Honors Seminar 200-0006: Biology in the
Movies (2 credits): Course Syllabus
Instructor: Dr. Christopher Rose
Office hours: Mon 1-4, Fri 8:30-10:30. Look for me in my lab if I am not in my
office. If you cannot attend at these times, email to make an appointment in
one of the following time periods: Mon before 10, Tues 12-1 or after 2:30,
Thurs after 12 or all of Friday.
Office: Burruss 213 Lab:
Burruss 339
Phone: 568-6666 email:
rosecs@jmu.edu
Course webpage:
http://csm.jmu.edu/biology/rosecs/HonsBioMovies3.html
Adding/dropping class: Policy and deadlines can be found at http://www.jmu.edu/syllabus/
Disabilities: Policy and deadlines can be found at http://www.jmu.edu/syllabus/
Attendance policy: Since this class is based largely on
discussion and watching movies, attendance is mandatory. Failure to
attend two classes without valid excuses will result in a reduction of your
final grade by one letter; this policy is cumulative.
General description:
Science
as an institution is highly trusted by society, and viewed as the primary means
to improve our daily lives and save us from disasters, disease and the ravages
of old age. At the same time, scientific theories, breakthroughs, and
predictions are often treated at best with misunderstanding and doubt, and at
worst with mistrust and emotional recoil. Part of this paradox can be
attributed to popular culture. Hollywood has long exploited biology as a source
of bankable plot material. Novelists and filmmakers frequently capitalize on
the publicity generated by recent scientific discoveries to produce books and
movies with science-based plots that are timely, engaging, and at some level
credible to an increasingly aware public. Because of their mass appeal, such
books and movies play a significant role as disseminators of scientific
information and misinformation. This course uses Hollywood movies and novels as
a starting point for understanding scientific phenomena from a scientist's
point of view and for appreciating the forces that shape the public
understanding and perception of that science.
This
lecture and discussion course will focus on biological phenomena selected from
the following: cell and gene-level modifications of animals and humans,
genetically modified foods, cloning, genetic engineering and designer babies,
evolution theory, evolutionary history of life, human evolution, humans and the
environment, humans and disease, artificial intelligence, extraterrestrial life
and intelligence, human sexuality, alternate conceptions of life/organism
design, consciousness and perception of reality, and science, health and public
policy. These phenomena will be researched and discussed with five goals in
mind.
Goals:
1. for students to gain an informed
and accurate understanding of each scientific phenomenon and to learn how and
why the particular science is done or is important from the scientists'
viewpoint.
2. for students to critically
evaluate the relationship between the real world science and the way that
science is portrayed in movies and novels. This requires students to research
the additional information that would be necessary to support or understand the
scientific event, theory, process, etc. as portrayed in movies, or to expose
the theoretical flaws or technical limitations that would make it
impossible. This research might
also reveal previously unappreciated parallels between the fictional and real
world science.
3. for students to appreciate movies
as a form of rhetoric, i.e., a narrative device that impacts how the viewer
thinks about and responds emotionally to the science being conveyed. The course
will consider how science is portrayed in movies in terms of the amount,
accuracy and plausibility of scientific information conveyed, the objectives of
the science, and the net balance between positive and negative outcomes for
society in general. It will also consider how scientists are portrayed in terms
of character, motivation, ethics, and value judgments, and their ability to
control their science and exploit it for its intended purposes.
4. for students to develop
interdisciplinary research skills by searching for, critically analyzing and
synthesizing information from peer-reviewed papers and texts in biology,
sociology, bioethics and media journals.
5. for students to enhance their oral communication and creative
writing skills by producing a research presentation and paper on a topic of
their choice that integrates material from the fields of natural science,
social science and/or humanities and that demonstrates some ability to
synthesize information into an original perspective, thesis or point of view.
Course structure:
The
course is introduced with the professor demonstrating the format for student
presentations with discussions on the topics of cellular chimeras and genetic
engineering in human society.
The body of the course to have students work either individually
or in pairs to develop research projects that will culminate in presentations
and papers. This occurs in multiple steps: selecting a biological topic,
meeting with the professor to develop a focus for the topic, selecting a number
of movies (usually one to six depending on the topic), generating an outline of
subtopics and research strategies (including what you want to learn from
watching the movies), and then proceeding to do the research, write a paper and
give a presentation on the topic and its portrayal in popular culture. Students
are encouraged to incorporate ideas and information from other forms of popular
culture (art, novels, comics, mythology, history) into their discussions.
Students are also encouraged to design and carry out their own surveys for
registering the impact of watching movies on the public understanding of
science. Topics and movies are chosen in consultation with the professor, and
the professor assists in generating an outline of subtopics and research
activities. The professor also helps provide the scientific background needed
for all students to understand the relevant concepts before or during the class
discussions. Presentations will involve showing parts of one or more movies (60
minutes are available per student) on Tuesdays, and oral presentation plus
class discussion (30 minutes are available per student) on Thursdays.
The
course concludes with lectures/discussions on the nature of science and
scientists as they are portrayed in movies and literature, and how this
portrayal might influence the public opinion and understanding of science.
Lecture and film schedule:
|
Wk |
Tues, Thurs |
lecture topic or film on Tuesday |
lecture topic or film on Thursday |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
Jan 10, 12 |
Introduce course, hand out (questionnaireIntro) |
Professor
gives background lecture on Introduction
to Genetics and Developmental Biology |
|
2 |
Jan. 17, 19 |
View 1958 version of The Fly (questionnaireFLY1958) |
Professor leads class
discussion of Reconstructing
life: cellular chimeras |
|
3 |
Jan. 24, 26 |
View GATTACA (questionnaireGATTACA) |
Professor leads class
discussion of Genetic
engineering in human society |
|
4 |
Feb. 31, 2 |
Class brain-storming of presentation
topics and relevant films, novels, and other sources |
Students select topics, and
meet with professor to develop research objectives, make film choices and
order/locate movies. Guide
for researching and preparing your presentation and paper |
|
5 |
Feb. 7, 9 |
View film 3. |
Professor leads class
discussion of film 3. |
|
6 |
Feb. 14, 16 |
ASSESSMENT DAY |
Student/groups meet with
professor to discuss progress made on research objectives and movies viewed,
and to finalize research plans. |
|
7 |
Feb. 21, 23 |
Student film viewing Day 1:
Alicia: organ transplants |
Student presentation Day 1 |
|
8 |
Feb. 28, Mar 1. |
Student film viewing Day 2:
Sarah: ET intelligence |
Student presentation Day 2, Progress
reports are due. |
|
9 |
Mar. 6, 8 |
SPRING BREAK |
SPRING BREAK |
|
10 |
Mar. 13, 15 |
Student film viewing Day 3:
Taylor and Silken: alternate realities |
Student presentation Day 3 |
|
11 |
Mar. 19, 22 |
Student film viewing Day 4: Lauren:
cloning |
Student presentation Day 4 |
|
12 |
Mar. 27, 29 |
Student film viewing Day 5:
Carl: disease |
Student presentation Day 5 |
|
13 |
Apr. 3, 5 |
Student film viewing Day 6:
Andrew: AI |
Student presentation Day 6, Assigned
reading will be given out. |
|
14 |
Apr. 10, 12 |
Class discussion on how
science is portrayed in films. Assigned reading will be given out. Research
papers are due. |
Class discussion on how
scientists are portrayed in films. |
|
15 |
Apr. 17, 19 |
Students view an unidentified
movie in class |
Students write an in-class
essay on unidentified movie |
|
16 |
Apr. 24, 26 |
Class discussion on
unidentified movie and class debate on whether the representation of science in
popular cultures matters for the future of society. |
Discussion of class essays and review |
|
|
April 31-May 4 |
Exam |
|
Course time and place: Class meets on Tuesday 9:30-10:45 if no movie
and 9:30-11:30 if movie, and on Thursday 9:30-10:45 in Miller G029.
Questionnaires and reading assignments: For the introductory class and first two
films, students are required to complete a questionnaire and hand it in to me
before the next class period or immediately following the screenings. Reading
assignments will be handed out on the class day before the day of discussion.
Students might be asked to complete a small writing assignment based on the
reading, which will be due on the day of discussion.
Recommended (but not required) texts:
"From Faust to Strangelove:
Representations of the Scientist in Western Literature," by Roslynn Haynes
"The Science of Jurassic
Park" by Rob Desalle and David Lindley
"The Biology of Science
Fiction Cinema" by Mark C. Glassy
"Fantastic Voyages:
Learning Science Through Science Fiction Films" by Leroy W. Dubeck, Suzanne E. Mosher, and Judith E. Boss
"Hollywood Science, Movies,
Science and the End of the World" by Sidney Perkowitz
Grading and exams: Grades will be based on the research
progress report (10%), research presentation and research essay (40%), an
individual in-class essay based on an unidentified film (10%), class
participation (10%), questionnaires and reading assignments (5%), and a final exam
(25%). The exam will test basic understanding of concepts and ideas raised by
the films, class discussions, student presentations and readings.
Grading of student research activity,
progress report, presentation and essay: Each student is required to work individually or with a
maximum of one other student to research the treatment of a particular
scientific topic in movies and develop their research into a 25 minute (per
student) presentation plus class discussion and a 10+ page double spaced essay
on their topic. The decision to research, write and present a topic as a group
is entirely up the student. Students who choose to proceed as a group are also
choosing to accept the risks and limitations inherent to group activities at
the start of their commitment and the professor is not responsible for groups
encountering problems of divisiveness, unbalanced individual performances, or
difficulties coordinating activities. Essays done by groups should be at least
15 pages long, but need not be 20 or 30 pages long. The content and format of
both presentation and paper will be developed in consultation with the
professor. Students are expected to view the minimum number of movies deemed
appropriate by the professor for their choice of topic. Students/groups will
choose one or more film excerpts totaling no more than 40 minutes per student
to show in the Tuesday class period before their presentation. Students/groups
are strongly
encouraged to be creative with their presentation formats, e.g., have
class debates or panel discussions on key issues, to incorporate ideas and
information from other forms of popular culture (art, novels, comics,
mythology, history) into their discussions, and to design and carry out their
own surveys for registering the impact of watching movies on the public
understanding of science. The early development of the presentation and paper
will be graded on the basis of preparedness for the two meetings with the
professor scheduled during class time and a two page progress report received
by March 3 that provides evidence of the thought and research activities
undertaken during the first four weeks.
The final presentation and paper will be graded collectively on the
basis of 1/ research effort, 2/ organization and style of oral and written
communication, 3/ depth and breadth of coverage of the relevant scientific
information, 4/ how well the objectives established for the topic are met, and
5/ ability to develop an original perspective, point of view, or thesis.
Presentations and papers are graded collectively to
accommodate the differences in time available for students to prepare
presentations and to respond in papers to comments raised during presentations.
If necessary, within-group performances will be also graded using a
within-group peer evaluation system.
Final letter grades: will be assigned using the standard
numerical scale (e.g., > 90 = A, 80-89 = B, etc.). Grades of WP and WF will
not be given out in this class.
To access movies for research projects: Students are requested to check in this
order the following sources: the professor (if I do not already own it and if
you ask early enough, I might order it for the course), the JMU library
(students can borrow movie DVDs and vidoetapes for 2
days), the Harrisonburg City library, rental boxes, and Netflix if you have a
membership. To see what movies are available from the professor and the JMU
library,
click here.
Missed classes, exams and deadlines: If you have a valid excuse
(school-recognized religious observation; official school business; job, court
or graduate school interview; sickness with doctor’s note; death or serious
illness in family) for missing a class, exam or assignment deadline, contact me
by email at least three days before the date in question and you will either be
given an extension or make-up exam or have your grade calculated on the basis
of the remaining evaluations. If you do not have a valid excuse or fail to contact me three days
before the date, your grade will be zero. Failure to attend two classes
without valid excuses will result in a reduction of your final grade by one letter;
this policy is cumulative. Students who miss class are expected to come to
office hours to make up the missed material.
Inclement weather policies: Missed classes and labs will be made up at times to be announced at the next class
meeting. On days when the start of school is delayed past the start of a class,
the professor will announce by email whether the remainder of the class will
still be held as scheduled.
Religious observation accommodations: Policy and deadlines can be found at http://www.jmu.edu/syllabus/.
Honor Code: All students are expected to be familiar
with and abide by the JMU Honor
Code (http://www.jmu.edu/honor/code.shtml). Forms of academic dishonesty
include cheating on tests or homework, lending your work to another person to
submit it as his or her own, reporting false data, selling or uploading
unauthorized documents from a class, deliberately creating false information on
a works cited or reference page; and plagiarism, presenting another person’s
writing, ideas or results as your own, whether intentional or not. Work
submitted for this course must be your own and written
for this course. To avoid plagiarism in writing, paraphrased and quoted
materials must be properly cited in the text and referenced in the bibliography
(see above); unnecessary or excessive use of cited direct quotations will be
penalized; use of uncited direct quotations will be
treated as plagiarism.
Consult the following websites
for information on educational rights and privacies:
The Family Educational Rights
and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974