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Philosophy 403-03 |
Office Hours in RH-428 (445-4489) |
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Heroism and the Human Spirit |
MWF 9:35 -10:20 AM, TU 2-2:20PM, and by appointment. |
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Philosophy Seminar, Fall, 2013 |
Email:kagan@lemoyne.edu |
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Prof. Michael Kagan |
Le Moyne College website: http://web.lemoyne.edu/~kagan/index.html |
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
SHORT WRITING ASSIGNMENTS: You are to select and complete five of the seven
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
2 minutes of videotaped material for your presentation. If the class is
meeting in a room with a built-in VCR/DVD player, make sure you know how to use
it. If you need to bring in a computer or video player for the presentation,
you may order one from AV by calling 445-4380; for more information on the web
see http://lemoyne.edu/ITHOME/ABOUTIT/CLASSROOMSERVICESIT/Equipment/tabid/833/Default.aspx. 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 READINGS: All students are expected to do all
readings and to share their understanding with one another in class discussions
by leading their own and participating in other students' presentations on the
various readings. Student presentations on readings begin the second week of
class, and will be scheduled during the first week. The subtopics will be
divided up into student groups whose size will be determined by the class size.
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 8:00
PM. YOU CAN ALWAYS LEAVE A VOICE MAIL MESSAGE AT 445-4489.
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
25% of the grade is based on participation, in-class writings, and the optional journal and other optional writing assignments. Since you are not participating when you don't attend class, you will need to make up any absences with extra-credit assignments and journaling.
25% of the grade is based on the presentation on the readings.
25% for the five short writing assignments (the grade will be the average of the best four out of five).
25% is determined by the project and its presentation.
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)
Walter Mosley, Always Outnumbered, Always
Outgunned.
Stephen King, Different Seasons (also published as Shawshank
Redemption and as Apt Pupil).
Ayn Rand, Anthem.
Ernest Becker, Denial of Death.
Octavia E. Butler, Bloodchild and Other Stories, 2nd edition.
Orson Scott Card, Maps in a Mirror
Plato, Symposium.
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 class or office hours on the following times/dates:
Mon., Sept. 2, Labor Day; Wed. Sep. 4, Mass of the Holy Spirit (classes
canceled 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM; Classes resume at 1:30); Thursday, Sep. 5
(Rosh HaShanah); Saturday September 14, (Yom Kippur); Oct. 14-15,
Fall Break; Nov. 27-29, Thanksgiving Break.
Last day of class: Dec. 3 (Tuesday; the last day of classes this semester
is December 6). PROJECT PROPOSALS DUE TUES., OCT. 8.
WRITTEN PROJECTS DUE: TUES., NOV. 19.
CLOSINGS/CANCELLATIONS
If campus/dorms are closed due to flu or other circumstances, my intent is that the course continue. Assignments continue to be due by email. Presentations will be replaced by papers, virtual presentations, or extended descriptions of presentations. In addition to notes and group work already available there on-line, I will post updates, lecture notes, etc., to my Le Moyne College website at http://web.lemoyne.edu/~kagan/index.html
As at other times, if your situation results in your needing an extension, please let me know. Also, if internet service is down or there are other infrastructure problems, please complete the assignments and turn them in when services are restored.
TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE AND SCHEDULE OF ASSIGNMENTS ['*' indicates student
presentation.]
#1 (Tues., Aug. 27) Introduce course, choose groups and schedule presentations
on readings. In-class writing on childhood heroes.
#2 (Tues., Sep.3) Discussion of heroic scripting. Self-deception and bad
faith. Read Orson Scott Card's "The Best Day" (from Maps in a
Mirror) . The temptation to deny the best and the worst.
*#3 (Tues., Sep. 10) Students present on Walter Mosley's "Crimson
Shadow" (in Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned) SHORT
WRITING ASSIGNMENT: What are some of the characters' fears?
What can we learn from this? Read Orson Scott Card's "The Porcelain
Salamander" (from Maps in a Mirror). Group work on
"The Porcelain Salamander."
*#4 (Tues.,
Sep. 17) SHORT WRITING ASSIGNMENT DUE: Students present on Stephen
King's "The Body" (in Different Seasons). What are
some of the characters' fears? What can we learn from this?
Instructor presents on Rand's philosophy.
*#5(Tues., Sep. 24) Students present on Anthem. SHORT WRITING
ASSIGNMENT DUE: In the world Rand describes, one's career is chosen by
others at an early age - how do the book's characters respond to this choice?
Does our society also put some in a position that will keep them from hurting
the status quo? Why or why not? Lecture on problem of
personal identity.
*#6 (Tues.,
Oct. 1) Students present on Octavia Butler's "The Evening and
the Morning, and the Night" (in the Bloodchild anthology) . SHORT
WRITING ASSIGNMENT DUE: Compare someone in this story to someone you
have encountered (in life or literature). What can we learn from this
comparison? Lecture on "Becker, Childhood, and Scary
Stories" Read Denial of Death, Introduction & Part
I (Chapters 1-6). Optional short writing assignment: How
might you relate Becker's views to the experiences of the characters we have
read about so far? Instructor presents one way of reading King (and
others).
* #7 (Tues.,
Oct. 8) Students present on Stephen King's "The Breathing
Method" (in Different Seasons). SHORT WRITING ASSIGNMENT
DUE: Compare someone in this story to someone you have encountered (in
life or literature). What can we learn from this comparison?
Instructor presents on Heroic Myths (Campbell and Raffa) and the twice
born, related to the readings in and implications concerning discrimination and
deception. PROJECT PROPOSALS DUE TUES., OCT. 8.
No classes Oct. 14-15, Fall Break.
*#8 (Tues.,
Oct. 22) Bring Bloodchild to class. Read Butler's "Positive
Obsession" and "Furor Scribendi." Group work.
Students present on "Last Rites" in Walter Mosley's Always
Outnumbered, Always Outgunned. SHORT WRITING ASSIGNMENT DUE: How
do the characters in this story show respect to one another? When is this
most difficult? Why?
*#9 (Tues., Oct. 29) 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.
Lecture on "Time and Chance & Sex and Gender."
In-class writing exercise on future autobiography.
#10 (Tues.,
Nov. 5) Buber's hasidut and Rebbe Nachman's "The Turkey
Prince." (includes group work on Rebbe Nachman's story). SCHEDULE
PROJECT PRESENTATIONS. Lecture on "Possibilities and
Practice: Heroic Tasks and Self Education."
# 11ff. (Tues.,
Nov. 12 - Tues., Dec.3) Student presentations on projects. WRITTEN
PROJECTS ARE DUE TUES., NOV. 19. These presentations are to be about
10 to 15 minutes in length per student, depending on the size of the class, and
the number of students presenting. A solo presenter will have 15 minute;
a group of 2 or 3 students will have 20-30 minutes; groups of 3 or 4 will
have 30-45 minutes). 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. If re-scheduling is
not possible, the student will need to turn in a written version of their
presentation if they have not yet done so.
Nov. 27-29: Thanksgiving Break.
*(Tues., Dec.
3) Make-up presentations/final evaluations (if they haven't already taken
place). LAST DAY OF CLASS.
SOME
SUGGESTED WORKS FOR FINAL PROJECTS
Ajami,
Fouad. The
Dream Palace of the Arabs (Pantheon Books, 1998).
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 http://www.edgework.info/buy-books-on-martial-arts.html.
Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, 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. Games People Play, 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.
Butler, Octavia E. Parable of the Sower, 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 Man.
Chesterton, Gilbert K. The Innocence of Father Brown, other Father
Brown Mysteries, etc.
Cohn, Rachel,
and David Levithan. Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist.
Cross, Amanda. Death in a Tenured Position, and other works.
Ushpizin
(2004, directed by Giddi Dar).
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.
Effinger, George Alec. When Gravity Fails, Budayeen Nights, and other
works.
Elgin, Suzette Haden. Native Tongue, The Judas Rose, The Gentle
Art of Verbal Self Defense and other works.
Ellison, Ralph. Invisible Man.
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.
Fuller, Brian,
and Todd Holland. Wonderfalls. (2004)
Gaiman, Neil. Graveyard Book, Coraline,
and other works.
Gardner, John. The
Art of Fiction: Notes on Craft for Young Writers.
Gibson, William. Neuromancer.
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.
Goodkind, Terry. Sword
of Truth series, which begins with Wizard's First Rule.
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, Stranger in a Strange Land,
Citizen of the Galaxy, Double Star and other works.
Henderson, Zenna. Ingathering: The Complete People Stories
(NESFA Press, 1995).
Hesse, Hermann. Siddhartha, The Journey to
the East, The Glass Bead Game, Steppenwolf, and other works.
Hitchens, Christopher. Letters to a Young Contrarian.
Hoeg, Peter. Smilla's
Sense of Snow,
Borderliners.
Hong Kingston, Maxine. The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among
Ghosts.
Howie, Noelle. Dress Codes: Of Three
Girlhoods--My Mother's, My Father's, and Mine.
Howatch, Susan. Glamorous Powers, and
other works.
Irving, John. In One Person (2012), A Prayer for Owen
Meany,
The
World According to Garp.
Jarmusch, Jim. Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai.
Jewell, Lisa. One-Hit
Wonder.
Junger, Sebastian. War.
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 India, and Stalking Elijah: Adventures with
Today's Jewish Mystical Masters.
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 Spain,
Maximum Light.
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.
Martinez, Guillermo. The Oxford Murders (New York: Penguin Books,
2006).
Monroe, Kristen Renwick. The Heart of Altruism, The Hand of
Compassion: Portraits of Moral Choice during the Holocaust, and other
works (recommended by Lowell A. Dunlap, Ph.D.).
Morrison, Toni. Song of Solomon, and
other works.
Morrow, James. Towing
Jehovah,
Blameless in Abaddon, and other works.
Mosley, Walter. 47, Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned, Devil
in a Blue Dress, Fearless Jones, 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.
Peters, Ellis (Edith Mary Pargeter). A Morbid Taste for Bones, One Corpse too
Many, other Brother Cadfael mysteries, 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.
Remen, Rachel Naomi. Kitchen Table
Wisdom, My Grandfather’s Blessings, and other works.
Rollin, B.
First, You Cry.
Rosenbaum, Lisa Pearl. A Day of Small Beginnings.
Rowling, J. K.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
Rubin, Henry
Alex, and Dana Adam Shapiro (directors). Murderball.
Russell, Mary Doria. Dreamers of the Day, Doc, The Sparrow,
and Children of God.
Sacks, Oliver. Musicophila: Tales of Music and the Brain.
Salmonson, Jessica Amanda. A Silver Thread of Madness, and
other works.
Sapphire.
Push: A Novel.
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.)
Silverberg,
Robert. Lord
Valentine's Castle.
Smith, Dominic. The Beautiful Miscellaneous (New York: Atria Books,
2007).
Stead, Rebecca. When you Reach Me.
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.
Stephenson, Neal. Cryptonomicon, Snow Crash,
and other works.
Stout, Martha. The Myth of Sanity: Divided Consciousness and the Promise of
Awareness.
Taleb, Nassim Nicholas. Antifragile: Things that Gain from
Disorder (2012), The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly
Improbable (2007), Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance
in Life and in the Markets (2001), and other works.
Tan, Amy. The Joy Luck Club, The Hundred
Secret Senses.
Tremayne, Peter (Peter Berresford Ellis). The Spider's Web: A
Celtic Mystery, The Chalice of Blood, other Sister Fidelma
mysteries, and other works.
Tolstoy, Leo. The Death of Ivan Ilyich, and other works.
Vinge, Vernor. Rainbows End, and other works.
Vonnegut, Jr., Kurt. Mother
Night, Slaughterhouse Five, and other works.
Wachowski,
Andy and Larry. The Matrix and its sequels (including The
Animatrix).
Walker, Alice. The
Color Purple.
Walton, Jo. Among
Others.
Wiesel, Elie. Dawn, The Accident,
and other works.
Willis, Connie. Passages, Doomsday Book,
Bellwether, and other works.
Yoshikawa.
Musashi.
Zettel, Sarah. Fool's
War.
Zuzak, Markus. The
Book Thief.
Some of
this page's links:
Other materials for PHL 403: http://web.lemoyne.edu/~kagan/403index.html
Back to Kagan's Homepage: http://web.lemoyne.edu/~kagan/index.html