Words (CORE 120-11)
Undead Texts
Course Description | Course Schedule
Study Helps & Links
Zoom
Fall 2020
Monday-Wednesday-Friday 2:10-3:10
Email: fritzman@lclark.edu
Class Email: 20fa-core-120-11@lclark.edu
Office Hours:
Monday-Wednesday-Friday 10:30-11:30 & 1:00-2:00,
and by appointment.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Friedrich Nietzsche: “A very popular error: having the courage of one’s convictions; rather it is a matter of having the courage for an attack on one's convictions!”
Rainer Maria Rilke (as quoted by J. M. Coetzee): “We are born, so to speak, provisionally, it doesn’t matter where; it is only gradually that we compose, within ourselves, our true place of origin, so that we may be born there retrospectively.”
There are four required texts:
Simone de Beauvoir
The Second Sex
Vintage, 2011
https://www.amazon.com/dp/030727778X/
Frantz Fanon
Black Skin, White Masks
Grove Press, 2008
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0802143008/
Erving Goffman
The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life
Anchor, 1959
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0385094027/
Clifford Geertz
The Interpretation of Cultures
Basic Books, 2017
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0465093558/
Download a free copy of Microsoft's Office 365 Education— which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Teams—at https://products.office.com/en-us/student/office-in-education.
The Learning Objectives are:
Each section of Words and Numbers will prepare students to:
Examine ideas, arguments, biases, and assumptions coming from a variety of perspectives, including their own, with an open yet critical mind.
Analyze texts and/or quantitative information, recognizing, describing, and questioning patterns, trends, anomalies, and relationships.
Present clear, compelling, and effective arguments and/or analysis, supported by evidence.
In this section of Words, we will closely read and discuss undead texts. Through critically engaging with these texts, and relevant secondary literature, we will learn to see, to think, and to speak and write, thereby developing a noble culture (what Germans call Bildung).
In preparation for each class meeting, you should have read the assigned material. You should arrive in class with prepared questions and comments.
A major goal of this section is to cultivate intellectual abilities which have general application. It aims to provide the resources which will enable you to develop intellectual survival skills, question what passes as common knowledge and accepted wisdom, evaluate your own and others' positions, and formulate new ideas. Such skills consist in the ability to summarize the assigned material, and to write pieces in which ideas and arguments are articulated, criticized, defended. Such skills also involve developing the ability to think critically about the views of ourselves and others. Critical thinking consists in understanding several sides of a debate, and seeing both the advantages and limitations of an opinion. Learning to question your opinions is as crucial as arguing for them. If you only learn to give reasons for opinions already held, you merely are giving rationalizations for prejudices. You need to learn to think for yourself, developing, defending, and criticizing your beliefs.
In this connection, I am especially concerned that you develop the ability to discuss issues cogently and to write intelligent, reflective pieces in clear, grammatical English. It is important that you learn to think, in a disciplined way, about the books and issues they raise. Part of that discipline consists in being able to analyze, evaluate, and formulate arguments. This involves knowing how to identify basic assumptions, develop a line of reasoning, recognize the steps that lead to a conclusion, and determine whether an argument is sound. In this way, hopefully, you will develop intellectual curiosity and the competencies to reason logically, evaluate critically, communicate effectively, imagine creatively, and appreciate aesthetic and creative expressions of humanity.
You are encouraged to share your questions and observations with the rest of the class, and to engage critically with the material, myself, and each other. By participating in class discussions, you will encounter directly differing interpretations of the material, become aware of the history of these views, and be encouraged to develop your own critical perspectives. In interacting with the material and each other, you will acquire a knowledge and appreciation of self, society, human cultures, and the natural world. I intend that you discover what has been written and said concerning, in the words of Socrates, "the most important things"—questions about human character and the conduct of life. Such skills will enable you to succeed in subsequent courses and in endeavors outside of the classroom. Those abilities also will contribute to your development as educated citizens in a democratic society.
Each student will write an Assessment (which has both oral and written components), on a specific reading assignment. There also will be one Argumentative Research Paper (which includes a Prospectus, two Drafts, and a mandatory Final Rewrite). And an in-class oral Presentation of the Argumentative Research Paper on the Final Exam Day.
Class participation and attendance will count for 10% of your final grade. The Assessment will count for 20% of your final grade. The Prospectus will count for 5%, the First Draft will count for 10%, the Second Draft will count for 20%, and the Final Rewrite will count for 30% of your final grade. The Presentation will count for 5% of your final grade. The grading scale is as follows:
A = 93%-100%
A- = 90%-92%
B+ = 86%-89%
B = 83% 85%
B- = 80%-82%
C+ = 76%-79%
C = 73%-75%
C- = 70%-72%
D+ = 66%-69%
D = 60%-65%
F = 0%-59%.
An Assessment should be approximately 2000 words, typed, double-spaced. You will sign up for a date on which you will orally present your assessments. On the day you present, you will distribute copies to all of the persons in this class. This will require, of course, that you have enough copies made so that each member of the class has one.
You first will read aloud your assessment. Then, you and I will serve as the main resource persons for fielding questions concerning the material. Since the class discussion will be centered around the assessment, it is crucial that you distribute the assessment the class session when you present it, and that you actually be in class to read your assessment.
An assessment is not a summary of the reading. Rather, its primary purpose assessment is to summarize, consolidate, and explicate the central issues, main points, and key motifs of the assigned reading in order to facilitate class discussion of the material. It is important that the assessment contextualize the reading by describing briefly both how the reading is a continuation and development of material which has come before, and how it contributes to the overall trajectory of the thinker's thought.
It is crucial that you critically engage the reading. You might argue that a claim that the author makes is incorrect, for example, or that a criticism in the secondary literature is incorrect. Alternatively, you might argue that an interpretation advanced in the secondary literature is incorrect. The assessment must reflect an acquaintance with the requisite secondary literature. This means that you must incorporate at least three secondary sources you consulted while writing your assessment.
The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, the Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, and Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy will be useful.
The Arts & Humanities Citation Index and the Philosopher's Index will be vital for the Assessment and Argumentative Research Paper.
The Chicago Manual of Style's Citation Quick Guide is online.
There will be an Argumentative Research Paper, 2000 words, typed, double-spaced. It will be on the same topic as your assessment.
You're welcome to consult the Writing Center, located on the main floor of Watzek Library.
Also useful is the Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University.
If you would find it useful to create concept maps, to help write your assessment or argumentative research papers, you can download the software to create them from IHMC Cmap Tools.
All work must be submitted when it is due.
This class will be successful only if there is a high degree of participation and attendance, and so I want you in class participating. The final grade for the course will be lowered by a full-letter grade if you miss four unexcused class sessions, the final grade will be lowered by two full-letter grades if you miss five class sessions, etc. Serious illnesses and emergencies will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.
Throughout the course you are expected to read carefully the assigned material. It is impossible to do well in this course without reading and studying the books. You should spend a minimum of three hours preparing for each class session. Read the assigned material at least twice and take notes on what you read. You are expected to attend all class sessions, come to class having read thoroughly the assigned material, and to contribute to the discussions.
While there may be few answers that can be know for certain, there are better and worse arguments and ideas, usually in direct proportion to thoughtfulness and care. What is important is that you think for yourself, and that you develop and defend your own ideas. It would be an excellent idea to write drafts or outlines of your drafts, and to have a comrade read them to check on spelling, grammar, development of arguments, and so forth.
You are strongly encouraged to discuss the class material, your ideas, your puzzles and difficulties with each other. A word to the wise: Find a study partner to discuss things with outside of class. (To see why this is effective for creativity and learning, read Malcolm Gladwell's article, Group Think: What Does "Saturday Night Live" Have in Common with German Philosophy?, The New Yorker, 2 December 2002, pages 102-107).
There's a Bollwood tune for every occasion. Click here.
Do your own writing. That is the only way you will get the full benefit of your own efforts. I will be happy to discuss ideas with you, read outlines and rough drafts, and so forth. That is partly why I keep office hours.
A final word to the wise. It is not difficult to do well in this course, but it also is easy to do badly. Let me talk about the bad stuff first. You will receive a major grade reduction—or fail this course—if you do not read the material, seldom participate in class discussions, do not write your assessment, or argumentative research paper, plagiarize, cheat, and so forth.
About plagiarizing and cheating. All students must follow Lewis & Clark College's Academic Integrity Policy. Plagiarizers and cheaters will be given an "F" for the entire course (they will not be allowed to drop or withdraw from the course). I also will turn their cases over to the Honor Board; I will recommend that disciplinary penalties be assessed. It is never in your interest to plagiarize or cheat!
Now for the good stuff. With a concerted effort, you will do well in this class. To do well, you must participate in class discussions, read and study the assigned material, write the assessment, argumentative research paper, be in class (almost) all of the time, etc. I do not grade on a curve, and so there is no good reason why you should not get an "A" for the course!
The Writing Center will be available for remote consultations on Zoom all semester. There are two ways to work with the Center:
Drop in Peer Tutoring. Tutoring begins on Sunday, September 13, and hours will be 3:00-10:00 PM on Sundays-Thursdays. No appointment is needed—just sign in through the website and you can usually see a tutor right away.
Appointments with the Director. You can book consultation appointments with John Holzwarth throughout the semester. Appointments are often available on short notice.
Course policy on disability accommodation. If you have a disability or learning difference that may impact your academic performance, you may request accommodations by submitting documentation to Student Support Services. They will notify me of the accommodations for which you are eligible.
COURSE SCHEDULE
Samuel Beckett: “Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”
René Char: “Develop your legitimate strangeness.”
Oscar Wilde: “The more mechanical people ... always know where they are going, and go there.... A man [sic] whose desire is to be something separate from himself [sic], to be a Member of Parliament, or a successful grocer, or a prominent solicitor, or a judge, or something equally tedious, invariable succeeds in being what he [sic] wants to be. That is his [sic] punishment. Those who want a mask have to wear it. But with the dynamic forces of life ... it is different. People whose desire is solely for self-realisation never know where they are going. They can’t know.”
Week 1-1=0
Read:
Lorraine Daston and Sharon Marcus, "The Books That Wouldn't Die", The Chronicle of Higher Education, 17 March 2019.
Malcolm Gladwell's "Group Think" in the New Yorker.
Ethan Watters, "We Aren't the World", Pacific Standard.
Joseph Henrich, Steven J. Heine, and Ara Norenzayan, "The Weirdest People in the World?", Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Volume 33:2-3, June 2010, pages 61-83.
Week 1
Monday, August 31:
Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, pages 3-48.
Wednesday, September 2:
Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, pages 49-89.
Discussion of research.
Friday, September 4:
Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, pages 90-156.
Discussion of research.
Sign-up for an Assessment by Wednesday, September 9. Email me if you prefer a specific date, otherwise I'll assign one to you.
Week 2
Monday, September 7:
Labor Day.
Wednesday, September 9:
Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, pages 159-213.
Sign-up for Assessment.
Friday, September 11:
Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, pages 214-252.
Discussion of (annotated) bibliography, reasons for citations, proper quoting (block or in-line).
Exercise for Monday: Find one book and one article that will be relevant to your Assessment. Provide one block quote from the book and one in-line quote from the article. List the book and the article in proper format for bibliography.
Week 3
Monday, September 14:
Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, pages 252-274.
First Year Seminar Colloquium: Living the Liberal Arts in a Pandemic and Protest World.
Wednesday, September 16:
Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, pages 275-340.
Discussion of search procedures for articles and books.
Friday, September 18:
Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, pages 341-382.
Exercise for Monday: In proper bibliographical format, list one additional article and one additional book that you found through the Arts & Humanities Citation Index or the Philosopher's Index that are relevant to your Assessment.
Week 4
Monday, September 21:
Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, pages 383-436.
Discussion on using the Arts & Humanities Citation Index and the Philosopher's Index.
Wednesday, September 23:
Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, pages 438-480.
Discussion on using the Arts & Humanities Citation Index and the Philosopher's Index.
Friday, September 25:
Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, pages 481-523.
Discussion on using the Arts & Humanities Citation Index and the Philosopher's Index.
Exercise for Monday:
Submit a 3-5 page prospectus of your argumentative research paper in which you:
(1) state your topic and, if possible, your thesis.
(2) describe the problem or issue to be treated.
(3) outline your anticipated procedure and probable conclusion.
(4) include an annotated bibliography of works to be consulted (a minimum of six books or articles, with a brief paragraph discussing the relevance of each work to your project).
Week 5
Monday, September 28:
Prospectus due.
Wednesday, September 30:
Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, pages 524-570.
Discussion of annotated bibliography and reliability of sources.
Friday, October 2:
Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, pages 571-618.
Discussion of annotated bibliography and reliability of source.
Week 6
Monday, October 5:
Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, pages 619-664.
Discussion of note taking and perusing for content.
Wednesday, October 7:
Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, pages 667-708.
Discussion of note taking and perusing for content.
Friday, October 9:
Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, pages 709-766.
Discussion of formulating a thesis: outlines, drafts, revisions.
Week 7
Monday, October 12:
Frantz Fanon, Black Skin, White Masks, pages xi-xv111 & 1-44.
Discussion: Bayleigh Borgen, Cassity Bunjovac, Leah Kalman, Anders Stall.
Discussion of formulating a thesis: outlines, drafts, revisions.
Wednesday, October 14:
Frantz Fanon, Black Skin, White Masks, pages 45-88.
Discussion: Bayleigh Borgen, Cassity Bunjovac, Leah Kalman, Anders Stall.
Discussion of formulating a thesis: outlines, drafts, revisions.
Friday, October 16:
Frantz Fanon, Black Skin, White Masks, pages 89-119.
Assessment: Anders Stall.
Discussion: Bayleigh Borgen, Cassity Bunjovac, Leah Kalman.
Discussion of articulating a thesis: arguments, objections, replies.
Week 8
Monday, October 19:
Frantz Fanon, Black Skin, White Masks, pages 120-206.
Assessment: Bayleigh Borgen, Cassity Bunjovac, Leah Kalman.
Discussion: Anders Stall.
Discussion of articulating a thesis: arguments, objections, replies.
Wednesday, October 21:
Erving Goffman, The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, pages 1-42.
Assessment: Kaikea Kaui.
Discussion: Kay Brooks, Laurel Falk, Kit Graf, Emma Greene, Dylan Joaquin.
Discussion of articulating a thesis: arguments, objections, replies.
Friday, October 23:
Erving Goffman, The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, pages 43-76.
Assessment: Dylan Joaquin.
Discussion: Kay Brooks, Laurel Falk, Kit Graf, Emma Greene, Kaikea Kaui.
Week 9
Monday, October 26:
Erving Goffman, The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, pages 77-105.
Assessment: Laurel Falk.
Discussion: Kay Brooks, Kit Graf, Emma Greene, Dylan Joaquin, Kaikea Kaui.
Wednesday, October 28:
Erving Goffman, The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, pages 106-140.
Assessment: Emma Greene.
Discussion: Kay Brooks, Laurel Falk, Kit Graf, Dylan Joaquin, Kaikea Kaui.
First Year Seminar Colloquium: How Science Works: Knowledge Claims in the Digital Age.
The panelists discuss Joshua Rothman's essay, "How Does Science Really Work?" The New Yorker, 28 September 2020.
Friday, October 30:
Erving Goffman, The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, pages 141-166.
Discussion: Kay Brooks, Laurel Falk, Kit Graf, Emma Greene, Dylan Joaquin, Kaikea Kaui.
Due on Monday: First Draft of Argumentative Research Paper.
Week 10
Monday, November 2:
Due: First Draft of Argumentative Research Paper.
Wednesday, November 4:
Erving Goffman, The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, pages 167-207.
Assessment: Kit Graf.
Discussion: Kay Brooks, Laurel Falk, Emma Greene, Dylan Joaquin, Kaikea Kaui.
Friday, November 6:
Erving Goffman, The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, pages 208-255.
Assessment: Kay Brooks.
Discussion: Laurel Falk, Kit Graf, Emma Greene, Dylan Joaquin, Kaikea Kaui.
Week 11
Monday, November 9:
Clifford Geertz, The Interpretation of Cultures, pages xi-xviii & 3-36.
Assessment: Riley Cawman.
Discussion: Aleksa Belic, Flavio de Pina Soares de Carvalho, Carrsyn Haley, Zeya Korytko, Leo McNaughton, Kaelan Spann, Caitlin Ward.
Wednesday, November 11:
Clifford Geertz, The Interpretation of Cultures, pages 37-61.
Assessment: Flavio de Pina Soares de Carvalho.
Discussion: Aleksa Belic, Riley Cawman, Carrsyn Haley, Zeya Korytko, Leo McNaughton, Kaelan Spann, Caitlin Ward.
Friday, November 13:
Clifford Geertz, The Interpretation of Cultures, pages 62-90.
Assessment: Carrsyn Haley.
Discussion: Aleksa Belic, Riley Cawman, Flavio de Pina Soares de Carvalho, Zeya Korytko, Leo McNaughton, Kaelan Spann, Caitlin Ward.
Due next Friday, November 20: Second Draft of Argumentative Research Paper.
Week 12
Monday, November 16:
Clifford Geertz, The Interpretation of Cultures, pages 93-135.
Assessment: Zeya Korytko.
Discussion: Aleksa Belic, Riley Cawman, Flavio de Pina Soares de Carvalho, Carrsyn Haley, Leo McNaughton, Kaelan Spann, Caitlin Ward.
Wednesday, November 18:
Clifford Geertz, The Interpretation of Cultures, pages 136-154.
Discussion: Aleksa Belic, Riley Cawman, Flavio de Pina Soares de Carvalho, Carrsyn Haley, Zeya Korytko, Leo McNaughton, Kaelan Spann, Caitlin Ward.
Friday, November 20:
Due: Second Draft of Argumentative Research Paper.
Week 13
Monday, November 23:
Thanksgiving Holiday.
Wednesday, November 25:
Thanksgiving Holiday.
Friday, November 27:
Thankgiving Holiday.
Week 14
Monday, November 30:
Clifford Geertz, The Interpretation of Cultures, pages 211-251.
Assessment: Aleksa Belic.
Discussion: Riley Cawman, Flavio de Pina Soares de Carvalho, Carrsyn Haley, Zeya Korytko, Leo McNaughton, Kaelan Spann, Caitlin Ward.
Wednesday, December 2:
Clifford Geertz, The Interpretation of Cultures, pages 274-332.
Assessment: Leo McNaughton.
Discussion: Aleksa Belic, Riley Cawman, Flavio de Pina Soares de Carvalho, Carrsyn Haley, Zeya Korytko, Kaelan Spann, Caitlin Ward.
Friday, December 4:
Clifford Geertz, The Interpretation of Cultures, pages 333-348.
Assessment: Kaelan Spann.
Discussion: Aleksa Belic, Riley Cawman, Flavio de Pina Soares de Carvalho, Carrsyn Haley, Zeya Korytko, Leo McNaughton, Caitlin Ward.
Week 15
Monday, December 7:
Clifford Geertz, The Interpretation of Cultures, pages 349-364.
Discussion: Aleksa Belic, Riley Cawman, Flavio de Pina Soares de Carvalho, Carrsyn Haley, Zeya Korytko, Leo McNaughton, Kaelan Spann, Caitlin Ward.
Wednesday, December 9:
Clifford Geertz, The Interpretation of Cultures, pages 435-473.
Assessment: Caitlin Ward.
Discussion: Aleksa Belic, Riley Cawman, Flavio de Pina Soares de Carvalho, Carrsyn Haley, Zeya Korytko, Leo McNaughton, Kaelan Spann.
Friday, December 11:
Concluding discussion.
Week 16
Tuesday, December 15, 1:00 PM:
Due: Final Drafts of Argumentative Research Papers.
Oral presentation of papers.
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J. M. Fritzman
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