Syllabus
GC1Y 1000 Critical Thinking: SciFi & Philosophy, Fall 2024
Section 31: TR 9:30-10:45 p.m., Arts & Sciences 364
Section 32: TR 12:30-1:45 p.m., Arts & Sciences 363
Section 33: TR 2:00-3:12 p.m., Arts & Sciences 364
Dr. Alex E. Blazer
478.445.0964
Office Hours: TR 11:00-12:15 p.m. and T 3:30-4:45 p.m., Arts & Sciences 330 and Microsoft Teams
The course catalog states, "This introductory level course focuses on the development of critical thinking skills within various disciplinary, multidisciplinary, or interdisciplinary contexts. Course materials will emphasis (sic) multiple intellectual approaches to issues, topics, and/or themes; the evaluation of evidence to form appropriate conclusions; the development of effective oral and/or written communication skills. The course will provide appropriate opportunities to engage in learning beyond the classroom." This course fulfills the institutional priority requirement of the core curriculum and emphasizes critical thinking, teamwork, and time management. The required syllabus statement is here.
This GC1Y section will interpret science fiction film, gaming culture (such as role playing, live-action role playing, and video games), and fan culture (such as fanzines, fan fiction, and cosplay) through the lens of philosophy. Students will not only analyze scifi films from a cinematic perspective but also learn the philosophical concepts that these works explore, such as the nature of reality, the nature of knowledge, free will, ethics, and politics. We will read philosophy from Susan Schneider's Science Fiction and Philosophy: From Time Travel to Superintelligence. We will view and analyze, both cinematically and philosophically, science fiction films; and we will read philosophical critiques of science fiction films from Steven M. Sanders's The Philosophy of Science Fiction Film. Finally, we will read scholarly journal articles about fan fiction, live-action role-playing games, massively multiplayer online role-playing games, and cosplay. Students will informally respond to an in-class philosophical article or film once in the semester. The group research project will include annotating critical and philosophical scholarship on a popular science fiction or fantasy film, television series, or video game. For the learning beyond the classroom component of the course, students will either, individually, participate in a science fiction activity and then write an essay reflecting upon the experience or, in small groups, record a podcast that examines a science fiction or television show. Students will take an in-class, closed book essay midterm exam and a take-home, open book final exam that tests their knowledge of philosophical concepts in science fiction films. If class participation becomes a continuing issue, then either students will take weekly reading/viewing quizzes or the take-home exam format will be changed to in-class and closed book during finals week.
required textbooks (Amazon or GCSU Bookstore)
Sanders, ed., The Philosophy of Science Fiction Film
Schneider, ed., Science Fiction and Philosophy, 2nd ed.
required articles (GeorgiaVIEW)
required films (JustWatch)
12 Monkeys (130 minutes, 1995)
2001: A Space Odyssey (160 minutes, 1968)
Blade Runner (118 minutes, 1982)
The Day the Earth Stood Still (92 minutes, 1951)
Frankenstein (70 minutes, 1931)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (80 minutes, 1956)
Metropolis (149 minutes, 1927)
The Terminator (108 minutes, 1984)
Total Recall (113 minutes, 1990)
recommended textbooks (Amazon)
Craig, Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction
Philips, Philosophy and Science Fiction
Rowlands, Philosophy from Socrates to Schwarzenegger
Seed, Science Fiction: A Very Short Introduction
recommended films
The Matrix (138 minutes, 1999)
recommended websites
Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Assignments and Grade Distribution
response, 5%
You will sign up to summarize a philosophical essay or science fiction film in an informal 2-3 page response.
group research project, 15%
You will work in groups of 3-4 to research a science fiction or fantasy novel, film, graphic novel, or video game.
learning beyond the classroom project, 20%
You will either 1) individually participate in a science fiction and fantasy event or activity and reflect upon the experience 4-5 page essay or 2) record, with two classmates, a 30 minute podcast discussing the cinematic and philosophical aspects of an out-of-class science fiction film or television episode.
two exams, 30% each
You will take two essay exams (one closed book, in-class midterm exam and one open book, take-home final exam) that test your understanding of the relationship between science fiction and philosophy. If class participation becomes a continuing issue, then the take-home exam format will be changed to in-class and closed book during finals week.
Technology
We will use the course site for the syllabus schedule and assignment prompts; supporting documents include an attendance record, a course grade calculation spreadsheet, FAQ, a GeorgiaVIEW walkthrough, a guide to literary analysis, a research methods guide, and paper templates. We will use GeorgiaVIEW for assignment submission and the course packet; if you experience technical issues with GeorgiaVIEW, contact the Center for Teaching and Learning at ctl@gcsu.edu or 478.445.2520. Check your university email for course-related messages. Use an online backup or cloud storage service to not only save but also archive versions of your work in case of personal computer calamities.
Attendance
Because this liberal arts course values contemporaneous discussion over fixed lecture, regular attendance is required. In courses that meet one day per week, such as ENGL 6601, there will be a one letter final grade deduction for every unexcused absence beyond two; furthermore, any student who misses four or more classes for any reason (excused or unexcused) will be dropped from the course and fail. In courses that meet two days per week, such as GC1Y 1000, there will be a one letter final grade deduction for every unexcused absence beyond three; furthermore, any student who misses seven or more classes for any reason (excused or unexcused) will be dropped from the course and fail. In courses that meet three days per week, such as ENGL 2130, there will be a one letter final grade deduction for every unexcused absence beyond six; furthermore, any student who misses ten or more classes for any reason will be dropped from the course and fail. I suggest you use your skip days both cautiously and wisely; and make sure you sign the attendance sheets. Habitual tardies, consistently leaving class early, texting, and web surfing will be treated as absences. Unexcused absences include work, family obligations, and scheduled doctor's appointments. Excused absences include family emergency, medical emergency, religious observance, and participation in a college-sponsored activity. Do not attend class while symptomatic or testing positive for COVID-19. During isolation, retrieve class notes from a classmate and consult with me about make up work. Absences due to isolation will be considered excused if appropriate documentation from Student Health Services or Academic Advising is provided. If you continue to test positive after the date the university gave you for an excused absence, your positive test counts as an excused absence. If you have a medical condition, extracurricular activity, or job that you anticipate will cause you to miss more than four days of class, I suggest you drop this section. The university absence policy can be found here. You can check your class attendance record here.
MLA Style and Length Requirements
Part of writing in a discipline is adhering to the field's style guide. While other disciplines use APA or Chicago style, literature and composition follows MLA style. Assignments such as in-class exams, discussion board responses, informal/journal writing, and peer review may be informally formatted; however, formal assignments and take-home exams must employ MLA style. One-third of a letter grade will be deducted from a formal paper or take-home exam for problems in each of the following three categories, for a possible one letter grade deduction total: 1) margins, header, and heading, 2) font, font size, and line-spacing, and 3) quotation and citation format. A formal paper or take-home exam will be penalized one-third of a letter grade if it does not end at least halfway down on the minimum page length (not including Works Cited page) while implementing 12 pt Times New Roman font, double-spacing, and 1" margins. Each additional page short of the minimum requirement will result in an a additional one-third letter grade penalty. Before you turn in a formal paper, make sure your work follows MLA style by referring to the MLA style checklist. Feel free to use these templates that are preformatted to MLA style.
Late Assignments
We're all busy with multiple classes and commitments, and adhering to deadlines is critical for the smooth running of the course. There will be a one letter assignment grade deduction per day (not class period) for any assignment that is turned in late. I give short extensions if you request one for a valid need at least one day before the assignment is due. I will inform you via email if I cannot open an electronically submitted assignment; however, your assignment will be considered late until you submit it in a file I can open. Because your completion of this course's major learning outcomes depends on the completion of pertinent assignments, failing to submit an assignment that is worth 15% or more of the course grade within five days of its due date may result in failure of the course. Failing to submit a final exam or final paper within two days of its due date may result in failure of the course.
Academic Honesty
The integrity of students and their written and oral work is a critical component of the academic process. The Honor Code defines plagiarism as "presenting as one's own work the words or ideas of an author or fellow student. Students should document quotes through quotation marks and footnotes or other accepted citation methods. Ignorance of these rules concerning plagiarism is not an excuse. When in doubt, students should seek clarification from the professor who made the assignment." The Undergraduate Catalog and Graduate Catalog define academic dishonesty as "Plagiarizing, including the submission of others’ ideas or papers (whether purchased, borrowed, or otherwise obtained) as one’s own. When direct quotations are used in themes, essays, term papers, tests, book reviews, and other similar work, they must be indicated; and when the ideas of another are incorporated in any paper, they must be acknowledged, according to a style of documentation appropriate to the discipline" and "Submitting, if contrary to the rules of a course, work previously presented in another course," among other false representations. As plagiarism is not tolerated at GCSU, "since the primary goal of education is to increase one's own knowledge," any student found guilty of substantial, willful plagiarism or dishonesty may fail the assignment and the course. This course uses plagiarism prevention technology from TurnItIn. The papers may be retained by the service for the sole purpose of checking for plagiarized content in future student submissions.
Writing Center
Writing consultants will work with any student writer working on any project in any discipline. To learn more about Writing Center locations, hours, scheduling, and services, please visit here. Send questions to writing.center@gcsu.edu.
Required Syllabus Statements
Additional statements regarding the Religious Observance Policy, Assistance for Student Needs Related to Disability, Student Mental Health, Student Rating of Instruction Survey, Academic Honesty, Student Use of Copyrighted Materials, Electronic Recording Policy, Academic Grievance or Appeals, and Fire Drills can be found here.
- Readings without links are located in Schneider's Science Fiction and Philosophy or Sanders's The Philosophy of Science Fiction Film. Readings with links are located in the GeorgiaVIEW course packet unless otherwise noted.
- Required film titles are linked to JustWatch, which provides film rental and purchasing information.
- This schedule is subject to change, so check back in class and online for possible revisions.
Week 1 |
T, 8-20 |
Introductions |
R, 8-22 |
philosophy Schneider, "Introduction: Thought Experiments: Science Fiction as a Window into Philosophical Puzzles" (Schneider 1-16) (GeorgiaVIEW) Craig, "How Do We Know?" and "What Am I?" (GeorgiaVIEW) |
|
Week 2 |
T, 8-27 |
philosophy Schneider, "Part I: Could I be in a 'Matrix' or Computer Simulation?" (Schneider 17-8) (GeorgiaVIEW) Schwitzgebel and Bakker, "Reinstalling Eden: Happiness on a Hard Drive" (Schneider 19-21) (GeorgiaVIEW) Bostrom, "Are You in a Computer Simulation?" (Schneider 22-5) (GeorgiaVIEW) Plato, "Plato's Cave" [Excerpt from The Republic] (Schneider 26-9) (GeorgiaVIEW) Descartes, "Cartesian Thought Experiments" (Schneider 30-4) (GeorgiaVIEW) |
R, 8-29 |
philosophy Chalmers, "The Matrix as Metaphysics" (Schneider 35-54) (GeorgiaVIEW) film criticism Sanders, "An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science Fiction Film" (Sanders 1-20) (GeorgiaVIEW) Conard, "The Matrix, the Cave, and the Cogito" (Sanders 207-22) (GeorgiaVIEW) film Recommended: The Matrix (138 minutes, 1999) |
|
Week 3 |
T, 9-3 |
philosophy Schneider, "Part II: What Am I? Free Will and the Nature of Persons" (Schneider 55-6) Dennett, "Where Am I?" (Schneider 57-68) Olson, "Personal Identity" (Schneider 69-90) Parfit, "Divided Minds and the Nature of Persons" (Schneider 91-8) |
R, 9-5 |
film Blade Runner (118 minutes, 1982) Students with last names beginning with A-M watch Blade Runner Screening: Arts & Sciences 353, R, 8-29, 5:00-7:00 p.m. Students with last names beginning with N-Z watch Dark City Screening: Arts & Sciences 364, T, 9-3, 5:00-6:45 p.m. film criticism Knight and McKnight, "What Is It to Be Human? Blade Runner and Dark City" (Sanders 21-39) |
|
Week 4 |
T, 9-10 |
philosophy Kurzweil, "Who Am I? What Am I?" (Schneider 99-103) Huemer, "Free Will and Determinism in Minority Report" (Schneider 104-13) Goldman, excerpt from "The Book of Life: A Thought Experiment" (Schneider 114-6) |
R, 9-12 |
film Total Recall (113 minutes, 1990) Screening: Arts & Sciences 340B, T, 9-10, 5:00-7:00 p.m. film criticism Biderman, "Recalling the Self: Personal Identity in Total Recall" (Sanders 39-54) |
|
Week 5 |
T, 9-17 |
philosophy Schneider, "Part III: Mind: Natural, Artificial, Hybrid, and 'Super'" (Schneider 117-8) Asimov, "Robot Dreams" (Schneider 119-24) Clark, "A Brain Speaks" (Schneider 125-9) Clark, "Cyborgs Unplugged" (Schneider 130-45) |
R, 9-19 |
film Frankenstein (70 minutes, 1931) Screening: Arts & Sciences 340, T, 9-17, 5:00-6:15 p.m. McMahon, "The Existential Frankenstein" (73-90) |
|
Week 6 |
T, 9-24 |
philosophy Kurzweil, "Superintelligence and Singularity" (Schneider 146-70) Chalmers, "The Singularity: A Philosophical Analysis" (Schneider 171-224) Schneider, "Alien Minds" (Schneider 225-42) In Class Activity: A Superintelligent Artificial Activity about the Singularity and Alien Minds |
R, 9-26 |
No Class: Hurricane Helene |
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Week 7 |
T, 10-1 |
|
R, 10-3 |
philosophy Schneider, "Part IV: Ethical and Political Issues" (Schneider 243-4) Annas, "The Man on the Moon" (Schneider 245-59) Schneider, "Mindscan: Transcending/the Human Brain" (Schneider 260-76) Leslie, "The Doomsday Argument" (277-8) In Class Activity: Debating the Ethics of Technology and Enhancement |
|
Week 8 |
T, 10-8 |
philosophy Anderson, "Asimov's 'Three Laws of Robotics' and Machine Metaethics" (Schneider 290-307) film The Day the Earth Stood Still (92 minutes, 1951) Screening: Arts & Sciences 340B, R, 10-3, 5:00-6:45 p.m. Skoble, "Technology and Ethics in The Day the Earth Stood Still" (Sanders 91-102) |
R, 10-10 |
philosophy Bostrom, "The Control Problem" [Excerpts from Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies"] (Schneider 308-330) Recommended: Asimov, "The Last Question" (Schneider 279-89) film Metropolis (149 minutes, 1927) Screening: Arts & Sciences 340B, T, 10-8, 5:00-7:30 p.m. Abrams, "The Dialectic of Enlightenment in Metropolis" (Sanders 153-70) |
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Week 9 |
T, 10-15 |
No Class: Fall Break |
R, 10-17 |
philosophy Golumbia, "Games without Play" (GeorgiaVIEW) Roesler, "The Self in Cyberspace: Identity Formation in Postmodern Societies and Jung's Self as an Objective Psyche" (GeorgiaVIEW) |
|
Week 10 |
T, 10-22 |
Golub, "Being in the World (of Warcraft): Raiding, Realism, and Knowledge Production in a Massively Multiplayer Online Game" (GeorgiaVIEW) Jiang, "'I Never Know What to Expect': Aleatory Identity Play in Fortnite and Its Implications for Multimodal Composition" (GeorgiaVIEW) |
R, 10-24 |
film Invasion of the Body Snatchers (80 minutes, 1956) Screening: Arts & Sciences 340B, T, 10-22, 5:00-6:30 p.m. Sanders, "Picturing Paranoia: Interpreting Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (Sanders 55-72) |
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Week 11 |
T, 10-29 |
Derecho, "Archontic Literature: A Definition, a History, and Several Theories of Fan Fiction" (GeorgiaVIEW) Lamerichs, "Stranger Than Fiction: Fan Identity in Cosplay" (GeorgiaVIEW) |
R, 10-31 |
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Week 12 |
T, 11-5 |
|
R, 11-7 |
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Week 13 |
T, 11-12 |
2001: A Space Odyssey (160 minutes, 1968) Screening: Arts & Sciences 340B, T, 11-5, 5:00-7:40 p.m. Stoehr, "2001: A Philosophical Odyssey" (Sanders 119-34) In Class Activity: 2001: An Odyssey of Food, Sound, and Philosophy |
R, 11-14 |
film Screening: Arts & Sciences 340B, T, 11-12, 5:00-6:40 p.m. film criticism Woolfolk, "Disenchantment and Rebellion in Alphaville" (Sanders 191-206) |
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Week 14 |
T, 11-19 |
Writing and Conferencing Day |
R, 11-21 |
Learning Beyond the Classroom Roundtable Discussion |
|
Week 15 |
T, 11-26 |
Schneider, "Part V: Space and Time" (Schneider 331-2) Bradbury, "A Sound of Thunder" (Schneider 333-42) Sider, "Time" (Schneider 343-56) Lewis, "The Paradoxes of Time Travel" (Schneider 357-69) Deutsch and Lockwood, "The Quantum Physics of Time Travel" (Schneider 370-83) Recommended: Hanley, "Miracles and Wonders: Science Fiction as Epistemology" (Schneider 384-92) |
R, 11-28 |
No Class: Thanksgiving Holiday |
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Week 16 |
T, 12-3 |
film The Terminator (108 minutes, 1984) Screening: Arts & Sciences 340B, T, 11-26, 5:00-6:50 p.m. Holt, "Terminator-Fear and the Paradox of Fiction (135-52) |
R, 12-5 |
film 12 Monkeys (130 minutes, 1995) Screening: Arts & Sciences 340B, T, 12-3, 5:00-7:10 p.m. film criticism Devlin, "Some Paradoxes of Time Travel in The Terminator and 12 Monkeys" (Sanders 103-18) |
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Finals |
R, 12-12 |
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F, 12-13 |