PHIL 4800A
Philosophy, Comedy, and Film: An Exploration of Ethical Theory as Represented
in Comedic Film and Television 20899 Spring 2009
BC 2021
Class
meets TR 2:00pm-3:15pm
Dr. Christine James
Office: 110 Ashley Hall
Office Hours: TR 9:15am-11:00am, MW 3:15pm-4:45pm and after classes and by
appointment as needed.
Telephone: 259-7609
Mailbox: Philosophy Department
Office
Fax: 259-5011
E-mail address: chjames@valdosta.edu
Please note
that specific dates for readings and graded assignments in the syllabus may be
adjusted and updated throughout the semester. The latest version of the
syllabus will always be available at http://teach.valdosta.edu/chjames/PHICOMFILM2009.htm
Purpose and goals of the course: An examination of the role that
comedy plays in American culture, and the sense in which comedy reflects our
social context.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Philosophy courses at
http://www.valdosta.edu/academic/VSUGeneralEducationOutcomes.shtml
The Learning Outcomes for our PHIL
4800 are:
1. To understand the distinctions
among the various philosophical approaches to ethics, including the expression
of ethics by comedians, as an academic field.
2. To recognize how philosophical inquiry applies to ‘real-world’ circumstances and to specific case studies in specific films and television examples.
3. To become conversant with the history of comedy as a means for ethical and political commentary, as well as specific examples of the issues of race, class and gender as comedians expressed these differences.
4. To recognize and define different world views, adopting a reasonably viable one and justifying it in a philosophically informed way that emphasizes critical reasoning and argument.
5. To demonstrate the ability to discuss, in both oral and written discourse, the philosophical issues explored in the course.
6. To be familiar with what academic philosophy is, and to understand how it can be applied to daily life as well as specific careers.
Members of the faculty in Philosophy and Religious
Studies have verified that these outcomes are in line with the outcomes of the
course as it is taught at peer institutions in the State System of Georgia.
These course-specific learning outcomes
contribute to the departmental learning outcomes of the Philosophy and
Religious Studies Major by enabling students better to
1. To encourage an understanding of central
issues, topics and philosophers in the history of philosophy, from the ancient
to the modern periods.
2. To develop students’ abilities to think,
write, and speak critically and logically.
3. To enable students to challenge their own
ideas and to develop self-understanding in the context of a diverse range of
ideas which inform contemporary controversies and social conflict.
4. To enable students to engage in
independent philosophical research, and to be responsible for communicating
their understanding of the issues researched and developed, including a working
familiarity with current research methods.
5. To incorporate philosophical
positions in oral and written
6. To critically outline and analyze a
philosophical question.
Members of the faculty in Philosophy
and Religious Studies have verified that these outcomes are in line with the
outcomes of the course as it is taught at peer institutions in the State System
of Georgia.
Our materials are:
Blistein,
Elmer M. Comedy In Action (out of print, available in .pdf
format in schedule below)
Matthews,
Nicole. Comic Politics: gender in
Marc,
David. Comic Visions: Television Comedy and American Culture. Blackwell, 1997
1577180038
How grades will be calculated, major
graded items:
Class
Participation and Attendance =
20%
Spontaneous
(Pop) in-class writing tests = 2 @ 10% =
20%
Two Page
Proposal,
First Paper
= 10%
Presentation
(This presentation must be on a topic other than your first paper. The first paper topic is the Proposal, the
second paper topic is the Presentation. The grade you receive for the
presentation includes your attendance at other students’ presentations, and you
must do a written evaluation of all other presentations) = 20%
Final
Paper =
20%
Total =
100%
*****
Please note that I am not obligated to accept late work or to allow graded
items to be turned in after the due date.*****
Attendance Policy:
I do care
that you attend class regularly. As you know, VSU policy is that missing
20% of class meetings results in an automatic grade of “F”. Faculty can
also institute added attendance policies in their syllabi. Our class will have
a 10% rule for absences. You can miss up to 10% of the class meetings
with no grade penalty. 10% of our 30 class meetings is 3. On
absence number 4, your final grade for the course will be reduced by one whole
letter grade; on absence number 5, your final grade for the course will be
reduced by two whole letter grades; on absence number 6, you will automatically
fail the course. Be considerate of your fellow students – don’t be late,
and don’t leave your cell phones and pagers on. Please note that this
policy makes no distinction between excused and unexcused absences.
Secondary source material from academic
journal articles is always a good idea in any philosophy paper. Here are two links where you can begin to
look for interesting journal articles:
http://books.valdosta.edu/gal1.html (click on “Full Text Journal Title List”) and
http://www.valdosta.edu/library/learn/guides/philosophy.shtml
The direct
link for the database (Academic Search Complete)
http://www.galileo.usg.edu/express?link=zbac
http://www.libs.uga.edu/ejournals/locators/acadsearchframe.html
Papers: This is a 4000-level philosophy
class, and the papers will be long research papers. You should plan to use a combination of
materials including the class textbooks, secondary source material, and your
own examples from film and television media.
You can write about examples that you enjoy and that you find funny, but
you will have to deal with the material in a scholarly manner.
Presentations: Each student will be
responsible for a presentation during the semester. All students not
presenting on a given day will be responsible for participation, as well as peer
evaluations.
Helpful links:
http://teach.valdosta.edu/chjames/PhiComFilmOutlineofPaperProposalandReading2009.doc
http://teach.valdosta.edu/chjames/phicomfilmpresentationhowtohandout2009.doc
Participate!
Once you
arrive at class, make an effort to get involved in the conversation. Don’t
hesitate to ask questions if you need clarification or would like more
information: if you are confused, it is likely that others are too! The
participation percentage you receive will depend on a variety of factors,
including (but not limited to) the frequency and helpfulness of your
contributions to class discussions and the care you take when peer editing.
Pop Reading Quizzes:
If I notice
that there are many students who are not keeping up with the reading, I may
periodically administer reading quizzes in class. These will not be announced
in advance. No “make-up” quizzes will be given, and a missed quiz will result
in a grade of zero. These quizzes are a solid reward for attending class,
participating, and keeping up with the readings.
Online Discussions:
(Special
Thank You to Richard Amesbury and other faculty members who teach using WebCT Vista, and the eCore
staff!)
During
certain weeks of the semester, you also will be expected to participate
regularly in on-line discussions using WebCT Vista.
Use this opportunity to comment on the week’s readings, ask questions, raise
objections, and respond to what others have written or said in class.
To use
To log in
to Vista and the course “shell,” go to the VSU homepage and click on the words WebCT Vista in the upper right-hand corner. Your username
and password are the same as for your BlazeNet e-mail
account. For instructions on getting started, go to: http://www.valdosta.edu/vista
When
posting in an online bulletin board, like those in the Discussion area of WebCT Vista, you must (1) post at least one original
message of your own, (2) read all the messages posted by others, and (3)
respond substantively to at least one message from another student. Your
postings are due the same day as the readings are listed in the schedule below
(i.e., no later than 11:59 p.m. on the relevant dates.)
Your first
message on a given topic should be about 200 words in length. That is roughly
the length of two medium-sized paragraphs (e.g., this one and the next). Your
second (response) posting can be about half that length, but it should be
substantive (i.e., involving serious content). Try not to simply repeat what
others have said already. Additional postings can be as long or as short as you
desire. Be sure to give the first message an interesting title in the “Subject”
line. This will help alert the rest of us as to what it will be about.
When you
are ready to respond to someone else, do so by opening their message and
hitting the “Reply” button. This will create a “thread” that others can add on
to. Keep in mind that although it is fine to disagree with what someone else
has said, it is important to do so in a way that is polite and constructive. If
someone says something that makes you angry, pause and take a breath before
firing off a reply! You can preview your message before you send it, but once
you have hit “Post,” your message will no longer be editable.
Academic Honesty:
Members of
the
E-Mail:
VSU policy
mandates that all official communication by e-mail take place through VSU
e-mail accounts or through the WebCT Vista Mail
tool. Please check your VSU (@valdosta.edu) e-mail account regularly.
Note: This syllabus is not a legal
contract; the content of this course is subject to revision by the professor.
Special Needs:
Students
requiring classroom accommodations or modification because of a documented
disability should discuss this need with me at the beginning of the semester.
Students requesting classroom accommodations or modifications because of
a documented disability must contact the Access Office for Students with
Disabilities located in Farber Hall. The phone numbers are 245-2498 (voice) and
219-1348 (tty).
Schedule
Come to
class with the reading listed on each date completed, be ready to discuss and
ask questions. In addition, each member of the class must pick a date for
a presentation and leading discussion.
Date
1/13 T Introduction
to the course
Syllabus
First
reading together: Academic Integrity
http://teach.valdosta.edu/chjames/acin.htm
http://teach.valdosta.edu/chjames/acin.doc
http://teach.valdosta.edu/chjames/acin.pdf
What is a philosophical look at
comedy?
Is comedy political, social, ethical?
When is comedy subversive?
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1316/is_/ai_99988627
For homework, begin reading the Blistein Comedy in
Action pages, an out of print text on comedy from 1964, using either the .pdf or the .htm page of .jpg
thumbnail images (click on a thumbnail multiple times to make it larger to
read):
http://teach.valdosta.edu/chjames/pcom.pdf
http://teach.valdosta.edu/chjames/pcom.htm
http://teach.valdosta.edu/chjames/pcomlandscape.doc
http://teach.valdosta.edu/chjames/pcomlandscape.pdf
1/15 R Blistein’s Comedy in Action pages xi-20
Comic Heroes. The Drive
For Respectability: An Aspect of the Comic Character
http://teach.valdosta.edu/chjames/phicomnotes.htm
An article
about Judd Apatow, one of the creators of 40 Year Old
Virgin, Knocked Up, Freaks and Geeks, Undeclared:
http://teach.valdosta.edu/chjames/PhilosophyComedyFJuddApatow2007.doc
An article
about Mel Brooks (High Anxiety, Young Frankenstein, History of the World Part
I)
http://teach.valdosta.edu/chjames/melbrooks.pdf
1/20 T Blistein pages
21-41
The Object of Scorn: An Aspect of the Comic Antagonist
1/22 R
Matthews’ Comic Politics, pages 1-11
Popular Comedy: Taking It All Too
Seriously
If the text is out at the bookstore,
try using an online book source:
1/27 T
Matthews pages
12-32
Is Parody Political?
What does “postmodern” mean?
http://teach.valdosta.edu/chjames/postmod.ppt
1/29 R
Matthews pages 33-51
2/3 T
Special research night: each class member will have been given a specific term
about comedy to research before this class. You’ll need to post in the
Discussion area of WebCT Vista with a solid
definition of the term and at least one example by this night.
2/5 R Matthews
pages 52-73
Performing Gender in
Comedian Comedy
These pages are now also
on reserve. Remember to buy the book, either in the bookstore or at
2/10 T Matthews pages
74-98
2/12 R Matthews
pages
99-134
‘The New Man’ in family
comedies
2/17 T TWO
PAGE PROPOSAL AND READING/RESEARCH/VIDEO LIST FOR PAPER 1 IS DUE
(The paper proposal is
your chance to try out your paper topic for Paper 1. The presentations at the end of the semester
are your chance to try out ideas for Paper 2.)
2/19 R
David Marc’s Comic Visions, pages
ix-xvi
2/24 T Marc
pages 1-40
What’s So Funny About
America?
http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/V/htmlV/varietyprogr/varietyprogr.htm
2/26 R Marc
pages 41-69
Waking Up to Television: A Garden in the Machine
3/3 T Marc
pages
70-99
The Making of the
Sitcom, 1961
3/5 R Marc
pages
100-129
Planet Earth of/to
Sitcom
3/10 T Marc
pages
130-171
The Sitcom at
3/17-3/19 Spring Break Week, No Class
3/24 T Marc
pages
172-204
Demographic Fantasies of
the Reagan
Era
Friends of the
Family
An article
on Philosophy, Religion, and Film:
http://teach.valdosta.edu/chjames/religionandfilm.doc
http://teach.valdosta.edu/chjames/religionandfilm.pdf
3/26 R
PAPER 1 DUE, discussion of all papers in class, be prepared to discuss your
paper briefly in front of the
class
(Notice
that after paper 1 is turned in, the presentations begin. These presentation
times are your chance to try out new ideas, videos or audio clips for the final
paper, Paper 2.)
3/31 T
Student Presentations 1.
2.
3.
4.
4/2 R
Student Presentations 1. Corey Solomon
2. Adam Johnston
3. Jasmine Miller
4.
4/7 T
Student Presentations
1. Aremi
Soto
2. Scotty Lingelbach
3. Jenée Picou
4.
4/9 R
Student Presentations 1. Erica
Kelly
2. Elyse Jones
3. Carissa Lannon
4. Lucy Lindsey Taylor
4/14 T
Student Presentations 1.
Danny Mares
2. Mark Sibenaller
3. J. Bubba Turner
4. Alex Carter
4/16 R
Student Presentations
1. Charles Stanton
2. Josh Keaton
3. Frank Dykes
4. Paul Streacker
4/21 T
Please note, class today will meet in Odum Library room 3270.
Student Presentations 1. Shana Gregoire
2. Cedric Jones
3. Larry Dean
4. Richard Hudson
4/23 R
Student
Presentations 1. Kyle
Ingram
2. Tim Malone
3. Justin Mullen
4. Jerry Winfield
4/28 T
Student Presentations 1.
Chris Munroe
2. Nicolas Sims
3. Kendall Nguyen
4. Nick Bearden
4/30 R
Student Presentations 1.
2.
3.
4.
(Last
Official Class Day for all VSU classes is May 1)
FINAL PAPERS (Paper 2) ARE DUE IN MY
OFFICE AT THE ASSIGNED FINAL EXAMINATION TIME FOR THE COURSE: Tuesday, May 5,
2:45pm. To look up your other classes’ final exams, see the online guide
at http://www.valdosta.edu/it/eas/sis/documents/Spring2009FinalExamSchedule.pdf
Special Pilot
Project: Online Course Evaluations
This course may be part of a
pilot project this semester, testing a new online Student Opinion of
Instruction (SOI) form. Student evaluations are extremely important in
helping faculty members plan and revise their courses. Rather than completing
these evaluations during class time, students will need to access evaluation
forms via BANNER and complete them in a period during the last few weeks of
class. You will only complete evaluations online for the classes that are
part of this pilot project; other classes may still require you to complete a scantron (bubble) form in class. Please take the time
to complete this important evaluation (or opt out of providing an evaluation)
during the designated period. If you do not do so, you will not be able
to access the grade for this class, scheduled to be posted on the Monday after
the final examination days.
The Administration
has not yet set up the online forms, and Dr. James will update the class with
instructions when they are available.
Tips for
doing well in Philosophy classes, adapted from a handout by Robert Scott
1.
Read text with a pencil, underline the important ideas and key concepts. Write
down technical ideas, key terms, key distinctions between two terms,
definitions, diagrams, etc. to help you remember them.
2.
Write questions or reactions you have to the text in the margin of the
book. Ask about these questions in class, and keep them in mind, since
they may provide good points to make about that author in papers you will write
for class.
3.
Read ahead to see the ultimate objectives of the chapter and of the individual
readings. Keep in mind the overall picture of the chapters given in the
introductory sections to each chapter in the book.
4.
Work with the new terminology frequently, and try to apply it to situations
outside of class. I would recommend flash cards to help you memorize the
meanings of new terms quickly.
5.
For longer readings, be sure to review the reading as a whole after you have
read it section-by-section. What was the main question the author wanted
to address? What were the answers? What concepts were used to make the points?
6.
When confronted with a difficult reading or question, break it down into parts,
and into individual ideas. This will at least help to clarify the
question, even if it might not give the answer. And for philosophy,
clarifying the question is really half the battle!
7.
Ponder an unsolved problem and return to it every so often to see if it will
give. Inspiration may happen at an unexpected time, and the subconscious
mind does work on problems even when we aren't consciously aware of it.
8.
Begin work on all the class tasks early, and spread out your work over
time so as to maximize your chances for comprehending the readings accurately,
memorizing the information, and grappling with the questions for papers.
9. If
you do need to meet with an instructor outside of class, be sure to have your
questions for the instructor planned out ahead of time, to make the meeting as
productive as possible.
10.
Always think about the philosophical issues for yourself, rather than waiting
to be told what to think or believe.
11.
Study for all exams on a daily basis, for at least a week before the exam date.
You will need to know who said what, from memory.
12.
Try to anticipate the questions that will be asked on an examination
beforehand. Questions may come from the readings or from lectures and
class discussions, but in either case, certain terms and concepts will be
emphasized more than others.
13.
Listen carefully to different points of view, and actively respond (when you
read, when you are in class, and when you write your philosophy papers)!
14.
Philosophy involves skills, like learning to appreciate a good debate, learning
to imagine the world differently than we assume it to be, and appreciating the
world with a sense of wonder.