Note to all students enrolled in Humanities 1A for Fall 2015:
The first day of class for Humanities 1A is Thursday, August 20. On that day we will
explain all of the details of the program. We will distribute a full-semester reading
schedule on the first day. Below are listed the topics and the assigned readings for the
first three classes. If you can get the books in advance, you might want to get a head start
on the reading. Don’t worry if Gilgamesh is a little confusing. We will explain it all in the
Mesopotamia lecture.
Lecture schedule for the first three class meetings:
1. Th Aug 20 Introductory Lecture: San Jose State’s Humanities Honors Program (Panel)
Reading: None
Seminar Topics: The meaning of a “liberal education.” The importance and proper
techniques for reading. Course expectations and etiquette. Getting to know your
classmates.
2. Tu Aug 25 The Rise of Mesopotamian Cultures
Reading:
Norton Vol. A Epic of Gilgamesh, pp.95-151.
Website : “The Code of Hammurabi.”
Stokstad, Art History vol.1 pp.27-39.
3. Th Aug 27 The Hebrew Bible: Creations & Foundations
Reading:
The Bible: Genesis, Chs. 1-9; 11-13; 16-22; 37-50.
One thing you might think about in advance of the beginning of the semester is getting
your required textbooks.
All textbooks are available at the Spartan bookstore on the SJSU campus. This is not,
however, the cheapest place to purchase your books. Many of them can be purchased
from online retailers, like Amazon, for significantly less than the price at the campus
bookstore.
Two things to be careful about in acquiring your books:
1) Be sure to get the correct edition. Many of these books come in multiple editions.
ISBN numbers are included on the booklist below. Make sure the ISBN is the same as
the text you purchase.
2) Purchase, do not rent, the textbooks for the Humanities Honors Program.
Most of the texts are used for the entire four-semester series. You would have to rent
the book four times. Buying it will be cheaper than renting. Books used all four
semesters are marked with an asterisk.
Below are listed the major texts that we have already incorporated into the reading plan
(in other words, we are sure we are using these books). A few more will be added before
the semester begins but those should be small and cheap.
You will notice that some of the books listed below are quite expensive. Try to comfort
yourself with the idea that, because many are used all four semesters, the book
investment required for later semesters in the program will not be nearly as costly. All of
these texts should be easily available used. Again, make sure you have the right text
according to the isbn number. You can save significant money by purchasing used copies
of these texts.
Humanities 1A required texts:
Instructors: Cooper, Lindahl, Peter
* Stokstad and Cothren. Art History, Portable edition vols.1-6, 5th edition
Pearson, isbn: 9780205969876
* Baird, Forrest, ed. Philosophic Classics: From Plato to Derrida, 6th ed.
Pearson / Prentice Hall, isbn: 978-0205783861
* Mack, M. et. Al. eds. Norton Anthology of World Literature, vols, A, B, C, third
edition
Norton isbn: 978-0393933659
Thucydides, trans. Woodruff, On Justice, Power and Human Nature
Hackett Publishing Co, isbn: 9780872201682
The New Oxford Annotated Bible, New Revised Standard, College Edition
Coogan et al, Oxford isbn: 9780195289558
* McInerny, D.Q., Being Logical: A Guide to Good Thinking
Random House Trade Paperbacks, isbn 978-0812971156