The American Dream; Facts and Fictions
Dr. Minu Mathur Office: 15-147 Hours: Phone: Email: Dr. Jeremy C. Ball Office: 15-121 Hours: 8-9, 12-1 MWF 8:30-9:30, 12-1
TR Phone: 574-6638 Email: ballj@smccd.net
Philosophy
244 and Sociology
105
Syllabus:
This
learning community explores the social and moral dimensions of the American
dream. It examines the sociological and philosophical role this construct
plays in animating and guiding both our culture and our individual lives.
It will also address the question of equal access to the vision for diverse
groups of people. Does this vision need rethinking as America searches to
find its appropriate place in both the global village and the eco-system?
Students
in this course will receive separate grades for each course based on how well
they complete
·
the requirements of the learning community
·
the disciplinary expectations of each course
Some assignments will be both integrated while others will
be particular to the course. The first few weeks each class will focus on material
unique to that course. As the semester progresses, Readings will be selected
and looked at for different elements in each course.
Week #2
Declaration: http://memory.loc.gov/const/declar.html
Tomas Paine, Common Sense, Introduction and Part 3. http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/D/1776-1800/paine/CM/sensexx.htm
Week #3
Michael Parenti,
"Methods of Misrepresentation" from Inventing Reality
CSM, Spring 2003
Dr. Jeremy C. Ball
Final Study Questions
1.According to Thoreau, what obligations do we have to the law (the will of the majority)? Does MLK agree or disagree with this position? Defend you position. (Hint: they might agree on some things and disagree on others).
2.What according to MLK are the goals of a non-violent campaign? What are
the four steps for any successful non-violent campaign?
3. Keller has an explanation for why the percentage of men doing science is
much greater than the number of women doing science. Trace this explanation.
What special problem does this bias cause for science? How does Keller propose
we should address this problem? Explain.
4. King argues that once we recognize the connection between the oppression of women and the oppression of nature, there are three directions we can go. Dr. Ball described these as 1) get rid of gender ideology, 2) Gender Pluralism, and 3) Ecofeminism. Why does King reject the first two options?
5. What does Keller say about ecofeminism? What would King say about Keller's proposal to do away with gender ideology? Which position do you think is correct? Why?
6. Campbell explains Jung's concept of individuation. Explain what this means being careful to explain how "masks" or "archetypes" fit into this explanation.
7. What is coolhunting? Dr. Ball argues that coolhunting ties into the basic growth equation for a successful capitalist system. Explain how. Specifically, explain the relationship between "cool," self-expression, and constant economic growth.
8. What according to Ball is the "Argument from Torture?" In class
and in "Vegetarianism" by Rachael's the treatment of nonhuman animals
in the factory farming industry was considered was considered. What conclusions
can we draw from this treatment relative to the argument from torture?