Science and Literature/A Universe In a Grain of Sand: Scale in Science and in Literature

ENGLISH 5050-02                                            Course meetings:  M, 3:05-5:50 p.m.

Course web site: http://www.math.utah.edu/~adler/bio5960_5/index.html

Professors:

Katharine Coles                                                   Fred Adler                     

Office:  LNCO 3417                                            Offices: LCB 304 and SB 319

Phone: 581-7868/521-7798 (home, afternoons)         Tel: (801) 581-6848, (801) 585-6202, fax: (801) 585-1640

Hours: M, 1-3; T 3-5; H 3-5; by appt.                     Hours:

 

Texts:

Bonner, John, Why Size Matters

Byatt, A.S., Angels and Insects

Carroll, Lewis, AliceÕs Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass

Gamow, George, The New World of Mr. Tompkins

Gregerson, Linda, Magnetic North

Kwinter, Sanford, The Architecture of Time

Morrison, Philip and Phyllis, Powers of Ten

Randall, Lisa, Warped Passages

Shelley, Mary,  Frankenstein

Excerpts from Thompson, DÕArcy, On Growth and Form

Essays by literary and cultural critics and scientists, as assigned

 

Course Description:

The perceived rift between "the two cultures" of science and literature has been the subject of discussion for decades.  This class is based on the belief that the tension has been overplayed and that the rift is based as much on imagined differences between the natures of these disciplines as on real ones. This course is designed to provide students from each culture a real exposure to common ways of thinking about science and literature based on the common theme of scale.  Because scale plays fundamental, although subtly different, roles in sciences and literature as well as in the arts, it will provide the umbrella under which we will unify the disciplines at hand.  While we don't expect this class to heal the rift, we expect that it will teach students to think about and enter the world of others with greater comfort and understanding. During this semester, we will read works from various scientific disciplines and  also poetry and fiction that either overtly or subtly take science as subject matter, narrative engine, or trope.  We will use these works as well as critical essays as vehicles for thinking and writing about how science and literature are made, what they do, and how they speaks to, from, and about the larger culture.   We have set a context for the discussion through our selection of texts; however, you will, as the semester progresses, also help to direct the conversation, primarily through in–class presentations.

 

Papers and Presentations:

1)  During the semester, each of you will give an 8-10 minute formal presentation to the class.  This presentation may take elements from both science and literature or it may focus primarily on a scientific idea or on the construction of a literary text.  Each presentation should deal directly with the reading for that day and will give rise to a discussion during which the professors and the class will direct questions to you and to each other about that reading and your presentation.   Your presentation may also relate that dayÕs reading to any of the previous readings for the course.  Please bring two copies of  typed presentation notes, which you will turn in at the end of class.  If youÕd like, you may work with one other person on a collaborative presentation; in that case, the presentation should be 15-20 minutes, and, since you will be graded separately, each of you should turn in your own, separate set of notes.  The presentation may take one of a number of forms, including but not limited to the following:

            An examination of the importance of scale in thinking about a specific scientific problem or

                        issue

            An explication of a scientific problem or issue of particular interest in relation to the theme of scale.

            An examination of how the understanding of a scientific issue enriches oneÕs reading of a literary

                        text

An examination of a specific work within a larger cultural or historic context, particularly

scientific practices within that context 

            An examination of a technique or idea from another (probably scientific) discipline as it

is applied within a literary work

A discussion of how a text uses specific scientific theories or practices to illustrate or

            illuminate its themes

            A discussion or argument for or against the use of a particular technique or the practice

                        of a certain kind of writing, with examples

A discussion of how a particular theoretical or scientific construct or idea may be useful or not useful

in examining a literary text

            A discussion of questions or difficulties the text raised for you (if you exercise this

option, please include as well a discussion of some of the answers you came up

with and/or the methods you used to overcome the difficulties you encountered)

 

2)  In addition, you will write a short midterm paper (about 5 pages), which will concentrate on a narrow topic and one or at the most two works, and a substantial final paper (10-15 pages), which will look at a broader topic and/or several works.  Please turn in two hard copies of these papers, which both of us will be reading.  These papers may build on ideas from your presentations, and your final paper may build on your midterm paper.  You may draw your paper topic from the list above or develop another topic, which you should talk over with me before the paper is due.

 

Reading:

The works listed should be read as assigned.   We may occasionally suggest other readings, which will not add substantially to your reading.  If a film version of a text exists, you may wish to view it in addition to reading for purposes of comparison and discussion. 

 

Symposium:

The Utah Symposium in Science and Literature, featuring the authors youÕre reading, will begin on the evening of Thursday March 29th and continue until the afternoon of Saturday, March 31th.  We strongly recommend that you attend as much of the symposium as possible; please plan now, since attendance at least one session is required and will count in your attendance grade.  Please see the handout for more information and for a general outline of the schedule.  We will give you a finalized schedule as soon as it is available.

 

In-class Grades:

In-class grades will be based on attendance, level of preparation to discuss assigned reading, and the level—intelligence and professionalism—of that discussion.  Since the discussion format is crucial to the success of the class, only students who have missed no more than one class may receive an ÒAÓ for their in-class grades.  Each subsequent absence will result in a proportional deduction from the in-class grade.

 

Attendance Policies

á  You may not attend a University course unless you are officially registered and your name appears on the class roll.

á  The University expects regular attendance at all class meetings. You are not automatically dropped from your classes if you do not attend. You must officially drop your classes by the published deadline in the academic calendar to avoid a "W" on your record.

You are responsible for satisfying the entire range of academic objectives, requirements and prerequisites as defined by the instructor. If you miss the first 2 class meetings, or if you have not taken the appropriate requisites, you may be required to withdraw from the course.

If you are absent from class to participate in officially sanctioned University activities (e.g. band, debate, student government, intercollegiate athletics), religious obligations, or with instructor's approval, you will be permitted to make up both assignments and examinations.  Please make arrangements with me well in advance of your absence.

 

Accommodations:

The University of Utah seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services and activities for people with disabilities. If you will need accommodations in the class, reasonable prior notice needs to be given to the Center for Disability Services, 162 Union Building, 581-5020 (V/TDD). CDS will work with you and the instructor to make arrangements for accommodations.

 

Some of the writings, lectures, films, or presentations in this course may include material that some students may find offensive. Please review the syllabus carefully to see if the course is one that you are committed to taking. If you have a concern, please discuss it with us immediately.

 

Other commonly asked questions:

I am happy to meet with you about your writing at any stage.

I do not accept late work or give incompletes for any reason other than documented illness.

 

Grading:

Presentation:                                          10%

Lab write-up :                                            10%

Short paper:                                            20%

Final paper:                                             40%

In class:                                                 20%

                                                            _____

total                                                      100%

 

A
A-

(4.0 points)
(3.7 points)

Excellent performance, superior achievement

B+
B
B

(3.3 points)
(3.0 points)
(2.7 points)

Good performance, substantial achievement

C+
C
C-

(2.3 points)
(2.0 points)
(1.7 points)

Standard performance and achievement

D+
D
D-

(1.3 points)
(1.0 points)
(0.7 points)

Substandard performance, marginal achievement

E

(0.0 points)

Unsatisfactory performance and achievement

 

COURSE SCHEDULE

DATE                           READING                                            PRESENTERS

______________________________________________________________________________

 

______________________________________________________________________________

Mon 1/8                                    Course Intro, get-acquainted

Frankenstein (James Wale, 1932 movie)     

Discussion

______________________________________________________________________________

 

Mon. 1/15                      HOLIDAY

______________________________________________________________________________

Mon 1/22                       Shelley, Frankenstein                  

Thompson, On Growth and Form (e-reserve)

Mellor, ÒFrankenstein: A             

                                                Feminist Critique of ScienceÓ (e-reserve)

______________________________________________________________________________

Mon. 1/29                      Carroll, Through the Looking Glass

                                                AliceÕs Adventures

                                    Gamow, The New World of Mr. Tomkins

______________________________________________________________________________                                     

Mon.  2/5                      Gamow, The New World of Mr. Tomkins

                                    Gregerson, Magnetic North          

______________________________________________________________________________

 

Mon. 2/12                      Kwinter, Architectures of Time

                                    Beer, ÒProblems of Description in the Language

of Discovery (e-reserve)

                                    Discuss midterm papers   

______________________________________________________________________________

Mon 2/19                       HOLIDAY                                

______________________________________________________________________________

 

Mon 2/26                       Randall, Warped Passages

                                    Gregerson, Magnetic North

 ______________________________________________________________________________

 

Mon 3/5                                    Randall, Warped Passages

Dale, ÒGeorge LewesÕ Scientific    

                                                AestheticÓ (e-reserve)

_____________________________________________________________________________

Mon 3/12                       MIDTERM PAPER DUE

                                    Experiment

______________________________________________________________________________

 

Mon 3/19                       SPRING BREAK

______________________________________________________________________________

 

Mon 3/26                       EXPERIMENT WRITE-UP DUE

SYMPOSIUM PREPARATION

______________________________________________________________________________

 

THURSDAY MARCH 29- SATURDAY MARCH 31:

UTAH SYMPOSIUM IN SCIENCE AND LITERATURE

______________________________________________________________________________

Mon 4/2                                    Morrison, Powers of Ten 

                                    Film

Symposium follow-up                 

______________________________________________________________________________

Mon 4/9                                    Bonner, Why Size Matters

Byatt, Angels and Insects

______________________________________________________________________________

 

Mon 4/16                       Bonner, Why Size Matters

Byatt, Angels and Insects Discuss papers

 ______________________________________________________________________________

 

Mon 4/23                       Catch-up and review

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Monday April 30 5 p.m. FINAL PAPER DUE

 

 

 

Academic Misconduct

ÒAcademic misconductÓ includes, but is not limited to, cheating, misrepresenting one's work, inappropriately collaborating, plagiarism, and fabrication or falsification of information, as defined further below. It also includes facilitating academic misconduct by intentionally helping or attempting to help another to commit an act of academic misconduct.
a. ÒCheatingÓ involves the unauthorized possession or use of information, materials, notes, study aids, or other devices in any academic exercise, or the unauthorized communication with another person during such an exercise. Common examples of cheating include, but are not limited to, copying from another student's examination, submitting work for an in-class exam that has been prepared in advance, violating rules governing the administration of exams, having another person take an exam, altering one's work after the work has been returned and before resubmitting it, or violating any rules relating to academic conduct of a course or program.
b. Misrepresenting one's work includes, but is not limited to, representing material prepared by another as one's own work, or submitting the same work in more than one course without prior permission of both faculty members.
c. ÒPlagiarismÓ means the intentional unacknowledged use or incorporation of any other person's work in, or as a basis for, one's own work offered for academic consideration or credit or for public presentation. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, representing as one's own, without attribution, any other individualÕs words, phrasing, ideas, sequence of ideas, information or any other mode or content of expression.
d. ÒFabricationÓ or ÒfalsificationÓ includes reporting experiments or measurements or statistical analyses never performed; manipulating or altering data or other manifestations of research to achieve a desired result; falsifying or misrepresenting background information, credentials or other academically relevant information; or selective reporting, including the deliberate suppression of conflicting or unwanted data. It does not include honest error or honest differences in interpretations or judgments of data and/or results.