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HUEN 3843: Special Topics

The Western Quest for Excellence:

Achilles to the Apollo Moon Landings

COURSE DESCRIPTION AND REQUIREMENTS

Dr. Fredricksmeyer

Contact information: see page 3

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Achilles (pictured left) and other warriors in Homer’s Iliad promoted the ancient Greek concept of kalokagathia, physical excellence combined with nobility of character. The Olympic Games, professional sports circuits, and the training in hand-to-hand combat of young men also promoted physical excellence in the ancient Greek world. Correspondingly, Greek sculpture produced idealized versions of muscular humans and gods. Greeks unsatisfied with supernatural explanations strove to understand our universe in natural and scientific terms. 2000 years before Copernicus, Thales correctly predicted a solar eclipse. 2000 years before Newton, Democritus posited the existence of atoms, and only slightly later Archimedes drew on principles of mechanical engineering reportedly to construct a massive, ship-destroying iron claw. An understanding of mathematics combined with notions of balance and harmony led to such architectural marvels as the Parthenon (at a cost of more than a billion dollars by the standards of today’s economy). Plato’s theory of forms postulated a perfect reality beyond our perception to which we should attempt to approximate everything in our immediate world. Through a variety of texts and digital slides we will address these and other expressions of idealism and the quest for excellence that helped lay the foundations of western civilization.

Further, through films and guest speakers we will consider some ways in which this idealism remains vital. After watching the History Channel documentary, Helicopter Heroes of Vietnam, we will have USMC Colonel Dick Rosser (featured in the film) as a guest speaker and modern analog to the ancient warrior and his adherence to the heroic code. Colonel Rosser flew 840 combat missions as a helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War, survived a 13-month tour of duty when the life expectancy of a helicopter pilot was four weeks, and was the only marine in the entire conflict to receive two Silver Stars. After viewing the film Apollo 13, we will discuss the Apollo moon landings, the Hubble Space Telescope, and other aspects of space exploration with Joe Tanner (pictured right), one of the most experienced astronauts in history and a current member of CUs Aerospace Engineering Sciences department.

HEADS UP

What we do in this class might not be to everyone’s taste. Our readings will urge us to ask serious questions about justice, love, religion, race, sex, nature, science, politics, art, beauty, law and morality – in short, we will discuss some highly sensitive subjects. Further, this class seeks to cultivate critical awareness and provoke self-examination. As a result, you might feel at times that your own most cherished opinions are being questioned. I will of course do my utmost to ensure that we all approach discussion with the appropriate respect and civility, but please keep in mind that different people have different thresholds for this kind of work. If you are sensitive about your beliefs and those of others and are uncomfortable viewing them through a critical lens, then this course might not be for you.

BOOKS TO PURCHASE (at the CU Bookstore)

For various reasons, you must have HARD COPY versions of all the following. Also, make sure that you get the EXACT EDITIONS AND TRANSLATIONS listed next. The bookstore sometimes puts on the shelves editions other than the ones I requested. If that is the case with any of the following texts, ask someone at the bookstore whether they have the correct edition somewhere else and, if they don’t, please order the text online.

—Homer's Iliad, trans. Lombardo

—Sophocles I: Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus, Antigone, trans. David Grene

—Roots of the Western Tradition, Eighth Edition, Rogers and Hollister

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HARD COPIES OR E-READERS: NO LAPTOP COMPUTERS PLEASE

PLEASE BRING TO CLASS ALL READING ASSIGNMENTS, IN HARD COPY, AND PUT YOUR DESKTOP COMPUTERS AWAY BEFORE CLASS STARTS.

ELECTRONIC RESERVES/WEB-BASED DOCUMENTS

To minimize your expenses, I have made as many texts as possible available to you through Electronic Reserves or as web-based documents (see the Syllabus). Occasionally, I will ask you to print out from 2-5 pages of such documents. YOU MUST BRING WITH YOU TO CLASS PRINTED VERSIONS OF THESE DOCUMENTS (see next).

CLASS WEB SITE

Most documents listed as handouts on the syllabus can be downloaded from the following web site: . I will not carry extra copies of previous handouts.

GRADING

Class Preparation and Participation 20%

Architecture/Photo Assignment 3%

Expository term paper 12%

Three 50-minute Exams 45% (15% each)

Final Exam 20%

Class Preparation and Participation

Preparing is not just reading. It means thinking deeply about a text before class and preparing to discuss the text with reference to Discussion Questions that you will receive for every text and film, and that serve as a point of departure for (but in no way limit) our discussions.

To assess your own preparation and participation, ask yourself the following questions.

✓ How well do your comments reflect good preparation for class? Do you show that you have done the reading and reflected on it? Do you refer to the reading, or ask questions based upon it?

✓ How well do your punctuality, posture, attentiveness, and “body language” show your respect for the opinions of others and for the issues under discussion? (More on these categories below.)

✓ How well do you listen?

✓ How well do you help promote group inquiry, group learning?

I keep a record of your weekly participation as well as your attendance (see below): 100% for stellar preparation and engagement, 85% for good preparation and engagement, 70% for modest interest, 30% for mere attendance.

Architecture/Photo Assignment

After a lecture on Greek architecture, students submit to me by email photographs of buildings on CU Boulder’s campus along with written explanations of their neo-classical orders (Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, or some combination thereof).

Expository Term Paper

A 4-5 page expository term paper. To prepare your for this, I spend two class days discussing the schema of a college level, expository paper. Also, you will email me an outline to which I will respond with written comments and that we will discuss in one-on-one conferences.

Exams

To prepare you for these I will supply you with Discussion Questions before each reading, and lecture outlines for each day.

Grade scale: In general, A is excellent, B is good, C is adequate but undistinguished, D is barely acceptable, and F is failing. I use the following numerical scale: A = 92-100, A- = 90-92, B+ = 88-90, B = 82-88, B- = 80-82, etc., F = below 60. The University of Colorado then translates your grade into the familiar 4-point scale: A = 4.0, B = 3.0, etc.

For the importance to your final grade also of attending regularly, arriving on time, turning off your cell phones and laptops before class starts, and classroom comportment in general, please see the following categories. All these categories can affect your final grade.

ATTENDANCE

Since this class is discussion-based, attendance is critical. If an absence is unavoidable, please contact me ahead of time, preferably, or at your earliest convenience after the fact. Religious observance and illness (if explained by a doctor’s note) represent excused absences. You are permitted two unexcused absences per semester without penalty. Thereafter, each unexcused absence (over two) will lower your grade one point (A to A-, A- to B+, etc.). Six absences will result in a failing grade for the course.

ARRIVING ON TIME

Please make every effort to arrive on time. If this is difficult for some reason (for example, you have a class on the other end of campus immediately before our class), make sure to let me know.

NO CELL PHONES/TEXT MESSAGING/WEB SURFING/EMAILING DURING CLASS

Please! Before class starts, please turn off your cell phone and laptop.

SOCIAL CONTRACT

Body language and common courtesy are very important in a professional setting, and a lack of common courtesy can lower your grade. Among other things, please don’t put your head down on the desk. Also, if you yawn (as we all do sometimes), please cover your mouth. See the 30-second slideshow . As you will see, only the puppy looks cute! (Depending on how your computer is configured, to view this slideshow you might need to open your PowerPoint program after clicking on the link.)

EMAIL/OFFICE HOURS/PHONE

Normally, it’s most productive for us to speak in person, before or after class, or during office hours. If you do email me, please consider it formal communication, as I will of course do with you. In other words, when using email:

1) please address me in the body of your message (Dear Dr. F.),

2) use upper and lowercase letters, as appropriate,

3) check your spelling and grammar.

My email address is fredrice@colorado.edu, office hours are MWF 3-4 and by appointment in the Lesser House (enter through the front), 2501 Colorado Avenue, and my phone number is 303.492.2862.

SPECIAL NOTES

Recording Lectures (see: )

Only students with a Disability Services recommendation will be permitted to audio record class lectures (as a form of academic accommodation).  This may include the use of Smart Pens, digital recorders or computer software.  Use of this accommodation is subject to the following conditions:

• Recordings of class lectures are only for the student’s personal use in study and preparation related to the class.

• The student may not share these recordings with any other person, whether or not that person is in his/her class.

• The student acknowledges that the recordings are sources, the use of which in any academic work is governed by rules of academic conduct at CU-Boulder.

• The student agrees to destroy any recordings that were made when they are no longer needed for his/her academic work.

Students who have been granted permission to audio record class lectures as an accommodation must agree in writing to abide by each of these provisions.  Agreement Forms are available in Disability Services.

Students with Disabilities: If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit to me a letter from Disability Services in a timely manner. Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented disabilities. Contact Disability Services at 303-492-8671 or by e-mail at dsinfo@colorado.edu.

If you have a temporary medical condition or injury, see Temporary Medical

Conditions: Injuries, Surgeries, and Illnesses guidelines under Quick Links at Disability Services website and discuss your needs with me.

Learning Environment: Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. Those who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards may be subject to discipline. Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially important with respect to individuals and topics dealing with differences of race, color, culture, religion, creed, politics, veteran's status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and gender expression, age, disability, and nationalities. Class rosters are provided to the instructor with the student's legal name. I will gladly honor your request to address you by an alternate name or gender pronoun. Please advise me of this preference early in the semester so

that I may make appropriate changes to my records. See policies at

and at

.

Honor Code and Academic Integrity: All students of the University of Colorado at Boulder are responsible for knowing and adhering to the academic integrity policy of this institution.

Violations of this policy may include: cheating, plagiarism, aid of academic dishonesty, fabrication, lying, bribery, and threatening behavior. All incidents of academic misconduct shall be reported to the Honor Code Council (honor@colorado.edu; 303-735-2273). Students who are found to be in violation of the academic integrity policy will be subject to both academic sanctions from the faculty member and non-academic sanctions (including but not limited to university probation, suspension, or expulsion). Other information on the Honor Code can be found at and at

Religious Obligations: I will gladly make reasonable accommodations for you to fulfill religious obligations, even if they conflict with academic requirements. If you anticipate a conflict, discuss it with me as early as possible, so that we can make the necessary arrangements. Find the Boulder campus policy at:

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