HONS 3301-HH05: Matters of Life and Death

Fall 2007

W 6.00-8.50 =

Classroom: AD245

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:<= /p>

This interdisciplinary seminar explores the imagery of dying in a number of art films and the way in which death has been approached in works of philosophy= and literature. Films such as Life of D= avid Gale, Death in Venice, M= unich, The Hours, The Decalogue, 21Grams, The Barbarian Invasions, etc. will be discussed through the pri= sm of some major philosophical/literary texts of the Western tradition. The seminar will address a number of crucial philosophical topics: the meaning = of life, the quest for meaning, dying as a limit experience, death as self-expression, immortality of the soul, God and godlessness, nothingness = and nihilism.

Course Goals:

Upon completion of this course stude= nts should:

Be able to detect philosophical content in = art films and works of literature
Be able to engage sympathetically as well as critically with an work of art or thought
Have realized the dialectical relationship between philosophy, f= ilm, and literature, how philosophy overlaps with film and literature, and = how relative disciplinary boundaries sometimes are.

R=
equired Texts:

C= unningham, Michael. The Hours (Picador, 200= 2; ISBN: 0312305060)*
D= urheim, E., On Suicide (fragments)= **
K= ubler-Ross, Elizabeth, On Death and Dying (Simon and Schuster, 1969; ISBN: Scribner)*
Landsberg, Paul, The Experience of Death (Living Time Press, 2002; ISBN: 1903331595)*
Maetelinck, Maurice, Death (2004, Kess= inger Publishing; ISBN: 1417924950)*
Mann, Thomas,= Death in <= st1:City w:st=3D"on">Venice (Harper, 2005; ISBN: 0060576170)*
Nechaev, Serg= uei. Catechism of a Revolutionary*= *
Plato, Apology**
Tolstoy, Leo. The Death of Ivan Ilyich (New York: Bantam, 1981; ISBN: 0553210351)*=

It is recom= mended that those books marked with an asterisk (*) be purchased as they will be u= sed more extensively. All these books may be purchased from the TTU bookstores<= /span>. You may also pur= chase them from other bookstores or online, provided that the ISBNs are the ones given above. Fragments from books marked with ** are either available online or will be provided by the instructor.

&nbs= p;

Course Requirements:

Regular attendance and active class participation
Five reading-based quizzes
First draft of the research project (graded)
Final draft of the research project (graded)

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/attendance 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 que= stions; making informed comments and formulating original points of view, establish= ing 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.)

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 research 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 discu= ss 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.

·      =    15%  &= nbsp;        Active participation in classroom discussions

·      =    25%  &= nbsp;        Reading-based quizzes (5% each)

·      =    20%  &= nbsp;        First draft of the research paper <= o:p>

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

What the grades (for written work) mean

·      =    A (90-100).

o        highest quality in terms of argumentation, suppo= rting evidence, consistency, clarity, logical organization of the material

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 mate= rial

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 t= hat day within a reasonable time after the absence if, not later than the fifte= enth 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

Theme I: The Savagery of Death

Week 1= (29 August): Understanding the un-understandable <= /p>

Film: The Decalogue (Dir. K Kieslowski)

&= nbsp;

Week 2= (5 September): Life’s long journey into death

Film: Mr. Lazarescu= (Dir. Cristi Puiu)

Text: Kubler-Ross (pp. 15-49)

Week 3= (12 September): The many faces of death

·      =    Film: 21Grams (Dir. Alejandro González Iñárri= tu)

Text: Maeterlinck (fragments)

&nbs= p;

Submission of the topic for the research paper.

&nbs= p;

Theme II: Ways of Facing Death

Week 4= (19 September): Dying a Socratic death

Film: (2003; Dir. Alan Parker)

&mid= dot;      =    Text: Plato, Apology

&= nbsp;

Week 5= (26 September): The trouble with being born:

·         Film: Lilja 4-ever (Dir. Lukas Moodys= son)

&mid= dot;      =    Text: Durkheim

&= nbsp;

Week 6= (3 October): Death and nothingness

&mid= dot;      =    Film: The Barbarian Invasions (Dir: Denys Arcand)
&mid= dot;      =    Text: Lev Tolstoy, The Death of Ivan Ilyich

Week 7= (10 October): Poetic death I &= nbsp;

·         Film: The Hours (Dir. Stephen Daldry)=

·      =    Text: Cunningham, The Hours

<= /span>

Week 8= (17 October): Poetic death II

&mid= dot;      =    Film: Death in Venice (Dir. Visconti)

&mid= dot;      =    Text: Mann, Death in Venice

&n= bsp;

Deadline this day (17 Oct)!

&nbs= p;

Submission of first draft of the research paper.

Theme III: The Politics of Death

Week 9= (24 October): The body as a weapon

·         Film: Paradise= now (Dir. Hany Abu-Assad)

&mid= dot;      =    Text: Nechaev, Catechism of a Revolutionary

Week 1= 0 (31 October): The business of death

·         Film: Munich (Dir. Steven Spielberg)

&mid= dot;      =    Text: TBD

Week 1= 1 (7 November): The political economy of death

·         Film: Yell= ow asphalt (Dir. Dan Verete)

&mid= dot;      =    Text: Maeterlinck (fragments)

&= nbsp;

Week 1= 2 (14 November): Whose body is my body?

&mid= dot;      =    Film: The Sea Inside (Dir. Ramon Sampedro)

·         Text: Kubler-Ross (pp. 51-146)<= /o:p>

&= nbsp;

Week 1= 3 (21 November): No classes (Thanksgiving)

Theme IV: The Metaphysics of Death

&= nbsp;

Week 1= 4 (28 November): Playing chess with death

&mid= dot;      =    Film: The Seventh Seal = (Dir. Ingmar Bergman)

&mid= dot;      =    Text: Landsberg (fragments)

&= nbsp;

Week 1= 5 (5 December): The comedy of death

·      =    Film: Guantanamera<= span lang=3DIT style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-= language: IT'> (Dirs TG Alea & JC Tabio, Cuba, 1995)

&mid= dot;      =    Text: Landsberg (fragments)

Deadline this day (5 December)!

&nbs= p;

Submission of research paper (final version).

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