|
Philosophy 403 |
Office Hours in RH-428 (445-4489) |
|
Heroism and the Human Spirit |
MWF 9:30 a.m. - 10:20 a.m. |
|
Philosophy Seminar, Spring, 2008 |
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. Reading questions are
given along with
each assignment. Answer all the questions for a given book, unless
otherwise
indicated. Please answer the reading question in less than one
and a half TYPED double spaced pages. All
assignments, except in-class writings, are to be typed double-spaced
. For
credit for each assignment, make sure you are working with
the
questions from 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/DVD player, make sure you know how to use it. If you need to bring in a VCR or DVD player 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 or delivery problem make sure you can present without the 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
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)
Vonnegut, Jr., Kurt. Welcome to the Monkey House.
Morrison, Toni. The Bluest Eye.
Wiesel, Elie. Dawn.
King, Stephen. Different Seasons (also published as Shawshank
Redemption).
Rand, Ayn. Anthem.
Butler, Octavia E. Bloodchild and Other Stories.
Malcolm X (& Alex Haley), The Autobiography of Malcolm X.
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 classes on the following dates: Mon., Jan. 21 (Martin Luther King,
Jr. Day);
Mar 3-7 (Spring Break); Mar. 20-24 (Easter Break).
PROJECT PROPOSALS DUE: Wed , Mar. 12. Project
presentations scheduled, Mar . 31. WRITTEN PROJECTS DUE: Wed.,
Apr.
16. Student presentations on projects, April 7-May
2.
LAST DAY OF CLASS – May 5.
TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE AND SCHEDULE OF ASSIGNMENTS ['*' MARKS WEEKS
IN WHICH
STUDENTS PRESENT ON READINGS.]
#1 (Wed., Jan. 23) Introduce course, choose groups and schedule
presentations
on readings.
#2 (Fri, Jan. 25) -- In-class writing on childhood heroes.
#3 (Mon., Jan. 28) Discussion of heroic scripting.
#4 (Wed., Jan. 30) Group work on "The Porcelain Salamander."
#5 & #6 (Fri., Feb. 1 and Mon., Feb. 4) Self-deception
and bad
faith. Instructor presents on Le Guin's "Those who walk away from
Omelas" and/or Card's "The Best Day." The temptation
to deny the best and the worst
*#7 Wed., Feb. 6 Students present on Toni Morrison's The
Bluest Eye.
SHORT WRITING ASSIGNMENT: What kind of deception takes
place in The
Bluest Eye? Do any of the characters figure this out?
Explain.
#8 (Fri., Feb. 8) In-class writing or group work on The
Bluest Eye.
*#9
(Mon., Feb.
11) Students present on Dawn. SHORT WRITING ASSIGNMENT
DUE:
What does luck and/or laughter have to do with the lives,
success, or
failures of any of the characters?
*#10 (Wed, Feb. 13). SHORT WRITING ASSIGNMENT DUE: Why
is it
so hard for Chris and Gordon to escape the limitations and expectations
placed
on them? How does this relate to Gordon’s experience with
Ellison’s Invisible Man or the poem Chris is reciting when he
drowns (in Gordon’s nightmare)? Students present on
Stephen
King's "The Body" (in Different Seasons).
#11 (Fri., Feb. 15) Instructor presents on Rand's philosophy.
* #12 (Mon., Feb. 18) Students present on Anthem. SHORT
WRITING
ASSIGNMENT DUE: In the world Rand describes, one of the purposes
of the
schools is to keep people from excelling. Using examples from the
book,
compare and/or contrast this with your experience of schooling in at
least two
different schools or other educational settings.
#13 (Wed., Feb. 20) Lecture on problem of personal
identity.
* #14 (Fri., Feb. 22) Short writing assignment due: Students
present on Octavia Butler's "The Evening and the Morning, and the
Night" (in the Bloodchild anthology) . SHORT WRITING
ASSIGNMENT:
In this story, some of the people who are discriminated against for
being
disabled try to conceal their disability, even though concealing it may
cost
them their lives. What motivates them? What
kind of
circumstances make sense of this?
#15 (Mon., Feb. 25) Lecture on "Becker, Childhood, and Scary
Stories"
#16 (
Wed., Feb.
27) Instructor presents one way of reading King (and others).
* #17 ( Fri., Feb. 29) Students present on Stephen King's "The
Breathing Method" (in Different Seasons). SHORT WRITING
ASSIGNMENT DUE: Who are the most and least interesting people in
this
story? Why?
Note : No class Mar 3 - Mar.
7 (Spring
Break)
#18 (Mon., Mar. 10). Instructor
presents on Heroic Myths (Campbell and Raffa) and the twice born.
* #19
(Wed., Mar
12) PROJECT PROPOSALS DUE. SHORT WRITING ASSIGNMENT DUE: What
does Malcolm X learn from his formal education? What does he
learn from
his informal education? How does this contribute to his
self-understanding and understanding of social issues? Students
present
on The Autobiography of Malcolm X..
#20 (Fri., Mar 14) Group work on The Autobiography of Malcolm X and/or
Lecture
on racism and deception.
*#21 (Mon., Mar. 17) Students present on Symposium.
SHORT WRITING ASSIGNMENT DUE: Briefly explain which one of
the
theories of love described in the Symposium is the most
pessimistic and/or which is the most optimistic. Why?
The
maximal page length for this assignment is 3 pages.
#22 (Wed, Mar. 19) Lecture on "Sex and Gender."
Note: No classes Mar. 20-24 (Easter Break)
#23
(Wed, Mar.
26). Group work on Kurt Vonnegut's "The Foster Portfolio"
Please bring Welcome to the Monkey House to class.
#24 (Fri.. Mar. 28) .Lecture on "Possibilities and
Practice:
The Heroic Task and Self Education."
#25 (Mon., Mar. 31) SCHEDULE PROJECT
PRESENTATIONS. Buber's hasidut and Rebbe Nachman's "The Turkey
Prince" (includes group work on Rebbe Nachman's story)
#26 (Wed . Apr. 2 )
Please
bring Bloodchild to class. Group work on "Positive
Obsession."
#27 (Fri., Apr. 4).
In-class writing
exercise on future autobiography..
NOTE: WRITTEN PROJECTS DUE: Wed., Apr. 16.
**#28 (Mon ., April 7 through Fri., May
2 -
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. Please bring Welcome
to
the Monkey House to class April 9 - May 5.
Fri., May 5, TBA & Make-up
presentations. 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 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. 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.
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.
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..
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..
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.
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 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.
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.
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. 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.
Smith, Dominic. The Beautiful Miscellaneous (New York: Atria
Books,
2007).
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.
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, Alice. The Color Purple.
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.