Logistics

Books

The following texts are on reserve at the library and available for purchase at the bookstore :

  • Jerry Brotton, A History of the World in 12 Maps
  • Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle, Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds
  • Martin Heidegger, The Question Concerning Technology and Other Essays
  • James Lovelock, Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth
  • Robert Poole, Earthrise: How Man First Saw the Earth
  • Whole Earth Catalog (1968)

Requirements

Fun!  Well, that's not a requirement, but I hope we'll have some.  To get started, go here.  Here are actual requirements. Attendance and class participation. Written responses to our readings.  A mini-essay/reflection. A mid-term essay.  A final project proposal.  And a final project.

Office Hours (Eliot 206, Thursday 2-4)

I’m very happy to meet with you!  If you’d like to talk, just stop on by during office hours.  The door is open.  I’m pretty good at helping people with their thinking, about class stuff and more generally.  If you have class for the duration of my office hours, I’m also happy to set up a separate appointment.

Important Due Dates

  • Response Assignments: 10pm Tuesday via Moodle to the conference.  No credit for late submissions!
  • Optional Mini-Essay/Reflection: 12pm Friday, September 20, via Moodle.
  • Mid-Term Essay:  12pm Friday, October 11, via Moodle.
  • Final Project Proposal: 12pm Friday, November 22, via Moodle.
  • Final Projects: 12 pm Wednesday, December 4, via Moodle, NO EXTENSIONS 

Extensions

No extensions on response assignments, essay proposals, and final projects, as they are time-sensitive.  I have indicated both the date and the time they are due.  Late = 1 minute after time due.

Getting in Touch

Email is best. I sometimes get inundated with email, so don’t feel shy about sending me a gentle reminder if you haven’t heard back within two days. Be sure to use your Reed email address. 

Social Media and Recording Policy

Perhaps the most important precondition for thinking is the freedom to take risks. To try on thoughts for size, to experiment with them, to see where they lead -- without knowing in advance. That can feel scary, especially if we are worried that what we say will wind up on social media, as such exposure can, unfortunately, lead to social ostracism. For that reason, if you feel the desire to share ideas you encountered in class online, I expect you will anonymize them -- nothing said or written in class should be attached (or attachable) to any specific person, including me. 

On a related note, if you find yourself upset by something said or discussed in class, I consider it a matter of honor (not to mention good for your learning) that you take it up in person, whether with your colleagues or with me, not online.

No recording.