Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Assignment #5: Authors and Essay #2

Following our class discussion, I've decided to read through the Lamarque text, but identify specific questions to direct our focus and conversations.  So, 


1. Read Chapter 3, Authors.  Focus:

A. What are the "personal" and "impersonal" conceptions of poetic/literary composition?

B. What are the positions of "anti-intentionalism" and "intentionalism" regarding the meaning or value of a literary work? (part 3 of chapter 3, skipping over "death of the author").

2. Compose a critical essay (or other form of writing) in which you attempt to define or comment on the effort to define literature as an art form. (Use the same parameters as essay #1).  Due: March 25.

3. Reminder: rewrites of essay #1 due: March 18.

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Essay #1

Compose a 2-3 pp. CRITO-based, argumentative essay following closely the guidelines as indicated in handout QA (which identifies the necessary components of a successful essay; namely, 1. the essay; 2. the outline for the essay; 3. a bibliography containing minimally one outside reference; and 4. two substantive, unanswered questions for class discussion).  (Review as necessary handouts CR1-CR3, and raise questions in class this coming Wednesday.)  

Alternatively, you may employ a different mode of presentation (fiction; dialogue; poetry, etc.).  Simply attach the other three components (i.e., outline, bibliography, and 2 questions) to the body of your creation.

Topic: Compare and/or contrast some specific element(s) of the two disciplines, philosophy and literature. Your work may be either descriptive (addressing actual or conventional practices) or prescriptive (addressing your understanding of the way we ought to compare/contrast the two), or some combination of the two approaches.

Due date: Monday, February 26. (I initially said Friday in class, forgetting that we do not meet on Fridays!)

Friday, February 2, 2024

Assignment #3: Between Philosophy and Literature

 1. For a slightly different take (from Lamarque's and Iris Murdoch's) on the relations between philosophy and literature, read:

Charles Johnson, "At the Crossroad of Philosophy and Literature":

At the Crossroad of Philosophy and Literature (jstor.org)

Optional: Megan Craig, "Narrative Threads: Philosophy as Story-telling":

https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5325/jspecphil.28.4.0438


Tuesday, January 16, 2024

Assignment #1: getting started

1. Read:
A. DKBJ's Handouts CL, QA, CR 1, 2, and 3.
B. Review course syllabus
2. Begin reviewing the Russian (Cyrillic) alphabet (see the link to the left, for example.)
3. Purchase text (MCLA bookstore)

повеселись!

("poveseleese"; have fun!)