CRTW 201

Calendar for Spring 2010

Dr. Fike

 

Key:  PHF = Our Posthuman Future; N = Learning To Think Things Through; P = paper; Q = quadrant

 

 

Day

Date

For Class

Writing

 M

Jan. 11

Introduction to the course 

Activity:  Should WU have a football team?

Question:  What is CRTW 201 about?

Handout:  Dr. Bird's "How To Read Critically" (print and read; bring to next class)

 

 W

Jan. 13

Turn in a signed copy of the Student Contract

Read: “What Is Critical Thinking” (N 1-48):  always bring your N book to class.

 

 M

Jan. 18

MLK Day:  No class

 

 W

Jan. 20

Do this exercise on your own before class Exercise (intellectual, psychological, and practical impediments to this course)

Introduction to P1

Read:  “The Elements of Reasoning” (N 49-88)

Activity:  Fitting the elements to the classical argument

"How To Write the College Essay"

 

 M

Jan. 25

Paper 1 workshop (who will volunteer their papers for class discussion?)

 

 W

Jan. 27 

Paper 1 peer editing (you must bring a complete draft in order to participate); here is the handout

 

 M

Feb. 1

SEEI exercise

SEEI journal assignment.

 2:00 section:  P1 due

 W

Feb. 3 

Introduction to P2; read “Standards of Critical Thinking” (N 89-138 & 139-74)

Show and tell:  bring in objects that will spark discussion; also bring an analysis of it by the elements.  Show and Tell Exercise

 

 M

Feb. 8 

Activity:  Fallacy exercise:  Read and bring copies of http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/fallacies_list.html and http://www.winthrop.edu/wcenter/handoutsandlinks/fallacies.pdf

Handout: "The mad, mad world of liberal logic"

5:00 section:  P1 due 

 W

Feb. 10 

Urban myth exercise

Read and bring:  http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/blkidney.htm

Urban Myth Exercise Slide Show 

 

 M

Feb. 15 

Paper 2 workshop (volunteers?)

 SEEI journal due

 W

Feb. 17 

Paper 2 peer editing (you must bring a complete draft in order to participate); here is the handout

 

 M

Feb. 22 

Who Killed the Electric Car?

 P2 due

 W

Feb. 24 

Who Killed the Electric Car? Continued + by the elements:  handout

 

 M

Mar. 1 

UFO exercise; UFO Slide Show

 P2 Feedback

 W

Mar. 3 

What the Bleep?

 

 M

Mar. 8 

In-class self-assessment paper (you may use books and notes; bring a large bluebook)

 P3

 W

Mar. 10

Introduction to P4

Read and bring Wolfe, “Sorry, but Your Soul Just Died”:  http://www.orthodoxytoday.org/articles/WolfeSoulDied.php

Bring:  "The Logic of an Article" and "Wolfe Exercise"

Activate after class:  "Wolfe by the Elements"

 

 M

Mar. 15 

Spring break

 

 W

Mar. 17

Spring break

 

 M

Mar. 22

Read:  “A Tale of Two Dystopias” (PHF 3-17)

Activity:   http://youtube.com/watch?v=WuiaT0nX9ls&feature=related 

 

 W

Mar. 24

Read:  “Sciences of the Brain” (PHF 18-40)

Activity on multiple intelligences:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLLVYx0IPPU&feature=related

Exercise on PHF, chapters 1-2

 

 M

Mar. 29

Read:  “Neuropharmacology and the Control of Behavior” (PHF 41-56)

Activity:  Matt Lauer's interview with Tom Cruise:  http://youtube.com/watch?v=HwAaHbmF5S4; and Don McLean:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dipFMJckZOM

 Q1 presentation

 W

Mar. 31

Read:  “The Prolongation of Life” (PHF 57-71)

Activity:  Jack Kevorkian, http://youtube.com/watch?v=rrHIS9gi1UQ

 Q2 presentation

 M

Apr. 5

Read:  “Genetic Engineering” (PHF 72-83)

Activity:  Craig Venter, http://youtube.com/watch?v=iQ1VNEgcWE8;

Gattaca [youtube.com clip removed from internet]

 Q3 presentation

W

Apr. 7

Read:  “Why We Should Worry” (PHF 84-102)

Activity:  David Reimer, http://youtube.com/watch?v=QeSvkE9ZtHk

 Q4 presentation

M

Apr. 12

Internet Site Activity

Read PHF, chapters 7-9, if you want to. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=CA&hl=en&v=0_zA5Tcfp9c http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqSASu1Qqrg

 

W

Apr. 14

Lecture on Fukuyama

Read PHF, chapters 10-12, if you want to; it couldn’t hurt to bring this handout.

 

M

Apr. 19

Paper 4 workshop

 

W

Apr. 21

Paper 4 peer editing; handout on peer editing

 

M

Apr. 26

Last day of class: 

Course evaluation. 

Turn in your previous three papers and my comments (or photocopies of these documents).  This includes your midterm assessment (bluebook) essay. 

In class:  Write a letter to future students of this course.

 P4 due

 

 

Final examination:

  • Section 23:  Tuesday, May 4, 11:30 a.m.
  • Section 28:  Saturday, May 1, 11:30 a.m.
  • Travel plans or work schedules are not reasons to reschedule examinations.