Syllabus: Revised 7/31/00
Interpretation and Argument: Science and Society
76-101 G, Summer, 2000
MTWThF, 3:00-4:20PM; Porter Hall 226A
Instructor: Michael Rectenwald, English Department
Email: mdr2@andrew.cmu.edu
Web site: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~mdr2/
Office Hours: By Appointment (Best times: directly before or after classes)
76-101B LIST OF TEXTS
Books (available in campus bookstore)
Harding, Sandra, ed., The Racial Economy of Science: Towards a Democratic
Future (Bloomington: Indiana UP, 1993).
Hess, David J., ed., Science Studies: An Advanced Introduction (New York and
London: New York University Press, 1997).
Essays (Those not in Racial Economy or Science Studies will be provided as
photocopies by the Instructor).
Part I.
Aronowitz, Stanley, “Science and Technology as Hegemony” in Science as Power:
Discourse and Ideology in Modern Society (Minneapolis: University of
Minnesota Press, 1988: 3-34.
Barton, J.H. and Howard, V.A. "The Essay: A Framework for Thinking in
Writing" from Thinking on Paper (New York: William, Morrow and
Company, 1986).
Gross, Paul R. and Norman Levitt, "Does it Matter?" from Higher
Superstition: The Academic Left and its Quarrels with Science
(Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1994): 234-257.
Hubble, Edwin, "The Nature of Science" from The Nature of Science and
Other Lectures (Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1977): 3-19.
Levine, George, "What Is Science Studies for and Who Cares?" in
Science Wars, Andrew Ross, ed. Durham and London: Duke University
Press, 1996): 123-38.
Lewontin, Richard C., "A Reasonable Skepticism" from Biology as Ideology:
The Doctrine of DNA (New York: HarperPerennial, 1991): 1-16.
Namenwirth, Marion, "Science Seen Through a Feminist Prism" from
Feminist Approaches to Science, Ruth Bleier, ed. (New York:
Pergamon Press,
1986): 18-41.
Ruse, Michael, "Struggle for the Soul of Science" from The Sciences 34.6
(1994): 39-44
Sagan, Carl. "Science and Hope" from The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a
Candle in the Dark (New York: Ballantine, 1996): 23-39.
Zoline, Pamela, “The Heat Death of the Universe” in New Worlds, 1967).
Part II
Allen, Garland E., “Science Misapplied: the Eugenics Age Revisited” in
99 Technology Review, 1996.
Angell, Marcia. "Breast Implants and the Rejection of Science: Other Ways
of Knowing" from Science on Trial: The Clash of Medical Evidence
and the Law in the Breast Implant Case (New York: Norton,
1996): 177-191.
Dickson, David, "Towards a Democratic Strategy for Science" in The Racial
Economy of Science: Toward a Democratic Future, Sandra Harding, ed.
(Indianapolis, IN: Indiana University Press, 1993): 472-83.
Lewontin, Richard, “The Politics of Biological Determinism” in Not in Our Genes:
Biology, Ideology, and Human Nature (New York: Pantheon Books, 1984): 1736.
Nanda, Meera, "Against Social (De)construction of Science: Cautionary
Tales from the Third World" in Monthly Review, 1997.
Needham, Joseph. "Science and Democracy: A Fundamental Correlation" in
The Racial Economy of Science: Toward a Democratic Future, Sandra
Harding, ed. (Indianapolis, IN: Indiana University Press, 1993): 434439.
Paul, Diane B., “Eugenic Anxieties, Social Realities, and Political Choices” in
Are Genes Us?, Carl F. Cranor, ed. (New Brunswick, NJ): Rutgers University
Press, 1994): 144-54.
Shiva, Vandana, "Colonialism and the Evolution of Masculinist Forestry,"
in The Racial Economy of Science: Toward a Democratic Future,
Sandra Harding, ed. (Indianapolis, IN: Indiana University Press,
1993): 303-14.
Third World Network, "Modern Science in Crisis: A Third World Response,"
in The Racial Economy of Science: Toward a Democratic Future,
Sandra Harding, ed. (Indianapolis, IN: Indiana University Press,
1993): 484-518.
Zimmerman, Bill, et. al. "People's Science" in The Racial Economy of
Science: Toward a Democratic Future, Sandra Harding, ed.
(Indianapolis, IN: Indiana University Press, 1993): 440-55.
Zimmerman, Susan M., "Minimizing Women's Troubles," from Silicone
Survivors: Women's Experiences with Breast Implants (Philadelphia:
Temple University Press, 1998).
Videos:
"Frontline: Dow Corning Debates," “Gattaca,” "Real Genius."
Course Goals:
This course is designed to help students master reading and writing at the
college level. The two skills are inextricable: you can only be a good
writer if you also are a perceptive reader and you will be a more
perceptive reader if you can construct good arguments of your own. 76101 links one of the traditional aims of rhetoric-becoming a good arguerwith a traditional aim of humanities education in general-becoming a
perceptive interpreter. This course employs academic essays, fiction and
film in the service of these ends. Note that 76-101 is concerned with
these genres insofar as they serve as useful arenas for the aims of the
course. While it is hoped the readings will prove interesting in and of
themselves, do not forget the course is using these readings to work on
generalizable intellectual skills. To that end, 76-101 follows a
cumulative sequence of three assignments:
1. Summary, in which students are expected to explain in their own words
another writer's argument about a problem.
2. Synthesis/Analysis, in which students tie together a number of
distinct sources (that's synthesis) into one coherent description of a
problem (that's analysis).
3. Contribution, in which students dissect a problem in order to arrive at
some kind of convincing conclusion.
76-101G Course Description:
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We will concern ourselves this semester with a critical controversy that I
feel is important, intellectually stimulating, ideologically charged, for
future science and non-science majors alike: what is at stake in doing, or
not doing, science? Questions we will ask include the following: What is
science? How do and should we study science? Does the "who" of science,
that is, who is doing science, have any effect on what science "produces?"
What is the relation of science to art, culture, and to the larger society?
How does science affect society, and vice versa? We will make brief
incursions into each of these areas of inquiry in the ensuing weeks. The
point of our readings will be to stimulate thought and discussion, as well
as to provide a topic for your own writing. Our intention is not to solve
any of these questions once and for all. We will, however, come to terms
with many aspects of these critical debates-debates that have something
of a direct bearing on your lives as future college students, debates that
you are in a unique position to explore in your own writing.
This course will involve a good deal of reading (i.e., over twenty-five
essays-- and a some short fiction). I've picked essays that represent a
range of positions that I hope you will find both interesting and
intellectually challenging. The course is divided somewhat arbitrarily; the
first half of concerning itself with an "academic" question: what is the
nature of science; the second half of the course comprising a "cultural
study" of the relation of science to society, art, the humanities, politics,
the economy, and more. Almost from the very beginning, however, we will
find that these two inquiries are not mutually exclusive, but rather deeply
related. It will be your task to decide the extent and nature of this
relationship.
Course Policies
Attendance: Since this is a small discussion class, attendance is
mandatory. You are allowed three unexcused absences without penalty.
After that, your grade will be lowered one letter grade for every day
you've missed over three.
Assignments: Assignments are due on the days that they are due, at
class time. Exceptions are granted for extraordinary circumstances only,
and must be cleared in advance. Essay assignments are docked a letter
grade for each day that they are late.
Grading: Percentages break down as follows: Summary Essay 25%;
Synthesis/Analysis Essay 25%; Contribution Essay 25%; Class
Participation 25%.
The essays will receive a letter grade. You will also be asked to do a few
ungraded daily assignments, evaluated on the "check" system.
Daily assignments will be given a "check plus," a "check," or a "check
minus." These assignments are intended to allow you to practice the
skills required by the graded assignments. The "check" system is intended
to serve as a rough guide to how well you seem to grasp the particular
concept that you are practicing. Furthermore, while these daily
assignments are not graded, they are considered (along with participation
in class discussion) en toto when assigning a grade at the end of the
course.
Communications: You can reach me via e-mail at mdr2@andrew.cmu.edu, or with a
note in my mailbox in Baker 245.Do not wait until after you've missed class or
an assignment to notify me of the same.
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Daily Schedule:
July
Week One
M3
Introduction to Instructor, each other, and course; In-class diagnostic
essay: "How does science fit into society?" (not graded).
Intro. Assignment: read Hess, Chapters 1 and 2 of Science Studies.
T4
No class
W5
Lecture: Introduction to Science Studies. Discuss Hess. Interpreting an
author’s argument 1: IPS. Assignment: read Hubble, “The Nature of Science”
and Zoline, “The Heat Death of the Universe;” do IPS for Hubble.
T6
Discuss Hubble and Zoline. Interpreting an author's argument 2: AAGR.
Lecture: Discuss Hubble: "The trouble with Hubble.” Assignment: read
Aronowitz, “Science and Technology as Hegemony.” Do AAGR for Aronowitz.
F7
Discuss Aronowitz. Interpreting an author's argument 3: Main and Faulty
Paths. Assignment: read Lewontin "A Reasonable Skepticism;” do Main and
Faulty paths for Lewontin.
Week Two
M10
Discuss Lewontin. Hand out Summary assignment. Assignment: read
Namenwirth, and chapter 5 of Hess.
T11
Discuss Namenwirth and Hess. Assignment: read Gross and Levitt, "Does It
Matter?"
W12
Discuss Gross and Levitt. What are they saying about science studies?
Assignment: read Sagan, "Science and Hope."
Th13 Discuss Sagan in context of science studies. Assignment: read: Levine,
“What is Science Studies For and Who Cares?” and Howard and Barton, "The
Essay."
F14
Discuss Levine and questions about the essay. Begin viewing “Real Genius.”
Week Three
M17
Finish viewing “Real Genius.” Discuss representations of science in
the film in connection with essays we've read thus far. Do peer reviews in
class. Due: First Draft of Summary Paper: Bring two copies, one for
instructor and one for your peer-reviewer. Assignment: read Ruse,
“Struggle for the Soul of Science.”
T18
Introduce first Synthesis-Analysis Tool: The Synthesis Grid. Discuss Ruse
as an example of synthesis-analysis essay. Do in class: Synthesis Grid for
Sagan and three other authors we've read.
W19
Begin the Genome Project Segment. Begin viewing "Gattaca." Hand out
Synthesis-Analysis Assignment.
Th20 Finish viewing "Gattaca." Assignment: read Lewontin, “The Politics of
Biological Determinism,” and Allen, “Science Misapplied: The Eugenics Age
Revisited.”
F21
Discuss Lewontin and Allen. Introduce second synthesis-analysis tool: The
Synthesis Tree. Discuss Synthesis-Analysis Assignment. Assignment: read
Paul, “Eugenic Anxieties, Social Realities, and Political Choices.”
Week Four
M24
Discuss Paul. Due: Final Draft of Summary Paper. Wrap up the Genome
Project Segment. Begin viewing Frontline: the Dow-Corning Debate.
Assignment: read Angell, "Breast Implants and the Rejection of Science:
Other Ways of Knowing."
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T25
Discuss Angell. Hand out presentation assignment. Assignment: read
Zimmerman, "Minimizing Women's Troubles."
W26
Discuss Zimmerman. Finish viewing Frontline.
Th27 Discuss Frontline and wrap up breast implant debate. Due: First Draft of
Synthesis-Analysis Paper. Bring two copies. Assignment: work on
Presentations.
F28
Begin Science and Religion Segment. Assignment: Presentations.
Week five
M31
Begin viewing “Contact.”
August
T1
Finish viewing “Contact.” Student Presentations. Hand out Contribution
Assignment.
W2
Student Presentations. Assignment: read Needham, "Science and Democracy: A
Fundamental Correlation" and Zimmerman, et. al.
Th3
No Class
F4
No Class
Week six
M7
Discuss Needham and Zimmerman. Due: Final Draft of Synthesis-Analysis
Paper. Assignment: read Shiva, "Colonialism and the Evolution of
Masculinist Forestry," and Dickson, "Towards a Democratic Strategy for
Science."
T8
Discuss Shiva and Dickson. Assignment: read Third World
Network, "Modern Science in Crisis."
W9
Do Peer Reviews in class. Due: First Draft of Contribution Paper.
Th10 Discuss Third World Network.
F11
Due: Final Draft of Contribution Paper.
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