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Ed Ma1one, SSC 208S Dept. of English, 271-5815, ma1one@missouriwestern.edu |
Dr. Todd Eckdahl, SM 201 Dept. of Biology, 271-5873 eckdahl@griffon.mwsc.edu |
Objectives - To arrive at first at a class consensus for a definition of human life. Then to investigate past, present, and future technological and scientific issues by studying various works of literature as a means of redefining human life. Finally to revise or reaffirm our previous definition(s) of human life.
Grading - Grades will be determined by the following:
A. Weekly reading quizzes (= 20% of grade). Each class period will begin with a short reading quiz.
B. Weekly discussion questions (= 10% of grade). For each reading assignment, you will submit five thoughtful questions that can be used effectively as prompts in class discussion.
C. Active participation in class discussions (= 15% of grade). You should participate frequently and conspicuously in class discussions.
D. Web-site annotations (= 15% of grade). Each week you will locate and evaluate one Web site related to the topic for that week. You will post your evaluation to the class Web site using the posting form at the following Web address: http://prospero.cailab.mwsc.edu/314/annotations/form.html
E. Four essays (= 40% of grade). You will write four essays in the course of the semester. Three will concern the three major topics of the course: human evolution, generations, and chimerism. A final essay, written in class during the final exam period, will address the question of redefining human life. Each essay must be at least 5 double-spaced pages in 12 point font. You should send a copy by email to the class discussion list (multi@griffon.mwsc.edu) before the due date and submit a hard copy to the instructors at the beginning of class.
Grading Scale
90% - 100% = A
80% - 90% = B
70% - 80% = C
60% - 70% = D
60% = F
Attendance - Please attend all class periods. You should arrive on time and stay the entire class period. Quizzes cannot be made up for any reason; however, you will be able to drop one quiz score at the end of the semester. If you must miss a class period, please submit your reading questions by email to the instructors; as long as the questions can be used for class discussion, you will receive credit for them.
Late Work - Late essays will be accepted, but they will receive lower grades (5% for each day after the due date). No credit will be given for late Web-site annotations or reading questions. You are encouraged to complete these assignments at least a few days in advance of the deadline. If you wait until the last minute, you must accept full responsibility for delays caused by computer problems and other catastrophes.
Cheating - Cheating will not be tolerated and will result in falilure of the assignment involved. This includes plagiarism in conducting the writing assignments.
Definition and Examples of Plagiarism
Schedule of Activities
I. Human Evolution
Jan. 18: Introduction
Course Introduction
Jan. 25: Evolutionary Theory
"Once We Were Not Alone," Ian Tattersall, Scientific American (January 2000)
The Origin of Species (Only Final Chapter, "Recapitulation and Conclusion"), Charles Darwin [backup link]
The Descent of Man (Only Final Chapter, "General Summary and Conclusion"), Charles Darwin [backup link]
"The Student, the Fish, and Agassiz" [backup link]
Feb. 1: Evolution and Society
Inherit the Wind, Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee
The Scopes Trial Web Site
Feb. 8: Eugenics
Genome, Chapter 21, Matt Ridley
Galton on Hereditary Character and Talent
"A Practical Woman," Thomas Hardy (poem)
Feb. 15: Selfish DNA
Genome, Chapter 8, Matt Ridley
"God's Utility Function," Richard Dawkins
"Heredity," Thomas Hardy (poem)
II. Generations
Feb. 22: Reproduction
Due: Essay #1
Designing Babies (chapters to be announced), Roger Gosden
The Living World (chapter to be announced), George B. Johnson
Mar. 1: Deformity
The Tempest, William Shakespeare
Mar. 8: Overpopulation
An Essay on the Principle of Population (Preface and Chapter 1), Thomas Malthus
"Welcome to the Monkey House," Kurt Vonnegut
"The Law of Life," Jack London
Mar. 22: Gene Therapy
The Double Helix, James Watson
Genome, Chapter 18, Matt Ridley
Mar. 29: Cloning
Designing Babies (chapters to be announced), Roger Gofden
Journal Articles from Nature:
"Viable Offspring Derived from Fetal and Adult Mammalian Cells," I Willmut, et al.
"The Future of Cloning," J. B. Gurdon and Alan Colman
"Cloned Pigs Produced by Nuclear Transfer from Adult Somatic Cells," Irina Polejaeva, et al.
III. Chimerism
Apr. 5: Replacement organs
Due: Essay #2
Chimera: The Origins of the Myth, Ugo Bardi
"New Risks, New Gains," Jeffrey L. Platt, Nature (September 2000)
Frankenstein, Mary Shelley
Apr. 12: Cyborgs
"The Cyborg Manifesto," Donna Haraway
"(We Are All) Cyborg (Now)," Diane M. Calabrese
Apr. 19: Artificial intelligence
"Computers, Games and the Real World," by Mathew L. Ginsberg, Scientific American (November 1998)
"Artificial Intelligence 101," by Denis Susac.
Apr. 26: Dimensionality
Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions, Edwin Abbott
The Blind Watchmaker (chapter to be announced), Richard Dawkins
Date of Final Exam: May 3
Note: Any student in this course who has a disability that prevents the fullest expression of his abilities should contact us as soon as possible so that we can discuss class requirements.