HUEN 3843
The Western Quest for Excellence:
Achilles to the Apollo Moon Landings
SYLLABUS II (Mar 13-May 1)
PLEASE NOTE: HW = Homework. HW assignments are for the following class day. RWT = Roots of the Western Tradition (one of the required texts for this course). GP = Group. ALWAYS BRING ALL READINGS FOR THE DAY TO CLASS. This sheet can change during the semester. For the assignment that requires you to email (see below), my address is . THE SHADED AREAS ON THE SYLLABUS INDICATE WHEN THE OUTLINE FOR YOUR SEMINAR PAPER AND THE COMPLETED SEMINAR PAPER ARE DUE.
BeforeWed Apr 29, in preparation for our next guest speaker, former astronaut and current member of the CU Aerospace Department, Joe Tanner, please watch Apollo 13.
Political and Martial Aretê (continued): Development of Greek Democracy and the Persian Wars
Fri Mar 13Class: Handout-Political and Martial Aretê in the Archaic Period
Start discussing Herodotus, etc.
HW:RWT 103-111 (The Zenith and Transformation of Classical Greece)
Mon Mar 16Class:Finish Herodotus through the Persian Wars
HW:Go to print out, read,
and bring to class“Writing an Expository Essay.”
Critical Writing in the Sciences and Humanities
Wed Mar 18Class:Handout: The Schema, UROP
Schiller essay assignment explained in class
Discuss-
Form and the Essay
UROP
The Schema
HW:Go to
Print out the Schiller essay, “PTSD and a Re-evaluation of Homer’s Achilles,” and do the assignment as explained in class.
Fri Mar 20Class:Handout-Background to Greek Theater, Antigone Discussion Questions
Possible essay topics explained: a viable thesis (see the handout titled Shemaprovided on Wed Mar 18) on Iliad, No Country for Old Men, Antigone, et alia! (see the HW underFri Apr 10)
Discuss the Schiller essay assignment
Discuss first handout
HW:Please read and prepare to discuss Antigone(in Sophocles. The Three Theban Plays) with reference to the Antigone Discussion Questions
Mon Mar 23-
Fri Mar 27Spring Break
Tragic Aretê: Greek Theater, Antigone and the State vs. the Individual
Mon Mar 30Class: Handout: Antigone
Conferences explained (see HW immediately below)
Discuss Antigone
HW:Conferences to discuss your thesis and seminar paper outline between
Wed Apr 1 and Mon Apr 6. See Doodle poll. Your outlines are due before class on Mon Apr 13.
Wed Apr 1Class: Handout: Greek Sculpture DiscussionQuestions
Finish discussing Antigone
HW:Watch the BBC video: “Greek Sculpture: How Art Made the World” presented by Dr. Nigel Spivey (University of Cambridge):
Please prepare to discuss the Greek Sculpture Discussion Questions based on this video.
Aesthetic Aretê and Idealism in Greek Sculpture (and its Relation to Greek Humanistic Philosophy)
Fri Apr 3Class:Discuss Greek Sculpture
HW:Prepare review questions
Mon Apr 6Class: Handouts: Greek Architecture(short version), Campus Architecture
Assignment, Discussion Questions: Greek Philosophy Leading up to Platonic Idealism(see HW under Wed Apr 8)
Review questions
Explain Campus Architecture Assignment(due before class on Mon Apr 20)
Finish discussing Greek Sculpture
Discuss Greek Architecture
HW: Prepare for Exam Three
Wed Apr 8Class:EXAM THREE
HW:Read RWT: 115-24 (Literature and Philosophy in Greece)
With reference to the preceding reading, prepare to discuss your answers to Discussion Questions: Greek Philosophy Leading up to Platonic Idealism
Aretêin Natural and Humanistic Philosophy: the Pre-Socratics
Fri Apr 10 Class:Handout: Greek Pre-Socratics
Discuss Greek Pre-Socratics
HW:Before class on Mon Apr 13:
EMAILme the outline of your seminar paper. Write the term “seminar1” in the subject heading of the email.
For this assignment, see the sample outline on the handout titled Shemaprovided on Wed Mar 18, and the topics listed under Class for Fri Apr 20, or develop an outline based on a topic of your own creation that you and I have discussed in a one-on-one conference.
Mon Apr 13Class:Continue discussing the Greek Pre-Socratics
HW:The Ring of Gyges: go to the following URL, print, read, and bring to class. ringofgyges.doc.
Plato's Forms: go to the following URL, print, read, and bring to class.
pl.form.word.doc.
Plato's Republic: go to the following URL, print, read, and bring to class. pl.rep.word.doc.
Please be able to:
- Paraphrase in class the Legend of the Ring of Gyges, and the Allegory of the Cave, including the Theory of the Forms.
- Describe the essential characteristics of Plato’s ideal state: the three classes into which it is divided, the essential characteristics of each class, and Plato’s position on the censorship of art.
Aretêin Humanistic Philosophy: Platonic Idealism
Wed Apr 15Class: Ring of Gyges, Plato’s Allegory of the Cave and Theory of Forms, Plato’s
Utopia/Dystopia
HW:Readings to be posted
Aretê in Greek Science and Technology
Fri Apr 17Class:Guest Lecturer: Dr. Leland Giovannelli
HW:Readings to be posted
Also, before Mon Apr 20:
EMAILme yourcompleted Writing/PhotoAssignment: Identifying
Neoclassical Architecture on the CU Campus. Write in the subject heading:arch2.
Mon Apr 20Class: Guest Lecturer: Dr. Leland Giovannelli
HW:RWT: 147-53 (The Hellenistic Age: Alexander the Great-The Successor
Kingdoms)
The Dissemination of Greek Aretê: Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic Kingdoms
Wed Apr 22Class:Handout-Alexander the Great and the Dissemination of GreekAretê
Discuss Alexander
HW:None
The Transmission of Greek Aretê into the Modern Era
Fri Apr 24Class: Handout: The Transmission of Greek Aretê into the Modern Era
Finish Alexander
Start Transmission of Greek Aretê
HW: Heads-up: see the HW under Mon Apr 27
Mon Apr 27Class: FCQs [deadline Apr 28]
Finish Transmission
HW: Watch Apollo 13and,using this film as a point of reference, prepare questions for Joe Tanner.
Ex-Fighter Pilot, NASA Astronaut, and current member of the CU Boulder Aerospace Department, Joe Tanner
Wed Apr 29Class:Guest Speaker: Joe Tanner
HW: Prepare Review Questions
Fri May 1Class:Review Questions
HW:Prepare for Final Exam
Thu May 7Final Exam: 1:30-4pm, same room as class