Hon 375 : "Science and the Modern Self" (Spring 2004)
Dr. Eric Susser
Office: Irish A-217
Phone: 727-6642
e-mail: eric.susser@asu.edu
Office Hours: T/TH 10:30 – 12:00
Required Texts (Please do not substitute other editions):
Course Reader *
Shelley, Frankenstein (Dover)
Stevenson, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Dover)
Wells, The Time Machine (Dover)
Wells, The Island of Dr. Moreau (Dover)
Freud, Civilization and Its Discontents (Norton)
Gilman, Herland (Dover)
Zamyatin, We (Avon)
Gibson, Burning Chrome (Ace)
(Other readings may be put on reserve or handed out.)
* The Course Reader (CR) is available at The Alternative Copy Shop on the corner of Forest and
University behind the Chuck Box restaurant.
CLASS REQUIREMENTS
GRADING:
Three papers...................................... .....................………………60%
Class participation (including written responses) AND
Quizzes on assigned reading......................................................40%
PAPERS: Papers should be 5-7 pages in length double spaced and must present a clearly
organized and persuasive argument relating to the books we have read. You must develop an
opinion about the work(s) and use evidence from the text(s) to substantiate your claims. Your
papers will be judged both on the quality of your ideas and on the form in which you present
those ideas. Staple your essay and include page numbers, or points will be deducted.
Plagiarism
Knowingly presenting another person's language or ideas as your own constitutes plagiarism.
Don’t do it. The Barrett Honors College utilizes a plagiarism detection service that checks an
extensive database of over 70,000 student essays and cliff notes. Repercussions will include
failure of the paper AND failure of the course, and may include referral to the Student
Conduct Committee of the University, and possible expulsion from the University. Plagiarism, the
theft of intellectual property, is a serious crime; if you have any questions, come talk to me. To
help ensure that your paper presents only your ideas: PLEASE DO NO USE ANY SECONDARY
SOURCES WITHOUT CHECKING WITH ME FIRST.
CLASS PARTICIPATION: You must come to each class having read the assignment carefully.
Casually skimming will not be helpful to you in discussing these works and will inhibit you from
developing strong paper topics. In order to ensure your commitment to discussion, I would like
you to keep a notebook in which you write a short response to each reading; I will occasionally
check your day's response, at my discretion. Responses are to help you better understand the
texts. They can take the form of questions or observations about the work and must be at least
half of a page. You may focus on a particular passage you found moving, disturbing, or confusing
as long as you examine its relationship to the work as a whole. If a student has not written a
response, his or her grade in class participation will suffer. Remember, not reading the
assignments conscientiously will seriously hamper discussion. Please come to class prepared.
Participation includes listening and responding to other students. No matter how much you talk,
if you do not respect the class, you will receive a low grade in class participation. ALL CELL
PHONES MUST BE TURNED OFF BEFORE CLASS BEGINS.
QUIZZES: Assigned readings are subject to unannounced quizzes held at the beginning of class.
Approximately 8-12 quizzes can be expected per semester. Quizzes cannot be made up if
missed. Each student's lowest quiz score will be dropped before the final grades are computed.
ABSENCES: An excused absence must be requested ahead of time. More than one class week's
worth of absences will lower your grade. Please come and talk to me if an unexcused absence
was in fact unavoidable.
The Human Event Writing Center
The Barrett Writing Center offers free individual peer tutoring and small group workshops by
trained BHC students who have successfully completed both HON 171 and 172. Students who
visit the BWC multiple times per paper report that they have dramatically improved both their
writing and critical thinking skills. Call 480-965-8423 for an appointment or see
http://jmlynch.myftp.org/hewc/ for updated tutoring and workshop schedules, appointment
information, academic background on our staff, and internet links related to academic essay
writing.
Student Conduct:
Students must conduct themselves according to the ASU policies posted online at
<http://www.asu.edu/studentlife/judicial>. These include the ASU Student Code of Conduct and
the Student Academic Integrity Policy. See http://www.asu.edu/honors/forms.html for
information on student academic grievance procedures.
SCHEDULE OF READINGS AND DISCUSSIONS (The instructor reserves the right to make changes
during the semester if it proves necessary.)
T Jan
TH
20
22
Introduction; Genesis and Bacon (handout)
La Mettrie, Man a Machine (CR)
Schiebinger, “Skeletons in the Closet” (CR)
T
27
TH
29
Goethe, Elective Affinities (chapter 4) AND Critical Essay (CR)
Science and Romanticism (CR)
Romantic poets (CR) AND Frankenstein
T Feb
TH
3
5
Frankenstein
Frankenstein AND Weinhold essay (CR)
T
TH
10
12
Frankenstein AND Feminist critique essay (CR)
Gallagher, “The Body Versus the Social Body” (CR)
T
TH
17
19
Darwin, Origin of Species (CR)
Darwin AND Victorian poetry (CR)
FIRST ESSAY DUE FRIDAY FEBRUARY 20 (before 4:45 PM)
T
24
TH
26
T
Mar
2
TH
4
T
9
TH
11
Spencer, “Society Conditioned by Evolution” (CR)
Gould, “Measuring Bodies” (CR)
Stevenson, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Wells, The Time Machine
The Time Machine
Galton, Eugenics (CR)
Wells, The Island of Dr. Moreau
The Island of Dr. Moreau
NO CLASS WEEK OF MARCH 15
T
23
TH
25
Darwin AND Huxley (CR)
Freud, Civilization and Its Discontents
Civilization and Its Discontents
30
1
Gilman, Herland
Herland
T
TH
Apr
SECOND ESSAY DUE FRIDAY April 2 (before 4:45 PM)
T
TH
6
8
Zamyatin, We
We
T
13
15
Metropolis
Capek, R. U. R. (CR)
T
TH
20
22
Einstein (CR) AND Heisenberg (CR)
Heisenberg (CR) AND Schrödinger (handout)
T
TH
27
29
BORGES (CR)
TH
T
May
4
FINAL ESSAY DUE THURSDAY MAY 6 (before 4:45 PM)