BIO/ENG/PSY/GOV/HUM 314
Technology and Society: Redefining Human Life
Spring Semester, 2004
Th 6:30-9:20 PM, JGM 119
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Dr. Bob Bergland, SSC 221
Dept. of English, 271-4446,
bergland@missouriwestern.edu Dr. Todd Eckdahl, SM 201
Dept. of Biology, 271-5873
eckdahl@missouriwestern.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. Attendance and active participation in class discussions (= 10% of grade). You should participate frequently and conspicuously in class discussions. You can miss only two class meeting during the semester. After that, 5% of your overall grade will be lost for each miss.
D. Class presentations (= 10% of grade). Students will select an article related to one of the course topics. They will summarize the article in written and oral fashion and lead a class discussion.
E. Five essays (= 50% of grade). You will write five 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 (10% for each day after the due date). No credit will be given for late discussions 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, will be reported to the Dean of Student Development and may result in failure of the course. This includes plagiarism in conducting the writing assignments.
Definition and Examples of Plagiarism
Schedule of Activities
Jan. 22: Introduction
Course Introduction
I. Human Evolution
Jan. 29: Evolutionary Theory
The Descent of Man (Final Chapter, "General Summary and Conclusion"), Charles Darwin [backup link]
The Great Human Diasporas, Chapter 2, "Portraits from the Past, "Cavalli-Sforza and Cavalli-Sforza
The Journey of Man, Chapter 2, "E Pluribus Unum," Spencer Wells
Feb. 5: Evolution and Society
Inherit the Wind, Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee
The Scopes Trial Web Site
Missouri House Bill 911 - Standard Science Instruction
Feb. 12: Eugenics
Genome, Chapter 21, Matt Ridley
Galton on Hereditary Character and Talent
"A Practical Woman," Thomas Hardy (poem)
"Heredity," Thomas Hardy (poem)
II. Generations
Feb. 19: Overpopulation
Due: Essay #1
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
Feb. 26: Assisted Reproductive Technology and Gene Therapy
Designing Babies, R Gosden, pp 95-125 and pp 159-197
The Double Helix, James Watson
Mar. 4: Cloning
Journal Article from Nature:
"Viable Offspring Derived from Fetal and Adult Mammalian Cells," I Willmut, et al.
The Second Creation: Dolly and the Age of Biological Control, I Wilmut and K Campbell, pp 243-298.
Clips from "The Sixth Day"
III. Socioeconomics and Human Life
Mar. 11: Technology and Society
Due: Essay #3
Karl Marx, Das Kapital
Andrew Fienberg, Critical Theory of Technology
Shoshana Zuboff, The Age of the Smart Machine
Mar 25: Printing Communication Technologies
Walter Ong, Reality and Literacy
Apr. 1: The Internet
Apr. 8: Biological and Nuclear Warfare
Readings from Time and Newsweek
Guest - Dr. Jason Baker
IV. Chimerism
Apr. 15: Replacement organs
Due: Essay #4
Chimera: The Origins of the Myth, Ugo Bardi
Frankenstein, Mary Shelley
A Planet Named Shayol, by Cordwainer Smith
Apr. 22: Cyborgs
"Enter the Cyborgs," by N Boyce, U.S. News & World Report; 5/13/2002, Vol. 132 Issue 16, p56, 3p, 2 diagrams, 2c
Bladerunner, Screenplay by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples
USA Today Article, "25 Years of Cyborg Life"
Wired Article, "Cyborg 101"
Apr. 29: Artificial intelligence
"Computers, Games and the Real World," by Mathew L. Ginsberg, Scientific American (November 1998)
"Artificial Intelligence 101," by Denis Susac
"Artificial Intelligentsia," by Gary Stix Scientific American (October 2000)
Matrix: The Forbidden Knowledge, Screenplay
Date of Final Exam: May 6
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.