Philosophy 2350
Philosophy and Popular Culture
Section 01. W. 6:15 – 9:00; Belk 104
Fall semester, 2012
I General Information
A. Department: Philosophy.
B. Catalogue number for course: PHL 2350, Sec. 01
C. Course title: Philosophy and Popular Culture
D. Credits in terms of semester hours: 3 hours
E. Clock hours per week: 3 hours
Prerequisites for taking class: None.
Instructor: Henrik Madsen, Ph.D.
Office: Pinecrest 108
Office Hours: Mon: 1:00 – 3:00, Tue: 2:30 – 3:30, Wed. 2:00 – 3:00 or by appointment.
Phone: 662 4745
E-Mail:
Text:
Watchmen. Alan Moore and David Gibbons. DC Comics.
Batman and Philosophy. Eds. Mark White and Robert Arp. Blackwell.
A Philosophy of Evil. Lars Svendsen.
Various Xeroxed handouts
Always bring the book we are reading with you to class.
II. Course Description:
In this course we will use popular culture as presented in mass media, popular movies and comic books in particular, as starting points for philosophical reflection. The purpose is twofold. Firstly, by critically examining the content of popular fiction in the visual media the students will go beyond being passive consumers of entertainment. We will try to understand why certain genres and themes are universally popular and what their appeal say about us and the society we live in. Secondly, we will use the insights of philosophers to deepen our understanding of the themes we chose to discuss in detail. In order to do so, we will develop the conceptual apparatus necessary for a philosophical analysis of these popular themes.
The starting point will be a discussion of a particular genre - superheroes. Here we will try to define what a hero and a villain is (good vs. evil); what makes super heroes super, i.e., what makes them different from ordinary human beings, what the relationship between power and morality is; when, if ever, one is entitled to take the law in one’s own hands, and why superheroes do the things they do. The idea is that the first half of the course will introduce and exemplify philosophical analysis of popular culture, and the second half will let the students practice the application of the analytical and critical skills in a more independent manner.
III. Exposition
Course Objectives:
Learn how to analyze and interpret popular narrative fictions in visual media.
Learn how to critically discuss the function of popular culture.
Learn how to recognize logical connection such as entailment, consistency, contradiction, and incompatibility among ideas.
Learn how to identify and analyze philosophical arguments.
Learn how to criticize and evaluate different types of philosophical arguments.
Become familiar with basic philosophical positions in moral, political, and existential philosophy
Learn how to apply critical thinking skills and skills of analysis and synthesis in classroom discussions and presentations; and in the context of short essays on philosophical topics in popular culture.
This course is a General Education Group 1 course.
General Education Portfolio: The course is approved under the Humanities block of general education, and it meets the following general education outcomes:
1. Critical Thinking is the practice of questioning what we read and believe in order to understand both what the ideas mean and whether they are valid. The goal is not always to change our ideas, but to understand the most logical and supportable reasons for holding either our own, or any other, idea. In this particular course the emphasis is on finding and examining some of the fundamental assumptions behind select themes that figure prominently in popular movies.
2. Analytical Thinking is the practice of breaking down larger questions, ideas or statements into their smaller, more basic components. By breaking things down into smaller units (or “analyzing them”) we can make more careful, accurate and insightful judgments on the larger items, which are often in too unmanageable a form to be handled effectively. Homework assignments and in-class assignments are designed to improve these skills.
In order to elicit critical and analytical thinking skills from you, your exam or paper assignments will not be satisfied by simple, rote recall of facts; by undeveloped, short answers; by statements, which although memorized from class notes, do not reflect a logically coherent grasp of the subject matter; or by undigested copying of statements from our text or any other source. Further details about what should go into a proper essay exam or graded paper will be explained as we approach each of these assignments in the course. We will devote some time to rehearse how to read philosophical texts and how to write papers that demonstrate critical and analytical abilities.
3. Communication: is the practice of presenting your ideas in a way that is clear enough for an audience to understand what you are saying. Writing essays is one of the main ways we communicate ideas, analyze them , argue for them , and synthesize them. The essay part of your exams and papers should demonstrate competence in this practice.
In addition there are specific learning outcomes at which this specific course aims:
Humanities: is the study of the values and concepts that have shaped human cultures. In this course we study the philosophical and ethical arguments that support the fundamental assumptions and values that are basic to our belief system as they are presented in mass media and popular culture. The goal in testing is not to have you produce a one-sided and dogmatic position, or an expression of your own personal feelings, but to have you demonstrate competence in understanding the logic and implications of various arguments and ideas. This will give you a deeper understanding of popular culture by applying the conceptual apparatus developed by philosophers. Hopefully, participation in classroom and group discussions of basic philosophical issues will help to develop a non-dogmatic and open minded stance to complex issues and questions.
Course requirements:
Homework assignments: The students will be required to complete various homework assignment and in-class assignments. These assignments are to be kept in a journal/folder that will be collected at the end of the course.
Papers: The students will be required to write 2 short papers (2-3 pages).You cannot pass the course without submitting both papers. You will be given the opportunity to rewrite the first essay.
Readings: The students are required to be prepared for class by reading assigned material. Comprehension of the readings will be assessed through short homework assignments and in-class assignments. These assignments cannot be made up and will contribute to the class-participation component of the total grade.
There will be a midterm and a final examination.
Attendance: Unless you have a valid documented excuse: official university representation, illness, or serious mitigating circumstances, you are expected to attend classes. Attendance will contribute to the class-participation component of the grade.
IV. Standards
The final grade will be based on three components.
Classroom participation and homework 10% of the total grade.
Papers : 40 % of total grade.
Midterm: 25%
Final: 25%
V. Support
On-line Support
On my pbwiki www.cybermadsen.pbworks.com you will have access to homework assignments as well as other material related to the course.
Tutor
If there is a tutor available for the course, I will let you know.
VI. Outline of course policies.
Attendance policy and classroom behavior.
You will be expected to attend classes and to participate. The only acceptable excused absences pertain to university approved activities and medical excuses with proper documentation. For excused absences you need to notify me in person. Do not write e-mails or leave phone messages. If you have more than 2 unexcused absences, or missing homework assignments, the most you can score is a B for classroom participation. If you have more than 4 you will receive a D for classroom participation. When you attend classes you are expected to be on time and on task. Please refrain from small talk, turn off electronic devices, don’t get up and leave in the middle of class. In general, show respect for your fellow students — we are all here to learn!
Grading policy
Grades are based on the following criteria:
Letter average:
A 93 and above A – 90 to 92
B+ 87 to 89 B 83 to 86
B - 80 to 82 C+ 76 to 79
C 70 to 75 D 60 to 69
E 59 and below
The final grade in the course will be computed based on the percentages assigned to the 4 different components of the course outlined in the syllabus.
Plagiarizing!
Unfortunately plagiarizing has become a fairly common problem on college campuses. Broadly speaking plagiarizing consists in presenting somebody else’s work as your own. Be forewarned! I have had several regrettable incidents with students plagiarizing in the past. Plagiarizing is cheating, it defeats the purpose of higher education and there will be a zero tolerance policy on plagiarizing in this class. Furthermore, the consequences of plagiarizing can be dire: you risk failing the class and you will be reported to the Provost’s Office. At the beginning of the semester we will discuss in more detail exactly what counts as plagiarizing. You are expected to be familiar with the policy regarding plagiarizing and ignorance of the law will not count as an excuse!
Special concerns
Any student, whose learning may be affected by documented psychological or learning disorders, as well as other significant medical conditions, may require alternative class or testing situations. If you have such needs, you should contact Mr. William Chabala in our Counseling Center (100a Hemlock Manor, Phone: 662-4798; e-mail ); he will then provide me a letter indicating what arrangements we can make.
Class cancellation
If I have to cancel a class I will notify you in advance on www.cybermadsen.pbworks.com or by e-mail if at all possible.
VI Schedule
1. 8/29. Introduction: What is popular culture and what does it have to do with philosophy? The Spiderman Saga)
2. 9/5.What is a hero? How are ordinary humans different from super heroes?
3. 9/12. What is it to do good? Basic moral viewpoints.
4. 9/19. The nature of evil. (The Batman Saga)
5. 9/26. Power and morality
6. 10/3 War and morals, law and morals.(First paper due)
7. 10/10 The super-human and the all-too-human. (Midterm)
8. 10/17 Watchmen (Anti-heroes and heroes)
9. 10/24 Watchmen (Beyond the law)
10. 10/31 Watchmen (Is God on our side?)
11. 11/7 Watchmen (Who watches the Watchmen)
12. 11/14 Watchmen (The moral of the story).
13. 11/21 Open (Second paper due).
14. 11/28 The reality of evil
15. 12/5 Do we need heroes?
16. Finals
Please understand that the schedule is only tentative and that it might be revised during the course.