Social Order & Human Freedom
Fall 2004
McIntyre 305
Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Contact Info
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Office |
McIntyre 213N |
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Office Hours |
Tuesday, Thursday 10-11 and by appointment or drop-in |
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Phone |
X3597 |
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webpage: |
Our concern in this seminar will be the apparent, and perhaps genuine, contradiction between the concepts of social order and individual freedom. An ordered society implies that people generally do what they are supposed to do when they are supposed to do it. Our casual observation of society confirms persistent patterns to human behavior. At the same time, however, most of us cling to the notion of our individual freedom and our legal system is premised upon this idea. The central question then is this: Are we truly free or do we simply follow the patterns our society has constructed for us?
The questions of social order and human freedom have captured the attention of some of the greatest sociologists, philosophers, historians, and literary figures. With only slight exaggeration one might say they are the central questions of Western Civilization. This course will provide you with an introduction to this important area of human inquiry.
This course satisfies the requirement for a seminar in scholarly and creative inquiry. As a seminar, the expectations for student involvement are high. Students must come to class having read the material and willing to contribute to a thoughtful exploration of the issues. The course requires substantial written work.
Course Materials
The following books are required:
· Thomas Berger and Peter Luckman, The Social Construction of Reality
There is also a course reader, available at the UPS bookstore.
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Contribution to Grade |
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Essay 1 |
20% |
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Essay 2 |
20% |
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Final Essay |
20% |
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Reading Analyses |
20% |
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Attendance & Participation |
20% |
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100% |
In this course there are three long essays along with the
daily short assignments. Each of the
three long essays exposes the student to a different style. The first is an analytical/deductive
argument; the second is fictional, creative writing; the third is biographical. Note:
Late essays will lose 1 grade per day.
Essay 1: Is Freedom possible in a deterministic universe?
What difficulties do the laws of physics (chemistry, biology, etc.) create for the existence of a free will? Is it even possible to have a free will in a deterministic universe? What does this free will “look” like? In this essay you should demonstrate an understanding of the ideas in Dennett’s book, Freedom Evolves. Other sources may be used as well. Estimated page length: 8-12 pages.
After the paper is returned you will be able to revise and resubmit for a 1 grade increase (e.g., from a B- to a B).
Essay 1 is due October 4th.
Essay 2: Biography of Conformity
Write a fictional biography of a modern-day conformist. If Sinclair Lewis were to write his novel today, what would George Babbitt be like? How would his vague stirrings for individuality be quashed by society? Or could he somehow triumph over society? Estimated page length: minimum of 8 pages. Again, you will be allowed to re-write for a 1 grade increase.
Essay 2 is due November 17th.
Final Essay: Biography of Freedom
Write a biography of a (real)
person who demonstrated “genuine freedom” from society. In what ways did this person transcend the
social order and means of control of his/her time? In what ways did s/he still conform? What lessons can we take from his/her
example? How did this person define
freedom or what inference can we make about his/her definition of freedom? From your perspective, do you agree or
disagree with this definition of freedom? In this essay freedom refers to the exercise
of free will and personal morality, generally against the prevailing
constraints of the day, and not to someone who helped create political
freedom. Thus do not pick Abraham
Lincoln because he expanded political liberties by ending slavery (but you
might be able to argue separately that
The final essay is due December
14th.
Daily
A type-written analysis of the assigned reading(s) for each class period is due at the beginning of class. Late reading analyses are not accepted. There are 3 elements to each analysis.
1) A summary of the central meaning(s) of the reading(s) in 1 or 2 paragraphs.
2) A selection of what you think are a few (2-3) important quotes from the readings. Copy the quote, give the page number, and provide a brief interpretation/elaboration. (It’s OK if you find a quote that you know is important but you are not exactly sure what it means – just make a good faith effort to understand.)
3) A few (2-3) questions about the reading.
Each analysis should be 1-2 pages, single-spaced. Be prepared to read and discuss your analysis in class.
Attendance and Participation
As mentioned above, student participation is essential for a successful seminar. This component of your grade provides some reward for that participation.
Topics and Readings
Part I: Determinism and the Free Will
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August 30 |
Introduction |
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Sept. 1 |
Happiness & Freedom Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, chaps. 1-5 |
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Sept. 3 |
Happiness & Freedom Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, chaps. 6-12 |
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Sept. 6 |
No Class – Labor Day |
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Sept. 8 |
Happiness & Freedom Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, chaps. 13-18 |
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Descartes, First and Second Meditations |
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Sept. 13 |
Hard Determinism Paul Edwards, Hard and Soft Determinism Peter van Inwagen, The Incompatibility of Free Will and
Determinism |
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Sept. 15 |
Determinism and the Free Will Daniel Dennett, Freedom Evolves, chaps. 1 & 2 |
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Sept. 17 |
Determinism and the Free Will Daniel Dennett, Freedom Evolves, chaps. 3 & 4 |
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Sept. 20 |
Determinism and the Free Will Daniel Dennett, Freedom Evolves, chaps. 5 & 6 |
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Sept. 22 |
Determinism and the Free Will Daniel Dennett, Freedom Evolves, chaps. 7 & 8 |
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Sept. 24 |
Determinism and the Free Will Daniel Dennett, Freedom Evolves, chaps. 9 & 10 |
Part II: Social Order and Social Control
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Sept. 27 |
Karl Marx & Capitalism Gerry Cohen, Karl Marx’s Theory of History, chap. 3 |
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Sept. 29 |
Emile Durkheim & the Division of Labor Emile Durkheim, “Preface to the Second Edition,” The Division of Labor in Society. Kenneth Tucker, “Modernity and Social Solidarity” Classical Social Theory. |
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Oct. 1 |
Max Weber & Bureaucracy Max Weber, Social and Economic
Organization, selections Michel Roberts, Oligarchy |
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Oct. 4 |
Video: Modern Times Due: Essay 1 |
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Oct. 6 |
Video: Modern Times |
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Oct. 8 |
Freedom vs. Order Hobbes, Leviathan, chapters 13, 17, 18 |
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Oct. 11 |
Political John Stuart Mill, “On the Limits
to the Authority of Society over the Individual,” from On |
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Oct. 13 |
The Social Construction of Reality Thomas Berger and Peter Luckman, The Social Construction of Reality, pages 1-50 |
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Oct. 15 |
The Social Construction of Reality Thomas Berger and Peter Luckman, The Social Construction of Reality, pages 50-100 |
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Oct. 18 |
No Class – Midterm Break |
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Oct. 20 |
The Social Construction of Reality Thomas Berger and Peter Luckman, The Social Construction of Reality, pages 100-150 |
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Oct. 22 |
The Social Construction of Reality Thomas Berger and Peter Luckman, The Social Construction of Reality, pages 150-fin |
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Oct. 25 |
Video: Obedience (Milgram’s Shocker) |
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Oct. 27 |
Obedience & Patriotism Philip Meyer, If Hitler Asked You to Electrocute a Stranger, Would You? Probably. Howard Zinn, “Tyranny is
Tyranny,” from A People’s History of the United States |
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Oct. 29 |
(Mis)Information: The Media and Thought-Control Edward Herman & Noam Chomsky, “A Propaganda Model,” chap. 1, Manufacturing Consent |
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Nov. 1 |
Conformity, or Resistance is Futile Sinclair Lewis, Babbitt, pages 1-100 |
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Nov. 3 |
Conformity, or Resistance is Futile Sinclair Lewis, Babbitt, pages 100-200 |
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Nov. 5 |
Conformity, or Resistance is Futile Sinclair Lewis, Babbitt, pages 200-300 |
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Nov. 8 |
Conformity, or Resistance is Futile Sinclair Lewis, Babbitt, pages 300-fin |
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Part
III: Freedom, Responsibility, & Action |
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Nov. 10 |
The Cheerful Robot and “False” Freedoms C.Wright Mills, “On Reason and Freedom,” from The Sociological Imagination. |
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Nov. 12 |
Christianity and Freedom Robert McAfee Brown, Who is this Jesus Christ who Frees and
Unites Mark Baker, The Prodigal Embrace |
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Nov. 15 |
Eastern Religion/Philosophy Leslie Stevenson and David
Haberman, Upanishadic Hinduism: Quest
for Ultimate Knowledge Daisetz Suzuki, Zen Buddhism |
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Nov. 17 |
Video: Power of Myth Due: Essay 2 |
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Nov. 19 |
Existentialism: Sartre Jean-Paul Sartre, Existentialism is a Humanism |
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Nov. 22 |
Existentialism: Camus Albert Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus and An Absurd Reasoning |
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Nov. 24 |
Positive and Negative Freedom Isaiah |
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Nov. 26 |
No Class – Thanksgiving Break |
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Nov. 29 |
Swaraj & Dharma (Freedom and Duty) Dennis Dalton, Gandhi on Freedom, Rights and Responsibility |
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Dec. 1 |
The Sociology of Freedom: The Individual Re-Construction of Reality Peter Berger, An Invitation to Sociology, chap 6. |
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Dec. 3 |
Examples of Freedom Video: The White Rose |
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Dec. 5 |
Examples of Freedom Video: The White Rose |
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Dec. 8 |
The Sociology of Freedom: The Individual Re-Construction of Reality Peter Berger, An Invitation to Sociology, chaps. 7 & 8 |