to provide his or her own outline/abstract and
printouts. Outlines/abstracts, and printouts are to be given to me BEFORE
the presentation. Failure to do so BEFORE
the presentation will result in a 30% deduction from the relevant
presenter's presentation grade. If the outline and printouts are not turned in
by the next class, there will be an additional 30% deduction. You may use
up to but not more than 5 minutes of videotaped material for your presentation.
If the class is meeting in a room with a built-in VCR, make sure you know
how to use it. If you need to bring in a computer or VCR for the presentation,
you may order one from AV by calling 445-4380 or on the web at http://www.lemoyne.edu/information_systems/audio_visual/class.html - In the event of a technical glitch,
power failure, or delivery problem make sure you can present without the computer/videotaped
material.
STUDENT PRESENTATIONS ON
Remember: You have less than an hour to
present. Focus on the aspects your group finds most interesting and important.
Do not try to cover everything. Your presentation will be improved if you make
it easier for others to participate. (Please try to help others' presentations
by participating!) Please feel free to meet with me to discuss your
presentations. If you don't find me on campus, you are welcome to call me at
home before
THE PROJECT might involve further investigating the issue of human
greatness and heroism, a philosophical essay concerning some related issue of
philosophical interest in a work of literature, a creative literary work of the
student's own [e.g., a short story, 1st chapter of a novel, & c.], or a
philosophical analysis of some related issue present in one of the works we
studied, detailing the position[s] set forth in the work, and developing and
defending one's own philosophical response.
GRADING
Grades are based on a 10 point scale as follows:
90-100 - 'A' range (97-100 = A+; 94-96=A; 90-93=A-); 80-89 - 'B' range
(87-89 = B+; 84-86=B; 80-83=B-);
70-79 - 'C' range (77-79 = C+; 74-76=C; 70-73=C-); 60-69 - 'D'
range (67-69 = D+; 64-66=D; 60-63=D-).
Below 60 - 'F'.
Failure to complete any of (1)-(4) can result in a failing grade. Plagiarism
will result in a failing grade.
Required Reading List: (in approximate reading order)
Morrison, Toni. The Bluest Eye.
Wiesel, Elie. Night.
King, Stephen. Different Seasons (also published as Shawshank Redemption).
Rand, Ayn. Anthem.
Brown, Claude. Manchild in the Promised Land.
Plato, Symposium.
Vonnegut, Jr., Kurt. Welcome to the Monkey House.
SPECIAL NEEDS
In coordination with the Academic Support Center (ASC), reasonable accommodations are provided for
qualified students with disabilities. Please register with the ASC Office for
disability verification and determination of reasonable accommodations. After
receiving your accommodation form from the ASC, you will need to make an
appointment with me to review the form and discuss your needs. Please make
every attempt to meet with me within the first week of class so your
accommodations can be provided in a timely manner. You can either stop by the
ASC, Library, 1st floor, or call (445-4118-voice or 445-4104-TDD) to make an
appointment.
IMPORTANT DATES:
No classes on the following dates: Mon., Sept. 5,
Labor Day; Wed. Sep. 7, Mass of the Holy Spirit (classes canceled
TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE AND SCHEDULE OF ASSIGNMENTS ['*' MARKS WEEKS IN WHICH
STUDENTS PRESENT ON
#1 (Mon., Aug. 29) Introduce course, choose groups and schedule presentations
on readings.
#2 (Wed., Aug. 31) -- In-class writing on childhood heroes.
#3 (Fri., Sep. 2) Discussion of heroic scripting.
No class Mon., Sep. 5 (Labor Day) .
No class Wed, Sep. 7 (Mass of the Holy Spirit - classes canceled
#4 (Fri.,
Sep.9) Instructor presents on "The Porcelain Salamander"
(from Maps in a Mirror). Group work on "The
Porcelain Salamander."
*#5 (Mon., Sep. 12) Students present on Toni
Morrison's The Bluest Eye. SHORT WRITING ASSIGNMENT: Who respects
the truth most in The Bluest Eye"? How?
#6 & #7 Wed. Sep. 14 and Fri., Sep. 16)
Self-deception and bad faith. Instructor presents on Le Guin's "Those who walk away from Omelas, " and
Card's "The Best Day" (from Maps in a Mirror) . The temptation to deny the best and the worst.
*#8 (Fri ., Sep. 16) Students present on Night.
SHORT WRITING ASSIGNMENT DUE: Who, by the end of Night seems
to know the most? Why? (Note: You may write about one or more
people.)
*#9 (Mon., Sep.19). SHORT WRITING ASSIGNMENT DUE: Who
are the best friends in this story? Why? What does this suggest about
friendship? Students present on Stephen King's "The Body" (in Different
Seasons).
#10 (Wed., Sep. 21) Instructor presents on
* #11 (Fri., Sep. 23) Students present on Anthem.
SHORT WRITING ASSIGNMENT DUE: In the world
#12 (Mon., Sep. 26) Lecture on problem of
personal identity.
* #13 (Wed., Sep. 28) Students present on
Octavia Butler's "The Evening and the Morning, and the Night"
(in the Bloodchild anthology) . SHORT WRITING ASSIGNMENT DUE: Who in this story reminds you of
someone you have encountered (in life or literature)? How so? Have
they chosen to do what they do best? Why or why not? Please
explain, using examples from the story.
#14 (Fri., Sep. 30) Lecture on "Becker,
Childhood, and Scary Stories"
#15 (Mon., Oct. 3) Instructor presents one way of reading King (and others).
* #16 ( Wed., Oct. 5) Students present on Stephen
King's "The Breathing Method" (in Different Seasons).
SHORT WRITING ASSIGNMENT DUE: What is "cheap magic"? How does
it work? What can we learn from this?
#17 (Fri., Oct. 7) Instructor presents on Heroic Myths (Campbell and Raffa) and
the twice born.
No class Monday, October 10 (Fall Break).
* #18 (Wed., Oct. 12) SHORT WRITING ASSIGNMENT DUE: In the world Claude
Brown describes, what are the children
told to expect from their lives? How do they respond? How do the book's
heroes resist this choice? What can we learn from this? Students present on Manchild
in the Promised Land.
#19 ( Fri., Oct. 14) Group work on Manchild in the
Promised Land. Lecture on racism and deception. PROJECT
PROPOSALS DUE.
*#20 (Mon., Oct. 17) TWO PART SHORT WRITING ASSIGNMENT DUE:
Write a brief description of a friend or a brief story in which the sex of at
least one major character is neither stated nor implied. THEN explain which of
the people described in the Symposium has beliefs about love that
are consistent with their own life/lives. Explain why. Note: You
are welcome to do this within one page if you can, but, for this assignment,
the page limit is 3 TYPED pages. Students present on Symposium.
#22 (Wed, Oct. 19) Lecture on
"Sex and Gender."
#23 -(Fri, Oct. 21) In-class writing exercise on
future autobiography.
#24 (Mon., Oct. 24) -Lecture on "Possibilities and Practice: The Heroic
Task and Self Education."
#25 (Wed. Oct. 26) - SCHEDULE PROJECT PRESENTATIONS.
Buber's hasidut and Rebbe Nachman's "The
# 26 (Fri., Oct. 28) Instructor presentation on
"Middle Woman" or "Gert Fram." (Both stories are in Maps
in a Mirror.)
#27 (Mon. Oct. 31) Bring Bloodchild
to class. Presentation on "Positive Obsession."
#28 (Wed. Nov. 2) Bring Bloodchild
to class. Presentation on "Furor Scribendi."
NOTE: WRITTEN PROJECTS DUE: FRI., NOV. 18.
**#28 (Fri., November 4, through
Wednesday, December 7) Student presentations on projects (these are
to be between 20 and 50 minutes in length, depending on the size of the class,
and the number of students presenting). These will continue until the end of
semester. Students who are unable to do their individual presentations at the
scheduled time will need to schedule a make-up presentation. No classes Nov.
24-27 (Thanksgiving Break). Also, for the rest of the semester, please
bring Welcome to the Monkey House to class.
Fri., December 2. Final Evaluations.
Fri., December 9, Make-up presentations. LAST DAY OF CLASS.
SOME SUGGESTED WORKS FOR FINAL PROJECTS
Ajami,
Fouad. The
Albom, Mitch. Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and the Last
Great Lesson.
Amdur, Ellis. Dueling with O-Sensei: Grappling with the Myth of the Warrior
Sage, Old School: Essays on Japanese Martial Traditions. Available from www.ellisamdur.com.
Alexie, Sherman. The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in
Heaven. (The movie "Smoke Signals" is based on this.)
Becker, Ernest. The Birth and Death of Meaning, The
Denial of Death, and other works.
Belenky, et al. Women's Ways of Knowing.
Berne, Eric. What Do You Say After You Say Hello? - The Psychology of Human
Destiny, and other works.
Brown, Claude. Manchild in the Promised Land.
Brown, Christy. My Left Foot.
Bujold, Lois McMaster. Cordelia's Honor, and other
works.
Campbell, Joseph. The Hero with a Thousand Faces.
Second ed.
Card, Orson Maps in a Mirror: The Short Fiction of Orson Scott Card, Ender's
Game, and other works.
Chandler, Raymond. The Simple Art of Murder, and other
works.
Chesbro, George. Shadow of a Broken
Cross, Amanda. Death in a Tenured Position, and other
works.
Davies, Robertson. The Deptford Trilogy : Fifth
Business/the Manticore/World of Wonders, and other works.
DeWitt, Helen. The Last Samurai.
Dostoevsky, Fyodor. Brothers Karamazov, The Idiot, Notes from
the Underground, "The Crocodile, " and
other works.
Ellison, Ralph. Invisible
Eugenides, Jeffrey. Middlesex.
Frankl, Viktor. Man's Search for Meaning. Pocket Books Washington Square
Press printing, 1985.
Friedman, C.S. This Alien Shore, and other works..
Gardner, John. The Art of Fiction: Notes on Craft for Young Writers.
Gilligan, Carol. In a Different Voice: Psychological Theory and Women's
Development.
Gilman, Dorothy The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax, Tightrope
Walker, Incident at Badamya, and other works.
Goldman, William. The Princess Bride.
Goldstein, Lisa. Dream Years, The Red Magician, Travellers
in Magic and other works..
Haley, Alex, and Malcolm X. The Autobiography of
Malcolm X.
Hammett, Dashiel. The Maltese Falcon (the book and
the movie). You should look at his other novels as well.
Hargrove, Anne C. Getting Better: Conversations with myself
and other friends while healing from breast cancer.
Heinlein, R. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Citizen of the Galaxy,
Double Star and other works.
Hesse, Hermann. Siddhartha, The Journey to the East,
The Glass Bead Game, Steppenwolf, and other works.
Hoeg, Peter. Smilla's Sense of Snow, Borderliners.
Howie, Noelle. Dress Codes: Of Three
Girlhoods--My Mother's, My Father's, and Mine.
Howatch, Susan. Glamorous Powers, and other works.
Irving, John. A Prayer for Owen Meany, The
World According to Garp.
Jarmusch, Jim. Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai.
Jewell, Lisa. One-Hit Wonder.
Kafka, Franz. "Penal Colony, " "Hunger Artist,
" The Trial, The Castle, and other works.
Kagan, Michael . Educating Heroes
(Durango, Colorado: Hollowbrook, 1994).
Kamenetz, Rodger. The Jew in the Lotus : A Poet's
Rediscovery of Jewish Identity in Buddhist
Kaye, Ronnie. Spinning Straw into Gold.
King, Stephen. The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, Hearts in Atlantis,
Bag of Bones, and other works.
Kiyosaki, Robert T., and Sharon Lechter. Rich
Dad, Poor Dad.
Kress, Nancy. Beggars in
Leonard, George. Mastery (New York:
Penguin/Plume, 1992).
Lowry, Dave. Autumn Lightning, Persimmon Wind.
Le Guin, Ursula K. The Telling, Left Hand of
Darkness, The Lathe of Heaven, The Dispossessed, and other
works.
Levine, Gail Carson. Ella Enchanted.
Morrison, Toni. Song of Solomon, and other works.
Morrow, James. Towing Jehovah, Blameless in Abaddon,
and other works.
Noddings, Nel. Caring.
McBride, James. The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White
Mother.
Oates, J. C. On Boxing.
Parker, Robert B. Mortal Stakes, and other works.
Plato. The Republic, and other works.
Pohl, Frederik. Gateway.
Polster, Miriam F. Eve's Daughters : The Forbidden
Heroism of Women.
Pullman, Philip. The Golden Compass (New York: Alfred
A. Knopf, 1996).
Raffa, Jean Benedict. The Bridge to Wholeness: A Feminine Alternative to the
Hero Myth.
Rand, Ayn. The Fountainhead, Atlas Shrugged, The
Virtue of Selfishness.
Rollin, B. First, You Cry.
Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
Russell, Mary Doria. The Sparrow, and Children of God.
Salmonson, Jessica Amanda. A Silver Thread of Madness, and other
works.
Sapphire. Push: A Novel.
Silverberg, Robert. Lord Valentine's Castle.
Steiner, Claude M. Scripts People Live: Transactional Analysis of Life
Scripts.
Suzuki, D.T. Zen and Japanese Culture.
Sturgeon, Theodore. More than Human, and other works.
Scriptures, religious tales and teachings of interest to the student, from a
variety of traditions (including, but not limited to, African, Buddhist,
Christian, Islamic, Jewish, Native American, Taoist, Vedic.)
Stout, Martha. The Myth of Sanity: Divided Consciousness and the Promise of
Awareness.
Tan, Amy. The Joy Luck Club, The
Hundred Secret Senses.
Tremayne, Peter. The Spider's Web: A Celtic Mystery.
Tolstoy, Leo. The Death of Ivan Ilyich, and other
works.
Vonnegut, Jr., Kurt. Mother Night, Slaughterhouse Five,
and other works.
Walker,
Wachowski, Andy and Larry. The
Matrix and its sequels (including The Animatrix). .
Wiesel, Elie. Dawn, The Accident, and other
works.
Willis, Connie. Passages, Doomsday Book, Bellwether, and other
works..
Yoshikawa. Musashi.
Zettel, Sarah. Fool's War.
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