Syllabus - Religion in Science Fiction
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE HUMANITIES COLLOQUIUM
Course Description: Students will read, analyze and discuss significant works in the humanities. Works included in the course make an enduring contribution to our understanding of the human condition and come primarily from the fields of literature, history and philosophy. Required of all Butler students.
Goals of the Course: The chief goal of this course is to give students practice and instruction in reading. The course will accomplish this by engaging students in the reading of important works in the humanities, chiefly literature, history, philosophy, religion, and the arts. By inviting students to enter into sustained analysis of these works, the course seeks to broaden students’ knowledge and cultivate the habits of critical reading and life-long learning. To promote critical reading, the course will use a seminar rather than lecture format, emphasizing vigorous discussion and analytic writing. The course will be writing-intensive, including at least three formal essays on the works under consideration. A final goal for this course is to encourage students to think for themselves and to express their own ideas in response to the texts under study.
In order to aid students in the development of their reading, the course seeks to advance skills in the following areas:
1. Critical reading.
2. Critical response, both written and oral.
3. Thesis-based arguments.
4. Synthesizing and documenting primary and secondary sources.
Course work:
1) Students are to undertake a 'translation' of a passage from the sacred Scriptures or other important writing of a traditional Earth religion. If the student is the member of a particular religious community, it may be done in terms of 'sharing one's own faith'; if not, it may be done as if the student is a human anthropologist sharing information with an interested non-human. The student is to take the passage in question (from the Bible, the Qur'an, the Talmud, St. Augustine, the Tao Te Ching, etc.) and write it out in such a way as to make the text intelligible to someone from an alien culture, totally unfamiliar with Earth's history, beliefs, and customs. Remember that even basic words and concepts such as 'God', as well as all references to human culture, customs, flora and fauna, etc. will need to be explained. For this reason, the 'translation' will be accompanied by a brief commentary on the passage for the audience in question. To make it that little bit more difficult, make sure that in the passage translated there is at least one word for which no equivalent exists in the language and culture of the person you are translating it for. (Enthusiasts who have some knowledge of linguistics or feel up to the challenge may feel free to actually translate the text into an imaginary alien language such as Klingon, should they so wish.)
2) A second project will be to write a piece of original short science fiction (broadly defined) of roughly 5 pages in length, which also deals with a religious theme (again, broadly understood - the religious relevance may be implicit rather than explicit). Examples will be posted on the course web page.
3) Students are also to keep a reading journal for all the books read, in which they summarize and reflect on what they have read each day. These will be collected at the end of the semester. However, they are to be brought with you to every class, for 2 reasons. First, they will help you gather your thoughts and remember what you read, thus facilitating classroom discussion. Second, if someone appears to be unprepared for class or does not participate in discussion, I may collect the journal. If this shows that the required reading has not been done, the student in question will lose 1 point for participation and 2 for the journal from their final grade. Students taking this course are required to read relatively less than is often required in humanities colloquia, and thus I feel justified in expecting students to read and reflect on the assigned readings. Questions for reflection and discussion can be found on this page.
4) The student is to write an extended review-essay on any one science fiction novel that deals with religious themes. The following are the novels we shall be reading this semester:
Russell, Mary Doria, The Sparrow, New York: Fawcett Columbine, 1996. ISBN: 0449912558
Russell, Mary Doria, Children of God, New York: Fawcett, 1998. ISBN: 044900483X
Sawyer, Robert J., Calculating God, New York: TOR, 2000. ISBN: 0812580354
5) The term paper will be a typical research paper on one of the following topics:
a. Science fiction as a forum in which ethical issues we may face in the future can be explored in the present.
b. The implications the discovery of extraterrestrial life would have on the beliefs and doctrines of a human religion of your choice.
c. Do you think life forms on other planets would have similar beliefs to human ones about things like God and ethics? Explain & defend your answer.
d. Do you think science fiction can provide a mythology for our age? Might new stories ever replace older religious ones? Explain & defend your answer.
N.B. Other topics can be proposed, but only in consultation with the professor. The term paper is due before Spring Break. They will be graded and returned, after which time students will have the opportunity to re-write them. Only the grade for the revised version will count towards the final grade.
6) Classroom discussion is central to the learning experience in this course, and it is for this reason that attendance and participation make up part of the final grade. Science fiction is neither simply literature about the future nor about things that are strictly scientific. Like all fiction, the stories read this semester provide windows onto important issues and mirrors to help us reflect on them and on ourselves. The stories will provide us with our starting point, but our discussions are free to move in the directions that interest you. Do keep in mind that the classroom is a place for learning. Genuinely expect others to learn from your own thoughts and questions; be equally sure that you have things to learn from them.
With these aims in view, each student must make at least one classroom presentation on a theme related to the readings and/or the day's topic. The presentation will last 5-10 minutes, will be coherently and logically formulated, and will present a problem or raise issues in such a manner as to stimulate classroom discussion. A written version is to be handed in to the professor on the day of the class in question. Students may feel free to use handouts, powerpoint and any other media they find helpful.
The following points represent key things that will be looked for in all your written work:
1) Intellectual honesty: All written work must be your own. If you use someone else's words, there must be quotation marks and a footnote indicating this (see the links I have provided on my home page at http://blue.butler.edu/~jfmcgrat/ ). Simply changing a few words is not good enough. You must put ideas in your own words; and even then, if the idea is someone else's, you must still provide a footnote or other reference. If you plagiarize you will get a zero grade for the assignment with no opportunity to redo it. If you plagiarize a second time you will fail the class. Intellectual honesty is of more fundamental importance than anything you will learn by taking this class.
2) Critical thinking: How you think is infinitely more important to me than what you think. You will gain no points by agreeing with me, and lose none by disagreeing. What matters is how you argue your case, and that you examine critically not only the views of others, but also your own views. Coupled with the need for critical thinking is a need for:
3) Fairness: You must understand the views of others, even if you disagree with them. Treat their views the way you would like your own viewpoints to be treated. Again, whether you agree or disagree with an author's viewpoint is completely up to you. But you must understand what he or she says, and not merely in a superficial manner. Recent (postmodern) thought may emphasize that none of us can claim to be objective: we all have a viewpoint, and we all have assumptions and biases. But this need not mean that we are incapable of interacting with the views of others in a manner that is fair.
4) Breadth of reading, reflection, and interaction with scholarly writings: Your view and opinion are important; in fact, your ability to evaluate different viewpoints and then draw your own conclusions will make the difference between B+ or A- work and A work. On the other hand, a university essay is not simply your reflections. You must find out what others have to say, and relate your conclusions to theirs. To simply reference one or two books or articles (or worse, one or two web pages) will not be adequate. The best research papers will combine in-depth research with creativity and originality. Please also note that, although I have sought to make available to you the highest quality of online resources via the course web page, online reading is rarely if ever sufficient for writing a college-level paper. Unless you are certain you have access to complete online articles and books by authors who deal with topics in a scholarly manner, you should use web-based resources with caution.
5) Although it should not be necessary to specify this, all work submitted must be typed and must be in appropriate English (i.e. correct spelling and punctuation, no IM abbreviations). What you are trying to say is important, but it will not count for much if your ideas are not communicated clearly and intelligibly. A good idea might be to have a study partner or other individual who can proofread your work, in some form of reciprocal arrangement. Getting critical feedback prior to handing work in will also very likely contribute to you receiving a higher grade.
Please also note that, since this course is writing-intensive, there is NO FINAL EXAMINATION.
GRADE:
Attendance & participation: 5%
Translation [Project 1]: 20% [Due Friday, February 7th]
Original Fiction [Project 2]: 20% [Due Friday, February 21st]
Reading Journal [Project 3]: 10% [Due on Friday, April 25th]
Review essay [Project 4]: 15% [Due on Monday, April 28th, the last day of class]
Term Paper [Project 5]: 30% [Due Wednesday, March 12th – then to be rewritten and submitted by Wednesday, April 16th]
PROVISIONAL READING, WRITING & DISCUSSION SCHEDULE
Each week we will begin on Monday by discussing a particular theme or topic, as indicated by the schedule below. There will generally be a short story or article to be read in connection with the topic. As a rule, on Wednesdays and Fridays we will discuss the readings from the novels. PLEASE NOTE that the readings listed below are to be read PRIOR TO the date specified.
Week 1:
M: Introduction
W: TOPIC - The shift from modern to postmodern views of religion [Star Trek]; READ: McGrath, "Religion But Not As We Know It"; The Sparrow pp.1-42
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: Who do you think would be likely to represent Earth in the first contact with intelligent fe on another planet? Why do you think Russell chose the Jesuits? How likely do you feel this would be in the present age? Did you find the author's decision to keep moving back and forth between the 'present' and the 'past' helpful or confusing?
F: READ: The Sparrow pp.43-88
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: In view of the fact that it was written in 1996, before 9/11/2001, were you surprised the author foresaw a world in which 'the Jihad' has led to increased security in America and Europe? Many sci-fi stories from less than 20 years ago already seem dated, envisioning a future in which the Soviet Union still exists, for example. How different could the future be ten years from now? Is it possible that the United States might no longer exist in anything like its present form? What did you think of the 'arrangement' that enabled Sofia Mendez to escape her dead-end, poverty-stricken situation? Is it immoral? Should it have been illegal?
Week 2:
M: Martin Luther King Day - No class
W: READ:The Sparrow pp.89-152
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: What do you think the first signal we detect from an alien culture might be? How likely is it that we could detect, let alone decipher, it? What do you think aliens would make of the signals that we have 'sent', or more accurately, been leaking into space? [Remember the scene from the movie Contact...] So far, what are your thoughts about Russell's treatment of religious themes?
F: READ:The Sparrow pp.153-185
Week 3:
M: TOPIC - Myths and stories for a scientific age [Star Wars]; READ Wilkinson, 'Star Wars' article.
W: READ: The Sparrow pp.186-229
QUESTION FOR REFLECTION: "On p. 201 of The Sparrow, Marc cites the Jewish sages' assertion that "God dances when his children defeat him in argument, when they stand on their feet and use their minds." Do you agree? How is this assertion related to the task of theology? Put another way, does Marc here give a good theological reason for us to continue to ask the difficult questions, to try on new images of God and humanity, etc.? What are the risks of this view?" (Faith Hawkins).
F: READ: The Sparrow pp.230-263
QUESTION FOR REFLECTION: " On p. 233, Emilio suggests that as a linguist, he studies language both for its meaning and for what it reflects about the social structures, beliefs, and political status of those who speak it (in this case, the Runa). In short, he argues that language means (or reveals) more than it says: for instance, the absence of words for "edges that separate things" reflects the social structure of the Runa, who seem not to value, understand, or believe in privacy. If this is true, then language we use about God reflects and is based in our social structures and political structures too (recall the example of theology in medieval times, which used the medieval model of the feudal lord and his serfs to describe the relationship between God and humanity). Consider one (non-medieval) example of this interrelationship: describe it, and address the benefits and disadvantages that result from considering the relationship of God and humanity in these terms." (Faith Hawkins).
Week 4:
M: READ: The Sparrow pp.264-298
W: READ: The Sparrow pp.299-330
F: READ: The Sparrow pp.330-384
Week 5:
M: READ: The Sparrow pp.385-405.
QUESTION FOR REFLECTION: "Consider the relationship between the Runa and the Jaan'ata: is it ethical? unethical? What does it suggest about relations between different species in our own context?" (Faith Hawkins).
W: TOPIC - First Contact; READ: Sanders, "The Word to Space" [Contact]
F: READ: CoG pp.3-40
Week 6:
M: TOPIC - The future of science and challenges to traditional faiths; READ: Bradbury, "Christus Apollo", Meynell, "Christ in the Universe"
W: READ: CoG pp.41-84
F: READ: CoG pp.85-112
Week 7:
M: TOPIC - Evangelizing Aliens? READ: Bradbury, “The Fire Balloons”; Harrison, “The Streets of Ashkelon”
W: READ: CoG pp.113-148
F: READ: CoG pp.149-203
Week 8:
M: TOPIC - Universal human, animal, and alien rights? READ: Ruse, "Is rape wrong on Andromeda?"
W: READ: CoG pp.204-250
F: READ: CoG pp.251-280
[SPRING BREAK]
Week 9:
M: TOPIC - Truth, Pluralism & Postmodernism; READ: CoG pp.281-308; watch an episode of the X-Files
W: READ: CoG pp.309-331
F: READ: CoG pp.333-363
Week 10:
M: TOPIC: Artificial Intelligence - Will androids go to church? If there is eternal life, will they have a part in it?; READ "Gus"; Sennett & Wildman, "Requiem" [A.I.; Star Trek The Next Generation (Data)]
W: CoG pp.364-404 [Class will not meet March 26th - Dr. McGrath is attending a conference]
F: CoG pp.364-405 [Class will not meet March 28th - Dr. McGrath is attending a conference]
QUESTION FOR REFLECTION: 'How do the assumptions (religious, social, political, ethical) of the travelers to Rakhat shape their interpretation of events and cultures there? Cite specific examples, and consider both the advantageous and disadvantageous results.' (Faith Hawkins).
Week 11:
M: TOPIC - The Universality of Truth; READ: Farmer, “Prometheus”
W: READ: Calculating pp.11-59
F: READ: Calculating pp.60-103
Week 12:
M: TOPIC - Infinite God & finite gods in science fiction; READ: Card, 'Mortal Gods' [Q & Adonais in Star Trek; Contact, etc.]
W: READ: Calculating pp.105-147
F: READ: Calculating pp.149-179
Week 13:
M: TOPIC - The future of science and ethical challenges [Blade Runner, Gattaca, The 6th Day]
W: READ: Calculating pp.181-219
F: READ: Calculating pp.221-259
Week 14:
M: TOPIC - What is reality? Life forever in a virtual world? [The Matrix, Total Recall, Vanilla Sky, Star Trek: Generations]
W: READ: Calculating pp.261-334
F: T.B.A.
Reading Packet (available on e-reserve):
POETRY:
Ray Bradbury, "Christus Apollo"
Alice Meynell, "Christ in the Universe"
SHORT STORIES:
Card, Orson Scott, "Mortal Gods"
Sanders, Winston P., "The Word to Space"
Farmer, Philip Jose., "Prometheus"
Harrison, Harry, “The Streets of Ashkelon”
ESSAYS & ARTICLES:
McGrath, James, "Religion But Not As We Know It"
Ruse , Michael, "Is Rape Wrong on Andromeda?"
Wilkinson, David, "Some Alien Problems for God", ch.8 from Alone in the Universe?
Wilkinson, David, "Star Wars: A Battle Between the Cinema and the Church?", Plain Truth
General Bibliography:
Andreadis, Athena, To Seek Out New Life: The Biology of Star Trek, New York: Crown, 1998.
Caprio, Betsy, Star Trek: Good News in Modern Images, Kansas City: Sheed, Andrews & McMeel, 1978.
Crowther, Peter (editor), Mars Probes, New York: DAW, 2002.
Devereaux, Barbara, "New Life, New Creation: Star Trek as Modern Myth", in The Best of the Best of Trek, ed. Walter Irwin and G. B. Love, New York: ROC (Penguin), 1990, pp.160-170.
Dick, Steven, Many Worlds: The New Universe, Extraterrestrial Life and the Theological Implications, Philadelphia: Templeton Foundation, 2000.
Greeley, Andrew M. and Michael Cassutt (editors), Sacred Visions, New York: TOR, 1991.
Gregory, Chris, Star Trek: Parallel Narratives, New York: St. Martin's, 2000.
Hanley, Richard, The Metaphysics of Star Trek, New York: Basic Books (Harper Collins), 1997.
Kelly, Terence J. And Hilary S. Regan (editors), God, Life, Intelligence & the Universe, Adelaide: Australian Theological Forum, 2002.
Kraemer, Ross S., William Cassidy and Susan L. Schwartz, Religions of Star Trek, Boulder: Westview/Perseus, 2001.
Martin, Joel W. And Conrad E. Ostwalt, Jr. (editors), Screening the Sacred: Religion, Myth, and Ideology in Popular American Film, Boulder: Westview, 1995.
Porter, Jennifer E. and Darcee L. McLaren (editors), Star Trek and Sacred Ground: Explorations of Star Trek, Religion, and American Culture, Albany: State University of New York Press, 1999.
Richards, Thomas, The Meaning of Star Trek, New York: Doubleday, 1997.
Robinson, Kim Stanley (editor), Nebula Awards Showcase 2002, New York: ROC (Penguin Putnam), 2002.
Sagan, Carl, Contact, New York: Simon & Schuster, 1985.
Sennett, James F. And Wesley J. Wildman, "Requiem for an Android?", CrossCurrents 46:2 (1996), pp.195-220.
Wilkinson, David, Alone in the Universe? The X-Files, aliens and God, Downers Grove: IVP, 1987.
Wilkinson, David, The Power of the Force: The Spirituality of the Star Wars Films, Trafalgar Square, 2000.