ENGL228 - Social and Scientific Discovery in the Age of Milton

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Academic Year 2002/2003

Social and Scientific Discovery in the Age of Milton
ENGL 228 SP

The seventeenth century was an era of extraordinary crisis and discovery. Framing that period of the early Enlightenment long thought of as the "Scientific Revolution," it is also a moment in history in which political crises changed the way people thought about social issues. These revolutions changed the way in which people thought about the nature of human understanding, and thus had dramatic implications for literature and art. It is the aim of this interdisciplinary course to understand the relationship between these various realms of human understanding. We will read the central discoveries of civic philosophy and science as well as the great experimental literature, such as that of Milton and Marvell.

MAJOR READINGS

Thomas Kuhn, from THE STRUCTURE OF SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION
Steven Shapin, from THE SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION
Richard Rorty, from THE MIRROR OF NATURE
Rene Descartes, from MEDITATIONS ON METAPHYSICS
Galileo, from THE STARRY MESSENGER
Francis Bacon, NEW ORGANON
Thomas Hobbes, from LEVIATHAN
John Milton, AREOPAGITICA
John Milton, PARADISE LOST
Andrew Marvell, POEMS
Course Packet with selected poetry and art of the seventeenth century.

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

There are two papers and a final exam. There will also be frequent small written assignments and responses.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

Class attendance and participation is required. Because this is a seminar, each one of us is responsible for contributing to the class. Participation in class means sharing your ideas (by talking) and actively listening to others. Participation is worth 10% of your grade.

This course meets the English Department's pre-1800 requirement.

Unless preregistered students attend the first class meeting or communicate directly with the instructor prior to the first class, they will be dropped from the class list. NOTE: Students must still submit a completed Drop/Add form to the Registrar's Office.

COURSE FORMAT: Seminar

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UGRD Credit: 1 Gen Ed Area Dept: HA ENGL Grading Mode: Graded

Prerequisites: ENGL201

SECTION 01

Instructor(s): Fulton,Thomas C.

Times: .M.W... 02:40PM-04:00PM; Location: FISK116

Reserved Seats: (Total Limit: 19)

SR. major: 10 Jr. major: 9

SR. non-major: X Jr. non-major: X SO: X FR: X

Special Attributes:

Links to Web Resources For This Course.

Last Updated on MAR-18-2003