First-Year Writing Seminar Spring- ENG 1111

Spring - 3 Credits

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English 1168 - In Pursuit of Health and Wellbeing: Changing Beliefs, Trends and Practices

This seminar traces the evolution of beliefs about health and wellness as well practices of mind and body discipline. Throughout the semester, we will be reading multi-genre texts that examine socio-cultural determinants of health and raise questions about agency and control in the doctor-patient relationship.

Since this is a writing intensive course, you will have to submit four formal essays in addition to shorter oral and written assignments.

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English 1111 - Lights, Camera, Writing: Understanding Human Behavior Through Film

Rodney Sharkey, PhD, Professor of English

Recent changes in the nature of academic study have seen it widen its scope to incorporate film and other aspects of popular culture. Such changes make it imperative for philosophers to take film seriously as an art form on a par with the traditional genres of literature and theatre. Guided by a set of readings selected from contemporary philosophy, this course will examine the aims and associated responsibilities of contemporary film in society. For example, the role of cinema and television in shaping societies’ mores will be examined through readings of McLuhan and Žižek, and corresponding analysis of the films Quiz Show and The Truman Show. ‘What is the nature of social justice?’ is another recurring question the course will ask.

At the same time, the course will endeavor to provide an overview of the dominant ideologies generated by the Western film industry so that its role as both a shaper of public opinion and a critical commentator on social consensus will become more apparent. Moreover, the course also aims to enrich students’ writing skills as the repeated scrutiny of film form will result in an increased emphasis on the importance of narrative structure. During the course, students will undertake a series of sequenced assignments, and their revision. One of these will be a major multi-sourced paper, designed to help them recognize the unifying ideas that structure writing about culture in general. As a result, and at the conclusion of the course, students will have acquired the critical tools for a long and rewarding self-development program in appreciating film and the visual and narrative arts.

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English 1164 - Humanistic Medicine

The human dimensions of medicine have been practiced since the times of Hippocrates and Ibn sina. In this writing intensive course, we will explore how humanism approaches medical topics such as disease philosophy, sociology and disease, medical ethics, and communication. Additionally, we will examine how art, literature, narrative, and drama can illuminate the medical profession, the patient experience of disease, and the training of healthcare professionals.

English 1111 - Speculative Horizons: Navigating Science Fiction's Philosophical Frontiers

Embark on a fascinating voyage of discovery to the frontiers where speculative narrative and philosophical inquiry converge. In this course, you will puzzle over philosophical questions posed in classical and contemporary science fiction: What is the nature of reality? Could we be in a computer simulation? Do we forge our destiny, or are we bound by the chains of fate? How do other minds - alien, android, robot, cyborg - illuminate our understanding of personal identity and cultural difference? Can we travel time and space without triggering paradoxes? Through vibrant discussions, close textual analysis, and thought-provoking assignments, you will sharpen your analytical thinking, hone your philosophical reasoning, and express your insights into the human condition.  

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