Words (CORE 120-11)
Undead Texts
Study Helps & Links
Fall 2022
J. R. Howard Hall 243
1:50-2:50 MWF
Email: fritzman@lclark.edu
Class Email: 22fa-core-120-11@lclark.edu
Office: J. R. Howard Hall 223
Office Hours:
11:30-12:00 and 12:30-1:30 MWF,
3:00-5:00 M,
3:00-4:30 F,
and by appointment on TTh at
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:
Bruno Snell
The Discovery of the Mind
Dover Publications, Revised Edition, 2011
ISBN-10: 0486242641
ISBN-13: 978-0486242644
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0486242641/
Mary Douglas
Purity and Danger: An Analysis of Concepts of Pollution and Taboo
Routledge, 2002
ISBN-10: 0415289955
ISBN-13: 978-0415289955
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0415289955/
Raymond Williams
Marxism and Literature
Oxford University Press, Revised Edition, 1978
ISBN-10: 0198760612
ISBN-13: 978-0198760610
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0198760612/
Leah N. Gordon
From Power to Prejudice: The Rise of Racial Individualism in Midcentury America
University of Chicago Press, Reprint Edition, 2016
ISBN-10: 022641941X
ISBN-13: 978-0226419411
https://www.amazon.com/dp/022641941X/
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 a Précis for almost every reading assignment and complete various Research Exercises that teach research skills. There also will be one Argumentative Research Project which includes a Prospectus, three Drafts, (one of which is the Assessment, which is presented in class), a mandatory Final Rewrite, as well as an in-class oral Presentation of the Argumentative Research Paper on the Final Exam Day.
The Précis, Research Exercises, and Class Participation will be weighted together and will count for 20% 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 15%, and the Final Rewrite will count for 25% 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%.
A Précis will be due almost every class session. Each précis will be one side of one typed page—never longer—double-spaced, with 1 inch margins on the right & left sides and the top & bottom. It must be at least 3/4 of a page in length. Use a 12-point Times or Times Roman font. There will be no spelling or grammatical errors in your précis. Your name will be typed in the upper right-hand corner. In each précis, you will summarize—in your own words, without using any quotes—the assigned reading's main claims, as well as the reasons which are given to support those claims. You will not include any opinion, evaluation, or commentary. At the bottom of each précis, or on the back, you will write one question that you have about the reading. This question must written prior to, not during, class.
An Assessment should be approximately 2000 words, typed, double-spaced. You will sign up for a date on which you will orally present your assessment. 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.
Watzek Library is an essential resource for the work you will do in this couse. Jim Bunnelle, the librarian for Words, can help you throughout your research process. You can arrange a one-on-one appointment with Jim by emailing him at bunnelle@lclark.edu.
The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, the Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, and Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy will be useful.
Google Scholar 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 reading assignment 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. Further, you will partially transition from being a student who only consumes knowledge to a scholar who also produces knowledge. So, you must be in class participating.
Your final grade for the course will be lowered by a full-letter grade if you have three unexcused absences, the final grade will be lowered by two full-letter grades if you have four unexcused absences, and you will receive an F for the course from the course if you have five unexcused absences.
If you experience COVID symptoms, are in isolation, or have attendance related accommodations, stay home as needed. Notify me by email before class. All COVID and accommodations related absences will be excused as long as you communicate with me before class.
If you experience emergent health issues, mental or physical, communicate with me before class.
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).
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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 12, 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 The Office of Student Accessibility. They will notify me of the accommodations for which you are eligible.
Academic Support and Resources has links to resources for Research and Writing, Advising and Accommodations, the Career Center, and Tutoring.
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
Monday, August 29:
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.
Snell, Discovery of the Mind
Wednesday, August 31:
Snell, Discovery of the Mind, pages v-xii & 1-42; précis.
Discussion of research.
Sign-up for an Assessment (which is also the topic of your Argumentative Research Paper).
Friday, September 2:
Snell, Discovery of the Mind, pages 43-70; précis.
Discussion of research.
Week 2
Monday, September 5:
Labor Day.
Wednesday, September 7:
Précis on Topic of your Assessment and Paper.
Friday, September 9:
Snell, Discovery of the Mind, pages 71-89; précis.
Discussion of (annotated) bibliography, reasons for citations, proper quoting (block or in-line).
Exercise for Monday: Find one book and one article (or two articles) that will be relevant to your Assessment. Provide one block quote from the book and one in-line quote from the article (or one block quote from the one article and one in-line quote from the other). List the book and the article (or articles) in proper format for bibliography.
Week 3
Monday, September 12:
Snell, Discovery of the Mind, pages 90-112; précis.
Wednesday, September 14:
Snell, Discovery of the Mind, pages 113-152; précis.
Discussion of search procedures for articles and books.
Friday, September 16:
Snell, Discovery of the Mind, pages 153-190; précis.
Exercise for Monday: In proper bibliographical format, list one additional article and one additional book (or two additional articles) that you found through Google Scholar or the Philosopher's Index that are relevant to your Assessment.
Week 4
Monday, September 19:
Snell, Discovery of the Mind, pages 191-226; précis.
Wednesday, September 21:
Snell, Discovery of the Mind, pages 227-263; précis.
Discussion on using Google Scholar and the Philosopher's Index.
Friday, September 23:
Snell, Discovery of the Mind, pages 264-309; précis.
Discussion on using Google Scholar 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 26:
Prospectus due.
Douglas, Purity and Danger
Wednesday, September 28:
Douglas, Purity and Danger, "Prefaces" and "Introduction", pages vii-xxi & 1-7; précis.
Discussion of annotated bibliography and reliability of sources.
Friday, September 30:
Douglas, Purity and Danger, "Ritual Uncleanliness", pages 8-35; précis.
Discussion of annotated bibliography and reliability of source.
Week 6
Monday, October 3:
Douglas, Purity and Danger, "Secular Defilement" and "the Abominations of Leviticus", pages 36-71; précis.
Discussion of note taking and perusing for content.
Wednesday, October 5:
Douglas, Purity and Danger, "Magic and Miracle", pages 72-90; précis.
Discussion of note taking and perusing for content.
Friday, October 7:
Fall Break.
Week 7
Monday, October 10:
Douglas, Purity and Danger, "Primative Worlds", pages 91-116; précis.
Discussion of formulating a thesis: outlines, drafts, revisions.
Wednesday, October 12:
Douglas, Purity and Danger, "Powers and Dangers", pages 117-140; précis.
Discussion of formulating a thesis: outlines, drafts, revisions.
Friday, October 14:
Douglas, Purity and Danger, "External Boundaries" and "Internal Lines", pages 141-172; précis.
Discussion of articulating a thesis: arguments, objections, replies.
Week 8
Sunday-Thursday, October 16-20:
Monday, October 17:
Douglas, Purity and Danger, "The System at War with Itself" and "The System Shattered and Renewed", pages 173-220; précis.
Discussion of articulating a thesis: arguments, objections, replies.
Williams, Marxism and Literature
Wednesday, October 19:
Williams, Marxism and Literature, pages 1-20; précis.
Assessment: Ezequiel Walker.
Discussion: Dylan K. Barrett, Jay'Den Dock, J Frank, Charlie Kater, Max Larrabee, Eliel Martinez, Lyra Meyers, Royall Wilson, Cassius Winkelman.
Discussion of articulating a thesis: arguments, objections, replies.
Friday, October 21:
Williams, Marxism and Literature, pages 21-44; précis.
Assessment: Eliel Martinez.
Discussion: Dylan K. Barrett, Jay'Den Dock, J Frank, Charlie Kater, Max Larrabee, Lyra Meyers, Ezequiel Walker, Royall Wilson, Cassius Winkelman.
Week 9
Monday, October 24:
Williams, Marxism and Literature, pages 45-71; précis.
Assessment: J Frank.
Discussion: Dylan K. Barrett, Jay'Den Dock, Charlie Kater, Max Larrabee, Eliel Martinez, Lyra Meyers, Ezequiel Walker, Royall Wilson, Cassius Winkelman.
Wednesday, October 26:
Williams, Marxism and Literature, pages 73-100; précis.
Assessment: Lyra Meyers.
Discussion: Dylan K. Barrett, Jay'Den Dock, J Frank, Charlie Kater, Max Larrabee, Eliel Martinez, Ezequiel Walker, Royall Wilson, Cassius Winkelman.
Friday, October 28:
Class Cancelled: Northwest Philosophy Conference.
Due on Monday: First Draft of Argumentative Research Paper.
Week 10
Monday, October 31:
Due: First Draft of Argumentative Research Paper.
Submit your First Draft as a .docx file, attached to an email.
Title your .docx file this way:
CORE120_YourLastNameYourFirstName_Draft1.docx
for example:
CORE120_ArendtHannah_Draft1.docx
Wednesday, November 2:
Williams, Marxism and Literature, pages 101-120; précis.
Discussion: Dylan K. Barrett, Jay'Den Dock, J Frank, Charlie Kater, Max Larrabee, Eliel Martinez, Lyra Meyers, Ezequiel Walker, Royall Wilson, Cassius Winkelman.
Friday, November 4:
Williams, Marxism and Literature, pages 121-157; précis.
Assessment: Jay'den Dock.
Discussion: Dylan K. Barrett, J Frank, Charlie Kater, Max Larrabee, Eliel Martinez, Lyra Meyers, Ezequiel Walker, Royall Wilson, Cassius Winkelman.
Week 11
Monday, November 7:
Williams, Marxism and Literature, pages 158-172; précis.
Assessment: Dylan K. Barrett.
Discussion: Jay'Den Dock, J Frank, Charlie Kater, Max Larrabee, Eliel Martinez, Lyra Meyers, Ezequiel Walker, Royall Wilson, Cassius Winkelman.
Wednesday-Friday, November 9-11:
19th Annual Ray Warren Symposium on Race and Ethnic Studies: Art of Storytelling
Wednesday, November 9:
Williams, Marxism and Literature, pages 173-179; précis.
Assessment: Royall Wilson.
Discussion: Dylan K. Barrett, Jay'Den Dock, J Frank, Charlie Kater, Max Larrabee, Eliel Martinez, Lyra Meyers, Ezequiel Walker, Cassius Winkelman.
Friday, November 11:
Williams, Marxism and Literature, pages 180-191; précis.
Assessment: Cassius Winkelman.
Discussion: Dylan K. Barrett, Jay'Den Dock, J Frank, Charlie Kater, Max Larrabee, Eliel Martinez, Lyra Meyers, Ezequiel Walker, Royall Wilson.
Week 12
Monday, November 14:
Williams, Marxism and Literature, pages 192-198; précis.
Assessment: Charlie Kater.
Discussion: Dylan K. Barrett, Jay'Den Dock, J Frank, Max Larrabee, Eliel Martinez, Lyra Meyers, Ezequiel Walker, Royall Wilson, Cassius Winkelman.
Wednesday, November 16:
Williams, Marxism and Literature, pages 199-212; précis.
Assessment: Max Larrabee.
Discussion: Dylan K. Barrett, Jay'Den Dock, J Frank, Charlie Kater, Eliel Martinez, Lyra Meyers, Ezequiel Walker, Royall Wilson, Cassius Winkelman.
Gordon, From Power to Prejudice
Friday, November 18:
Gordon, From Power to Prejudice, pages ix-xiv & 1-25; précis.
Assessment: Ása Zhang.
Discussion: Taien Jackson, Cayden Nantkes, Clash Orsborn, Cami Restagno, Nicolas Velasquez-Suazo.
Due Wednesday: Second Draft of Argumentative Research Paper.
Week 13
Monday, November 21:
Gordon, From Power to Prejudice, pages 26-52; précis.
Assessment: Taien Jackson.
Discussion: Cayden Nantkes, Clash Orsborn, Cami Restagno, Nicolas Velasquez-Suazo, Ása Zhang.
Wednesday, November 23:
Due: Second Draft of Argumentative Research Paper.
Submit your Second Draft as a .docx file, attached to an email.
Title your .docx file this way:
CORE120_YourLastNameYourFirstName_Draft2.docx
Friday, November 25:
Thankgiving Holiday.
Week 14
Monday, November 28:
Gordon, From Power to Prejudice, pages 53-77; précis.
Discussion: Taien Jackson, Cayden Nantkes, Clash Orsborn, Cami Restagno, Nicolas Velasquez-Suazo, Ása Zhang.
Wednesday, November 30:
Gordon, From Power to Prejudice, pages 78-102; précis.
Assessment: Cami Restagno.
Discussion: Taien Jackson, Cayden Nantkes, Clash Orsborn, Nicolas Velasquez-Suazo, Ása Zhang.
Friday, December 2:
Gordon, From Power to Prejudice, pages 103-131; précis.
Assessment: Clash Orsborn.
Discussion: Taien Jackson, Cayden Nantkes, Cami Restagno, Nicolas Velasquez-Suazo, Ása Zhang.
Week 15
Monday, December 5:
Gordon, From Power to Prejudice, pages 132-160; précis.
Assessment: Cayden Nantkes.
Discussion: Taien Jackson, Clash Orsborn, Cami Restagno, Nicolas Velasquez-Suazo, Ása Zhang.
Wednesday, December 7:
Gordon, From Power to Prejudice, pages 161-191; précis.
Assessment: Nicolas Velasquez-Suazo.
Discussion: Taien Jackson, Cayden Nantkes, Clash Orsborn, Cami Restagno, Ása Zhang.
Friday, December 9:
Reading Day.
Saturday, December 10, 1:00-4:00 PM:
Due: Final Drafts of Argumentative Research Papers.
Submit your Final Draft as a .docx file, attached to an email.
Title your .docx file this way:
CORE120_YourLastNameYourFirstName_Final.docx
Oral presentation of papers
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