History of Thought Sylabus

History of Thought I
HTH 1001-41
Baty House
Kevin Kilroy      kkilroy@kcai.edu
 
History of Thought I explores significant texts from the ancient world through the European Enlightenment. Intended to provide artists with a shared intellectual vocabulary and a solid historical platform for understanding contemporary issues, this first course in the History of Thought sequence includes the study of foundational figures such as Plato, Sophocles, Confucius, Aquinas, Descartes, and Rousseau, contextualizes their thinking in the global history of ideas, and works towards a contemporary critique of their assumptions. History of Thought courses require intensive reading, writing, and discussion.
 
Combing Denis Diderot’s notion to create a new encyclopedia containing all intelligence for future generations and Socrates/Plato’s notion that humans should pursue the true definition of everything, over the next 15 weeks, we will be working to create The Encyclopédie of Ideal Forms.

We are going to lift up many historical texts to understand their thinking about specific concepts at that time—in history—and to further clarify our perspective on/understanding of these concepts themselves. Concepts such as Society, Morals, Government, Knowledge, God, War, Friendship, Economy, Ethics, Power.
 
Our work: We have 5 movements we will be working with: Religion, Greece, Rome, Renaissance, and Enlightenment. I have chosen A Portable Readercorresponding to each that gives us a wide selection of texts from these time periods/about these topics. You will choose approximately 10, 20, or 30 pages to read, analyze, and write about for each unit. If you choose 10, you will be striving for a C; if you chose 20, a B; 30, an A. More details on satisfactorily dealing with this reading are included in the organizational chart where you will write down your selections.  The nature of this course design is to allow you to choose according to your interests, for you to design your research, and manage your priorities. As artists, this is what you will do. You will set your course of research and you will guide it, tend to it, cultivate it. You will have freedom and autonomy, choice and accountability. I also believe that we pay closer attention and become more invested in our learning when we are making choices and when we have a sincere interest in the material.
 
Expected Learning Outcomes
                  - be able to read and comprehend difficult texts
                  - learn necessary vocabulary which circulates in artist’s, intellectual’s, and critic’s
                             circles
                  - gain understanding of critical perspectives and how they function as lenses 
                  - establish a rich connection between your creative practice and critical thinking
 
Required Texts:
Portable World Bible, Portable Enlightenment Reader, Portable Renaissance Reader, Portable Greek Reader, Portable Roman Reader
 
Required Materials:
Bring something to take notes on and bring your laptops on the days we are meeting 1-on-1/in small groups and the day the ELPS are due
 
Please be respectful and do not use your cellphone during class.
 
GRADES: 
IN ORDER TO PASS THIS CLASS, ALL WORK MUST BE SUBMITTED.
Encyclopédie of Ideal Forms 80%
In-class Engagement/Discussion/Participation 20%
Total 100%

GRADE BREAKDOWN
80% of grade is the Encyclopédie of Ideal Forms (EIF form here on) as satisfactorily designed and executed
 
Satisfactory means 

1. demonstrated reading comprehension in the Encyclopédie of ideal Forms
2. responded critically and intelligently through writing a definition of the corresponding ideal form
3. successfully collaborated in small groups and presented the reading to the teacher in 1-on-1 meeting
4. shown initiative and self-motivation—(key skills to success as an artist/21stcentury worker)
5. followed through and met deadlines as you designed  
6. engaged in classroom amendments to the Encyclopédie of Ideal Forms

 
10% reading and in class discussion  
Your grade will reflect your engagement with several assigned texts. We will do this to practice our reading comprehension, analysis, and critical response. Engage in the reading and bring that engagement to life in the class.  Listen, take notes, respond to other students, be respectful. 
 
10% Engagement with the entire EIF, the entries of your classmates, amendments etc.
Also, your grade will reflect your engagement with the Encyclopédie of Ideal Forms as it is an open and collaborative document which we will amend as needed. The EIF will be a google docthat I share with you, and all the EIF entries will be read by your classmates. At the last class of each unit we will take class time to discuss what was wrote and we will amend as necessary.
 
Attendance:
Attendance is crucial to this course.  We will be doing difficult reading and working together to understand it, as well as connect it to our artistic practices. We need to hear each other’s thoughts and offer our own. Show up to every class. If you miss 6 classes, then you automatically fail. It is up to you to keep track of your absences.
  
COURSE SCHEUDULE
 
Introduction
M 1/14 Homework: read Plato handout “Allegory of the Cave” & pps. 17 – 22 & 265 – 267 in the Portable Enlightenment Reader
 
W 1/16 Homework: choose readings for Self-guided Reading EIF Organization Chart  Read: Read Enlightenment pp 424 - 452

M 1/21 No Class
W 1/23 DUE: EIF Organization Chart
Homework: Read Enlightenment pp 480 – 515
 

Enlightenment
M 1/28 Homework: Read ~10 pages; be prepared to lead a discussion over them with me 1-on-1 and with your assigned group
 
W 1/30 Meet 1-on-1 and in groups to discuss self-chosen readings
 

M 2/4 Meet 1-on-1 and in groups to discuss self-chosen readings
W 2/6 Discuss The Enlightenment Era

Renaissance
M 2/11 DUEYour Enlightenment EIP entries 
Homework Read Renaissance pp527 – 540
W 2/13 Homework Read Renaissance pp589 - 607

M 2/18 Homework: Read ~10 pages; be prepared to lead a discussion
W 2/20 Meet 1-on-1 and in groups to discuss self-chosen readings

M 2/25 Meet 1-on-1 and in groups to discuss self-chosen readings
W 2/27 Discuss Renaissance
SPRING BREAK

(Rome)
Greece
 
World Religion
M 3/11 DUEYour Renaissance EIP entries 
Homework Read Rome648 -649 (just 2 pages!)
W 3/13 Head to the Nelson--Art and Thought
Homework Read Greek pp52 - 77

M 3/18 Homework Read Greek pp 470 - 499
 
W 3/20 Homework: Read ~10 pages; be prepared to lead a discussion 

M 3 /25 Meet 1-on-1 and in groups to discuss self-chosen readings
W 3/27 Meet 1-on-1 and in groups to discuss self-chosen readings

M 4/1 Discuss Greek thought
 
W 4/3 DUEYour Greece EIP entries are due

M 4/8 Screen: Confucius or Buddha film
Homework Read from World Bible The Upanishads 39 – 58
 
W 4/10 Homework Read: Read World Bible Genesis pp 235 - 265

M 4/15 Homework: Read ~10 pages; be prepared to lead discussion
 
W 4/17 Meet 1-on-1 and in groups to discuss self-chosen readings

M 4/22 Meet 1-on-1 and in groups to discuss self-chosen readings
 
W 4/24 Discuss role of religion in the history of thought

M 4/29 DUEYour Religion EIP entries are due
W 5/1


 
History of Thought 1
Self-guided reading
E.I.F. Organization Chart
Choose approximately 10 – 30 pages to read, analyze, and respond critically
~10 pages each unit = C                     ~20 each = B                            ~30 each = A
Grade assumes a satisfactory performance, as determined by teacher and criteria provided.
Note: you cannot choose any of the assigned readings 
(see course schedule)

Frist 10 pages (write titles)
Next 10 pages (write titles)
Final 10 Pages (write titles)

Enlightenment
Due Wed 2/6
 
 

Total number of pages:
 
Teacher’s Comments:

Renaissance
Due Mon 2/25
 
 

Total number of pages:
 
Teacher’s Comments:
 

Rome
Due Wed 3/20
 
 
 
 
Total number of pages:
 
Teacher’s Comments:
 

Greece
Due Mon 4/8
 
 

 
Total number of pages:
 
Teacher’s Comments:
 

Religion
Due Mon 4/29
 
 
 
Total number of pages:
 
Teacher’s Comments: