ENGLISH 5 SRJC SPRING 1996 MARCO GIORDANO,
inst.
English 5 is a course in the disclosive interpretation and evaluation of
the different objects of judgement: experience, literature, art, suasive
prose and the image and language packaging of the electronic media. It is
an extensive grounding in the hermeneutical, dialectical and rhetorical
techniques required in the many disciplines of the university and by a commitment
to an examined life. It will express that commitment by exalting the inquiring
intellect in the examined life over any dogma, dharma, orthodoxy, convention,
ideology, conformism and all other forms of intellectual inertia. Its minimum
writing requirement is six to eight thousand words of reasoned prose.
Required texts:
The Protagoras and Meno of Plato
The Pocket Aristotle, Aristotle
The Prince , Niccolo Machiavelli
Hamlet, Wm. Shakespeare
Twilight of the Idols & The Antichrist, Friedrich Nietzsche
Various handouts, a college dictionary and thesaurus
_ NOTE WELL: This course is run for those who attend prepared, not for those
who don't. Do not enroll if you intend to miss a single class or not to
spend at least twice (three times is more realistic) as much time out of
class on homework and preparation as you spend in class attending. Six to
eight thousand words of edited, proofread and typed composition are required-as
well as five hundred or more pages of reading. Readings and deadlines for
required exercises may be announced as little as the class session before.
Each reading must be accompanied by a written, reasoned questioning of it,
which must be submitted by the start of the class session on which the reading
is due to be considered. Quizzes will be on texts required to have been
read by the day the quiz occurs and may not be announced beforehand nor
be allowed to be made up. Formats for papers given in class must be strictly
adhered to. Homework not turned in the day it is due to the instructor in
class will not be accepted without written proof of seriously mitigating
circumstances. All papers must be on assigned or approved topics and meet
the criteria for critical thinking papers detailed in class in order to
receive any grade whatsoever. Regardless of any other considerations or
achievements, sixteen hours of total absence or eight of unexcused or consecutive
absence is, without appeal, unsatisfactory performance in the course; less
may be. Every absence must be excused and every assignment previously approved
by the instructor. It is your responsibility to know the appropriate deadlines
and execute the appropriate procedures of the Office of Admissions and Records.
Do not expect me to drop you and do not protest if I have on the grounds
of insufficient attendance described above. You must finish at least half
your graded work by midterm. Approximate grading emphases are: Finished
essays, 60%; Class work, reading responses, quizzes & exams, 40%. These
percentages are advisory only. My professional assessment of your critical
reading and writing competence determines your grade.
Return to: Main Content
Email to: Marco
Giordano