HUM 2301-HH01: Introduction to Humanities I – A History of the New

Fall 2007

TR 11.00-12.20

Classroom: AD235

Costica Bradatan

Office: McClellan 202A

Office Hours: Wednesday 1.00-4.00pm, Tuesday &= amp; Thursday 2.00-3.30pm (& by appointment)

Office Phone:= (806) 742-0036 = (ext 248)

Email: c= ostica.bradatan@ttu.edu

http://www.webpages.ttu.edu/cbradata/

Course Description:

Why is a given literary, philosophical or artistic work considered “novel,” “innovative” or “revolutionary”? How is it that the= new appears against a certain intellectual background? To what extent is novelt= y an “objective” characteristic, intrinsic to the work itself and to what extent is it the result of its interaction with the intellectual/artistic environment within which it emerges? What ro= les do extraneous factors (such as competition and demands of the market, polit= ical pressure/sponsorship, ideological and religious censorship) play in the gen= esis of novelty? What are the major patterns of intellectual and artistic change= in the West? These are some of the questions that we will be addressing in the class. The semi= nar is an introduction to the Western humanities from Antiquity to Renaissance, with a special emphasis on the issues of novelty, originality, “parad= igm shift,” and intellectual change. The course proposes a close look at = some of the intense “knots” of novelty, first of all in philosophy a= nd literature, but also in the arts, with the aim of bringing about a better understanding of how cultural history works, what the main “patterns = of change” in the Western tradition are, how originality is possible, and how the new is produced.

Course Goals:

Upon completion of this course students should:

Have become familiar with some of the most important moments in the Western cultur= al history from Ancient Greece to the Renaissance
Be able to dete= ct novelty and originality in works of art, literature and philosophy stu= died
Be able to enga= ge critically as well as sympathetically with an work of art or thought
Display a sense= of critical and dynamic understanding of the cultural history, its patterns of cha= nge and “knots” of novelty
Be aware of the richness= of the Western intellectual and artistic tradition, at the same time cultivating an active openness towards other cultural traditions, worldviews and ways of life.

R=
equired Texts:

· = Boorstin, Daniel (1993) The Creators: A History of Heroes of the Imagination (Vintage) ISBN: 0679743758=

· = Cunningha= m, Lawrence and John= Reich, Culture and Values: A Survey of the Humanities. Volume I; 6^th editio= n (Wadsworth Publishing). ISBN: 0534582281.

&m= iddot; = Clas= sics of Western Thought Series: The Ancient World, Volume I (Classics of Western Thought) (Wadsworth Publishing) ISBN: 0155076825<= /span>

· = Clas= sics of Western Thought Series: Middle Ages, Renaissance and Reformation<= /i>, Volume II (Classics of Western Thought) (Wadsworth Publishing) ISBN: 0155076833

All these books may be purchased from the TTU bookstores. You may also purchase them from other bookstores or online, provi= ded that the ISBNs are the ones given above.

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Course Requirements:

Regular attendance and active class participation
Four reading-based quizzes
First draft of the research project<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>
Final draft of the research project<= o:p>
Oral defense of the project

1. Attendance and active class participation:

It is imperative that you attend every class. Please do not be late! = Any unexcused absence will have an impact on your class participation/attendanc= e grade (5% for each absence). After four (4) unexcused absences the instructor may= , at his discretion, recommend the University Registrar= to drop the student from the course. An absence is excused when you provide serious documented evidence ab= out it (signed note from the physician, signed letter from the Dean, death noti= ce, etc.) Active participation in classroom discussions includes (but is not limited to): posing relevant questions; making informed comments and formulating original points of view, establishing a fruitful dialogue with the other students during the class, = etc. When formulating your points of view, remarks or comments, please do so in a respectful manner, in such a way as not to harm the feelings of the other members of the class. Please be tolerant and respect the religious, political and intellectual opinions of the other members of the class. Showing respect to the others is, first of all, a form of self-respect.

2. Reading-based quizzes

There will be, at different times during the semester, four impromptu (unannounced) quizzes b= ased on the class readings. Each quiz will consist of five questions. Students w= ho miss a quiz will be allowed to repeat it only if their absence was excused = (see above).

3-4. Research project:

The bulk of the final grade (see below “Grading policy”) = will be determined by the quality of the research project. This piece is the culmination of students’ work during the whole semester. It must be o= n a course-related topic, designed by the student in consultation with the instructor. Students must think of a good topic for their research project = and discuss it with the instructor (stop by during office hours or just make an appointment). The research paper must be conceived of, structured, developed and written in such a way as to meet the standards of academic excellence in the humanities, and following the guidelines for submission of written work listed below. The three stages for the production of this research paper ar= e: a) Submission of a research topic (title and/or one sentence), b) Submissio= n of the first draft (about 4 pages), and c) Submission of the final draft (abou= t 9 pages), at the end of the semester. (For deadlines, please see “Sched= ule of Events” below.)

5. Oral defense:=

In the last couple of weeks of the semester students will have a chan= ce to defend their research project in class. This will be a ten minute presentation in which they will present the main argument of their project, support it with evidence and examples, and defend it against the counterarg= uments brought by your peers and the instructor.

Individual conferences

Students are strongly encouraged to discuss with the instructor about= any aspects of their work for this class, and in particular about their researc= h project. All students taking this course are encouraged to make appointments with the instructor in order to discuss issues related to the course. The instructor= may ask you to come in at other times for discussing particular issues. Please = feel free to email the instructor whenever you need to discuss with him aspects = of your work.

As the semester progresses each of you must think of a topic for your research project. The topic for this final essay is designed by you, but mu= st be course-related, and discussed with the instructor (on the occasion of a conferences or just make an appointment!).

Guidelines for Submission of Written Work:

·      =    MLA Citation Style

·      =    Word-process all wri= tten work; handwritten papers will not be accepted;

·      =    Use standard font, i= n 12 point; double-spaced.

·      =    Number your pages;

·      =    Staple your pages together;

·      =    At the top of the fi= rst page include your name, date, and essay title;

·      =    Proofread and spell-check before bringing any papers to class.

Grading Policy:

·      =    10%        &= nbsp; Regular attendance of seminar meetings.

·      =    10%        &= nbsp; Active participation in classroom discussions

·      =    20%        &= nbsp; Reading-based quizzes (5% each)

·      =    20%        &= nbsp; First draft of the research paper (graded)

·      =    30%        &= nbsp; Final draft of the research paper

·      =    10%        &= nbsp; Oral defense of the project

What the grades (for written work) mean

·      =    A (90-100).

o        highest quality in terms of argumentation, supporting evidence, consistency, clarity, logical organization of the mate= rial

o        mastery of the basic concepts of the course and = deep understanding of the material covered

o        extensive research (much beyond the required readings) and sophisticated use of primary and secondary sources=

o        an excellent sense of structure, stylistic coher= ence and unity

o        original and persuasive thinking/points of view<= o:p>

o        rhetorical sophistication

o        work meets current standards of academic writing= in the humanities

o        no (or only accidental ) mechanical errors<= /o:p>

<= /span>

·      =    B (80-89)

o        Very good quality in terms of argumentation, supporting evidence, consistency, clarity, logical organization of the mate= rial

o        mastery of the basic concepts of the course and = good understanding of the material covered

o        extensive research (beyond the required readings) and balanced use of primary and secondary sources

o        a good sense of structure, stylistic coherence a= nd unity, despite occasional inconsistencies

o        persuasive thinking/points of view

o        rhetorical fluency

o        work generally meets current standards of academ= ic writing in the humanities

o        some mechanical errors

<= /span>

·      =    C (70-79)

o        Satisfactory quality in terms of argumentation, = supporting evidence, consistency, clarity, logical organization of the material

o        Satisfactory understanding of the basic concepts= of the course and of the material covered

o        some research and use of primary and secondary sources

o        some sense of structure and stylistic coherence, despite flaws

o        some rhetorical weakness

o        poor compliance with the standards of academic writing in the humanities

o        frequent mechanical errors

<= /span>

·      =    D (60-69)

o        Some quality in terms of argumentation, supporti= ng evidence, consistency, clarity, logical organization of the material, but undermined by gaps in knowledge and errors of fact

o        Some familiarity with the material covered, but = not enough for engaging with it in a coherent/meaningful way<= /p>
o        Poor research and inadequate use of primary and secondary sources

o        Poor sense of structure, lack of stylistic coher= ence and unity

o        current standards of academic writing in the humanities not met

o        many mechanical errors

<= /span>

·      =    F (0-59)

o        Missing work

o        Work incomplete (or off the topic) in a serious = way

o        Serious deficiencies in argumentation, supporting evidence, and logical organization

o        No relevant research

o        No sense of structure and lack of coherence=

o        No observance of the standards of academic writi= ng

University Policies and Regulations:

The instructor of th= is course respects and upholds University policies and regulations pertaining to the observation of religious holidays; assistance available to the physically handicapped, visually and/or hearing impaired student; plagiarism; sexual harassment; and racial or ethnic discrimination. All students are advised to become familiar with the respective University regulations and are encourag= ed to bring any questions or concerns to the attention of the instructor.

Absences for relig= ious holidays:

A student who is absent from classes for the observation of a religious holy = day shall be allowed to take an examination or complete an assignment scheduled= for that day within a reasonable time after the absence if, not later than the fifteenth day after the first day of the semester, the student had notified= the instructor of each scheduled class that the student would be absent for a religious holy day.

Students with Disabilities: =

Any student who, because of a disability, may require special arrangements in o= rder to meet the
course requirements should contact the instructor as soon as possible to ma= ke any necessary
arrangements. Students should present appropriate verification from Student Disability
Services during the instructor’s office hours. Please note instructors are not allowed to provide
classroom accommodations to a student until appropriate verification from Student Disability
Services has been provided. For additional information, you may contact the Student Disability
Services office at 335 West Hall or 806-742-2405.

Academic Integrity: =

Plagiarism, or acade= mic theft, is passing off someone else’s work as your own. Please note: plagiarism simply means using someo= ne else’s ideas without acknowledging it (no matter if you use that person’s actual words or not). Regardless of your background, you are responsible for not plagiarizing. Plagiarism will be prosecuted; it can aff= ect your permanent record. Being a plagiarizer is incomparably worse than be= ing unoriginal! For more about plagiarism (and academic dishonesty in gener= al), please read the document “Academic Integrity at Texas Tech”: http://www.depts.ttu.edu/studentjudicialprograms/AcademicIntegrity.htm=

Please note that plagiarism will not be tolerated in this class un= der any circumstances! The penalty for plagiarism ranges, depending on the gravity of the case, from a grade of F (0 %) for the paper in questi= on (without the possibility of resubmitting it) to F as final grade for= the class.

Tentative Schedule of Events

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Week 1:

·      =    Tu= esday (8/28)

o        Topic: Introduction. Overview of the course.

o        Discussion: The use of history for life

·      =    Th= ursday (8/30)

o        Topic: The anatomy of novelty

o        Movie watching: Pollock

o        = Reading: Cunningham & Reich (pp. xv-28)

Week 2:

·      =    Tu= esday (9/4)

o        Topic: Early Greece= (The beginnings of the Greek culture; the “Greek miracle”; Greek theology)

o        = Reading: Cunningham & Reich, Homer, pre-Socratic philosophers, Boorstin

·      =    Th= ursday (9/6)

o        Topic: Classical Gr= eece I (Socrates’ “revolution”; th= e role of the sophists; Plato’s ambiguous novelty)<= /p>
o        Close reading: Plato

o        = Reading: Cunningham & Reich, Boorstin

Week 3:

·      =    Tu= esday (9/11)

o        Topic: Classical Greece II (Greek tragedy; Gre= ek art and architecture)

o        Movie watching: Medea

o        = Reading: = Boorstin

·      =    Th= ursday (9/13)

o        Topic: Classical Greece III (Alexander’s discovery of the Orient and its impact on the Hellenistic culture; the birt= h of the “library”)

o        Close reading: Aristotle <= /span>

o        = Reading: Cunningham & Reich,

Week 4:

·      =    Tu= esday (9/18)

o        Topic: Rome I (Roman law)

o        Movie watching: documentary

o        = Readings: Boorstin,

·      =    Th= ursday (9/20)

o        Topic: Rome II (Stoicism)

o        Close reading: Marc Aureliu= s

o        = Readings: Cunningham & Reich,

Deadline!

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Submission of the topic for the research paper.

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Week 5:

·      =    Tu= esday (9/25)

o        Topic: The emergence of Christianity I

o        Close reading: Sermon on the Mount
o        = Readings: Cunningham & Reich, Boorstin

·      =    Th= ursday (9/27)

o        Topic: The emergence of Christianity II (the t= heological novelty of Christianity; its revolutionary nature)=

o        Movie watching: “The Passion of Christ”=

o        = Readings: Cunningham & Reich, Boorstin

Week 6:

·      =    Tu= esday (10/2)

o        Topic: The emergence of Christianity III (the eschatological significance of Christ’s message; the new understandin= g of history and historical time

o        Discussion: the novelty of Christ’s message

o        = Readings: Cunningham & Reich, Boorstin

·      =    Th= ursday (10/4)

o        Topic: Christian civilization I (Art & architecture, monastic orders; = the meaning of the “Dark Age”)

o        Movie watching: “Simon of the Desert”<= /o:p>

o        = Readings: Cunningham & Reich, Boorstin

Week 7:

·      =    Tu= esday (10/9)
o        Topic: Christian civilization II

o        Movie watching: Saint Augustine (City of God)

o        = Readings: Cunningham & Reich, Boorstin

·      =    Th= ursday (10/11)

o        Topic: The Byzantine Empire I (the Greek Fathers; theology and courtly refinement in Byzantium)

o        Discussion: The other Europe

o        = Readings: Cunningham & Reich, Boorstin

Week 8:

·      =    Tu= esday (10/16)

o        Topic: The Byzantine Empire II (the theology of the Icon)

o        Movie watching: “Andrei Rublev”

o        = Readings: Cunningham & Reich, Boorstin

·      =    Th= ursday (10/18)

o        Topic: The Byzantine Empire III (Monasticism as a way of life) =

o        Movie watching: “Andrei Rublev”

o        = Readings: Cunningham & Reich, Boorstin

Week 9:

·      =    Tu= esday (10/23)

o        Topic: The High Middle Ages I (discovery of th= e Arab philosophy; Abelard and Heloise; new forms of economic life; the flourishin= g of urban life in Italy<= /st1:place>)

o        Close reading: Dante Alighi= eri

o        = Readings: Cunningham & Reich, Boorstin

Deadline!

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Submission of first draft of the research paper.

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·      =    Th= ursday (10/25)

o        Topic: The High Middle Ages II (Medieval anxieties)

o        Movie watching: “The seventh seal”
o        = Readings: Cunningham & Reich, Boorstin

Week 10:

·      =    Tu= esday (10/30)

o        Topic: The High Middle Ages III (Scholasticism and Gothic architecture; the birth of the modern state; the birth of the unive= rsity

o        Close reading: Francisc de Assisi

o        = Readings: Cunningham & Reich,

·      =    Th= ursday (11/1)

o        Topic: Early Renaissance I (Discovery of Nature)

o        Movie watching: "Brother Son, Sister Moon”
o        = Readings: Cunningham & Reich, Boorstin

Week 11:

·      =    Tu= esday (11/6)

o        Topic: Early Renaissance II (The new sweetness of life)<= /p>
o        Movie watching: TBA

o        = Reading: Cunningham & Reich, Boorstin

·      =    Th= ursday (11/8)

o        Topic: Early Renaissance III (The rediscovery of the Antiquity; attempts at synthesis)

o      = Close reading: Giovanni Pico della Mirandola

o        = Readings: Cunningham & Reich, Boorstin

Week 12:

·      =    Tu= esday (11/13)

o        Topic: Early Renaissance IV (the aesthetization of life in the Renaissance; Renaissance as a cultural style)

o        Close reading: Boccaccio

o        = Readings: Cunningham & Reich, Boorstin

·      =    Th= ursday (11/15)
o        To= pic: Early Renaissance (Renaissance Art and architecture; perspective and the new vision of the world)

o&nb= sp;       Close reading: Petrarch

o&nb= sp;       = Readings: Cunningham & Reich, Boorstin

Week 13:

·      =    Tu= esday (11/20)
o        Movie watching: “A violent life”

o&nb= sp;       = Readings: Cunningham & Reich, Boorstin

Thanksgiving Break

Week 14:

·      =    Tu= esday (11/27)

o        Students present their research projects (sign = up in advance!)

·      =    Tu= esday (11/29)
o        Students present their research projects (sign = up in advance!)

Week 15:

·         Tu= esday (12/4)

o&nb= sp;       Students present their research projects (sign = up in advance!)

·      =    Tu= esday (12/6)
o        Students present their research projects (sign = up in advance!)

Deadline!

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Submission of research paper (final version).

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