Tuesday 

Thursday

Week I:

Jan. 10

Introductions & why are we here?

What is this course about?

(Begin reading Dillard, pp 1 – 36.)

12

Debrief "Science v. Religion" response paper.

The question of  Umbrellaology: What is Science?

Response paper due.

Week II:

17

Intro to scientific research: Pendula.

Discuss: Lightman (“Time for the Stars”) (reserve).

Introduce Research Project #1.

19


Discuss: Dillard (pp 1 – 36), Scudder (reserve).

Observation walk.

Response paper due.

Week III:

24

Debrief observation walk.

More scientific research: Hot chocolate.

Introductions to scientific evolution and revolution: Planets and tracks.

26


Discuss Lightman (“Art of Science”), Popper, Kuhn (reserve), "Robot Scientists" (online).

Response paper due.

Week IV:

31


Pseudoscientific research lab.

Feb 2

Intro to relativity and Einstein’s Dreams.

Pseudoscience research due.

(Begin reading Lightman, first half of book.)

Week V:

7

Discuss: Science fact, law, and theory; Gould, Feynman (reserve).

9

Discuss: What is a scientific question?

Loose ends: Research paper questions, etc.

Response paper due.

Week VI:

14


Cosmology crash course.

Discuss:In the beginning . . . Is cosmology a legitimate science?

16


Final science debriefing.  Discuss: Lightman (entire book), Dillard (pp 37 – 77).  Who does science?

Response paper due.

Week VII:

21

What is Literature?

Literary divisions and classifications.

Discuss: Carver (all, reserve)

What is the Canon? (handout)

23

Literary elements.

Hemingway (reserve).

Research paper #1 due.

Week VIII:

28

Literary journalism: fiction=fact.

Discuss: Sims, Kramer (reserve).

Blurring the lines of fiction: fact=fiction.

Discuss: Wolff (both, reserve), Ford (reserve).

March 2

Historical context: 60s & 70s.

Nature writing.

Discuss: Dillard pp 79-104.

Response paper due.

Week IX:

7

The individual & society.

Setting.

Discuss: Dillard pp 105-123.

Introduce Research Project #3

9

“So I’m going to be a writer?”

Getting Started.

Lamott (handouts).

Response paper due.

SPRING BREAK (March 13 – 17)

Week X:

21

Harper’s (reserve).

Story truth & happening truth.

Discuss: O’Brien pp 1-178.

23

Literary terms—craft.

Discuss: O’Brien pp 1-178 (cont).

Response paper due.

Week XI:

28

Themes: the individual & the collective, war, love, death, life, truth, ?

Discuss: O’Brien pp 179-246.

30

National Undergraduate Literature Conference

Response paper due.

Week XII:

April 4

Truth & Consequences (reserve).

6

Fact? Fiction?

Discuss: Dillard pp 124-183.

Research Project #2 due.

Week XIII:

11


Discuss: What is culture and from where does it come?  Zuni & NASA, Jesus & Peter.

Introduce Research Project #3

13

Ethnography as a research methodology.

Discuss: Fadiman pp 1 – 77.

Research Project #2 due (on web).

Response paper due.

Week XIV:

18

A fine line between sprits and disease: A clash of culture and medicine?

Discuss: Fadiman pp 78 - 180

20

The melting pot?

Discuss: Fadiman pp 181 – 290

Response paper due.

Week XV:

25

Science vs. the word vs. religion: What to believe?

Discuss: Dillard pp 184 – 224

Final exam essay assigned: “What is truth?”

27

Final debriefing and questions.

Discuss: Dillard pp 225 - 282

Research Project #3 due.

Finals:

Thursday, May 4th; 7:00 – 9:00 AM

Final essay due.  Presentations of final synthesis during exam period.