HUM 2210

Diogenes of Sinope

Alexander: "If I were not Alexander, I would rather be Diogenes."

Diogenes: "True freedom arises from realizing that if one wants nothing, then one will never lack anything."

Humanities 2210: Ancient World through the Renaissance

SFCC
Summer 2004
Instructor: Afshin Hafizi
Office hours: MWF 1:30-2:00, L-216
Email: mhafizi@english.ufl.edu

Course Description: HUM 2210 introduces the students to the dominant ideas and values in western culture as expressed in the literary, visual and performing arts as well as in philosophy and religion.

Course Objectives: after the completion of this course, the student should be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of artistic, literary, or cultural monuments and movements of the Western tradition up to the early modern period.
- Demonstrate some understanding of the historical, social, and political contexts of artistic, literary or cultural movements, i.e., the relationship between text and context
- Demonstrate some understanding of major values, belief systems and methods of communication in different periods of the western civilization up to the Renaissance.
- Demonstrate some ability to apply the acquired knowledge to new fields or empirical information.

Required Text: Matthews, Roy, T. and F. Dewitt Platt (eds.) The Western Humanities.
Volume I: Beginnings through the Renaissance. Fifth edition.

Grading Policy:

Attendance 10%
Exam I 15%
Exam II 15%
Exam III 15%
Cultural Event Paper I 15%
Cultural Event Paper II 15%
Final Exam 15%

Grading Scale:

A: For superior work with a forceful and compelling thesis, clearly and imaginatively written, devoid of grammatical and stylistic errors, thoughtfully organized, insightful, and creative.
A= 100-90

B: For quality work, substantive in argument and organization, with strong thesis and support, well organized and free from most technical errors, fairly well-polished and proofread.
B+ = 89-86,
B- = 85-80

C: For competent work, fulfills the assignment adequately, has clear thesis and some support, sufficiently organized, free from most technical errors, somewhat polished and superficially proofread.
C+ = 79-76
C- = 75-70

D: For inadequate work, unfocused and confusing, awkwardly written, ineffective thesis, and unpolished.
D + = 69-66
D- = 65-60

E: For unacceptable work, weak or confusing thesis, half-completed, irrelevant material, and no sense of organization or structure. E = 59 or bellow

Course Requirements:

- Exams: There will be three exams consisting of either objective or subjective questions (multiple choice and short essay format), or both. If you miss an exam, you can only retake it with proper medical documentations and only during the office hours. No exceptions.
- Cultural Events Papers: These are subjective reports of your experience attending a concert, play, movie, gallery exhibition, or other cultural experiences. The 1500-word Gordon Rule requirement for this course will be met partially through these papers. Satisfactory completion of this requirement is a prerequisite to successful completion of this course. Late submissions are reduced in grade (10% for two days delay, 20% for four days delay, submissions delayed for more than four days are not accepted).
- Final exam is general, cumulative and conceptual, covering the whole course.
- Attendance: Since the class provides additional information and enriches text materials through films, slides, lectures, and discussions, it is my expectation that students will attend every class.

Attendance Policy:
Since class attendance is important, the department of Humanities has mandated the following attendance policy: attendance equals 10 % of your final grade in this course (one full letter grade). A student with three absences will lose all attendance credit for this course. A student with 6 absences will automatically fail the course. There will be no distinction between excused and unexcused absences; if you're not here, you're not here. Simply plan your absences wisely. Also, if you are late for more than 15 minutes, you are absent for that class period.

Rules and Regulations:

1) The success of this class hinges on class participation. Individually, you are expected to participate regularly in ongoing discussions. If you do not speak in class, you will not receive an "A," no matter the quality of your written work.

2) All students are expected to honor their commitment to the academic's honor code. Unless otherwise indicated by the instructor in connection with class group work, all work must be individual. Evidence of collusion (working with another student or tutor not connected with the class), plagiarism (use of another's ideas, data, and/or statements without acknowledgment or with only minimal acknowledgment) or multiple submissions (submitting the same work for more than one class) will result in failing the course.

3) Each student is expected to show respect for diversity or opinions expressed during discussions and in drafts. Each student is also expected to balance the desire to express opinions with the recognition that other students in the class also desire to be heard. Also expected are respect for the gender, racial, and ethnic differences among students in public-supported institutions.

Week 1: The Mesopotamian Civilization

Presentation I

Presentation II

Exercise (click the "student edition," and then choose a chapter)