COURSE CALENDAR
calendar subject to change
FALL 2009
Week 1 - Introduction
Tue 25 Aug: Thematic Overview and Trajectory of Semester & Introduction : Ideas of Professors
Thu 27 Aug: Ideas of Students
Week 2- Humans in Nature
Tue 1 Sep: Evolution (Schwartz lecture) Ten Theories of Human Nature : Introduction & Darwinian Theories of Human Nature (Chapter 10)
INTRODUCTION: The Big Three Project
Thu 3 Sep: Discussion
Week 3 - Nature of Nature
Tue 8 Sep: Dr. Caroline Simpson lecture
Thu 10 Sep: Discussion (Ritzi at conference; Ritzi section meet with Bailly)
QUIZ: Ten Theories of Human Nature : Introduction, The Bible: Humanity in Relation to God (Chapter 3), & Darwinian Theories of Human Nature (Chapter 10)
Week 4 - Nature of Reality
Tue 15 Sep: Dean Northup: Myth lecture
Thu 17 Sep: Nature of Knowledge debate (profs)
Week 5 - The Individual in Society
Tue 22 Sep: Greek Culture (Schwartz lecture)
QUIZ: The Trial and Death of Socrates and Ten Theories of Human Nature : Plato: The Rule of Reason (Chapter 4)
Thu 24 Sep: Discussion
Week 6 - "The unexamined life is not worth living." Socrates
Tue 29 Sep: Greek Influence in Contemporary Culture (Bailly lecture)
Thu 1 Oct: Discussion
Week 7 - Inside Ourselves
Tue 6 Oct: Student Debates
Debate 1: Is Classical culture or Judeo-Christian culture the most important influence in the USA?
Debate 2: What is utopia?
Thu 8 Oct: Discussion
Week 8 - Outside Ourselves
Tue 13 Oct: The Forest People (Bailly lecture)
QUIZ: The Forest People
INTRODUCTION: The Forest People Project
DUE: The Big Three Project
Thu 15 Oct: Discussion
Thu 15 Oct: Honors College Convocation at 14:00. Attendance mandatory.
Week 9 - Outside Ourselves
Tue 20 Oct: Baka Film
Thu 22 Oct: Discussion
Week 10 - "Man was born free, and he is everywhere in chains." Rousseau
Tue 27 Oct: Student Debates
Debate 1: Are the BaMbuti less civilized than Americans?
Debate 2: Which is stronger community: a primitive society or technology based society?
Thu 29 Oct: Discussion
Week 11 - Ideas of Thought
Tue 3 Nov: Principles of Western Philosophy (Schwartz lecture)
QUIZ: Ten Theories of Human Nature : Kant: Reasons and Causes, History and Religion (Chapter 6)
DUE: The Forest People Project
Thu 5 Nov: Discussion
Week 12 -"I think, therefore I am " Descartes
Tue 10 Nov: Student Debates
1. Is there an objective reality?
2. Which is more important to human knowledge: reason or observation?
Thu 12 Nov: Discussion
Week 13 - Visual Thinking and Expression
Tue 17 Nov: Creativity (Ritzi Lecture)
QUIZ: Cracking Creativity
INTRODUCTION: Creativity Project
Thu 19 Nov: Discussion
Week 14 - Visual Thinking and Expression
Tue 24 Nov: Student Debates
1. Can creativity be taught?
2. Creativity: single or multiple modalities?
Thu 27 Nov: No Class: Thanksgiving
Week 15 - Expressing Ourselves: Student Visions
Tue 1 Dec: Student Presentations of Creativity Project
Thu 3 Dec: Student Presentations of Creativity Project
Wed 16 Dec: Deadline (by 23:59) for faculty to submit grades.
SPRING 2010
Week 1 - The Fun House Mirror: Reflections of Self
Tue 5 Jan: Abducted (Schwartz Lecture)
INTRODUCTION: Memory Project
Thu 7 Jan: Discussion
Week 2 - The Fun House Mirror: Reflections of Self
Tue 12 Jan: Abducted (Schwartz Lecture)
QUIZ: Abducted and Memento
Thu 14 Jan: Discussion
Week 3 - The Fun House Mirror: Reflections of Self
Tue 19 Jan: Student Debates
1. Are perception and memory subjective or objective?
2. Is personhood dependent upon having an active consciousness and memory?
Thu 21 Jan: Discussion
Week 4 - Zeitgeist: Creating within Society
Tue 26 Jan: Art and Science (Ritzi Lecture)
QUIZ:Proust was a Neuroscientist
INTRODUCTION:Art and Science Project
Thu 28 Jan: Discussion
Week 5 - Zeitgeist: Creating within Society
Tue 2 Feb: Art and Science (Ritzi Lecture)
Thu 4 Feb: Discussion
Week 6 - A Powerful Statement
Tue 9 Feb: Art and Science Project Exhibition
Thu 11 Feb: Art and Science Project Exhibition
Week 7 - Zeitgeist and Honors
Tue 16 Feb: Student Debates
1. What has influenced humanity more: science or art?
2. Does art presage science?
Thu 18 Feb: Discussion
Week 8 - Human Nature: "We've all got it in us."
Tue 23 Feb: Among the Thugs (Bailly lecture)
QUIZ: Among the Thugs
INTRODUCTION: Among the Thugs Project
Thu 25 Feb: Filmmaking Workshop (Ritzi lecture -meet in large group)
Week 9 - Human Nature: "We've all got it in us."
Tue 2 Mar: Among the Thugs (Bailly lecture)
Thu 4 Mar: Discussion
Week 10 - Human Nature: "We've all got it in us."
Tue 9 Mar: Student Debates
1. Is violence endemic to human nature?
2. Do communities necessarily lead to conflict?
Thu 11 Mar: Discussion
Week 11 - Dream and Have Fun
Tue 16 Mar: No Class: Spring Break
Thu 18 Mar: No Class: Spring Break
Week 12 - Film Festival
Tue 23 Mar: Watch student films
Thu 25 Mar: Watch student films (meet in large group)
Week 13 - The Mother Tongue
Tue 30 Mar:- The History and Evolution of Language (Schwartz lecture)
QUIZ: The Mother Tongue
Thu 1 Apr: Discussion
Week 14 - Fly, Fly, Fly, Fly
Tue 6 Apr: Hip Hop and the English Language (Bailly lecture)
Thu 8 Apr: Visual Language (Ritzi lecture-meet in large group)
Week 15 - Visual Language
Tue 13 Apr:Student Debates
1. Is there a proper manner to speak English?
2. Is thought is dependent on language?
Thu 15 Apr: Celebration
Week 16 - Final Week
Tue 20 Apr (from 12 - 2 PM): Exam Week
Wed 28 Apr: Deadline (by 23:59) for faculty to submit grades.