1. Welcome to Literature and Philosophy

2. But first: Syllabus
Let’s go quickly…
10 min...

3. Know background on the 5 schools of Western philosophy
Know why are we studying philosophy with literature
Know tropes and themes of super heroes
Today’s Objective:

4. Intro to Western Philosophy
Objective 1

5. The Oracle of Delphi and Socrates
Sometime 2,400 years ago...

6. Socrates could not believe it… So he asked every about everything…
To the Politician “What is Justice?” (Republic)
To the Teacher “What is Truth?” (Gorgias)
To the Poet “What is Art?” (Ion)
To the Student “What is Knowledge?” (Meno)
To his Friends “What is Love?” (Symposium) But the more he asked the more he saw that they didn’t know...
Socrates could not believe it…
So he asked every about everything…

7. I know that I know nothing”
Socratic Paradox

8. The birth of Western Philosophy
Philo (love) + Sophy (knowledge)
Socratic Method: Ask questions!
The birth of Western Philosophy
Ethics
Study of Actions
What is right and wrong?
Metaphysics
Study of Reality
What’s out there?
Epistemology
Study of Knowledge
How do I know anything?
Aesthetics
Study of Judgement
What is good art?
Logic
Study of Reasoning
Does this make sense?

9. If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it does it make a sound?”
Meteaphysics: What happens in reality if I can’t perceive it?
Epistemology: How can I know something if I am not there to experience it?
Think / Pair / Share

10. Mary is a brilliant scientist who is, for whatever reason, forced to investigate the world from a black and white room via a black and white television monitor. She acquires all the physical information there is to obtain about what goes on when we see ripe tomatoes, or the sky, and use terms like ‘red’, ‘blue’, and so on. She discovers, for example, just which wavelength combinations from the sky stimulate the retina, and exactly how this produces via the central nervous system the contraction of the vocal cords and expulsion of air from the lungs that results in the uttering of the sentence ‘The sky is blue’...What will happen when Mary is released from her black and white room or is given a color television monitor? Will she learn anything or not? --Frank Jackson
Thought Experiment
Epistemology: does knowledge exist without experience?

11. Literature and Philosophy
Objective 2

12. Thought experiments are simple but what about larger pieces?

13. What does literature bring? Characters!
Through characters we see choices and in these choices we understand problems
Different characters respond differently...
What does literature bring?
Characters!

14. Tropes of Super Heroes
Objective 3

15. Superhero Genre

16. Common Traits of Heroes
1. THE MAN-GOD: [Most] superheroes will be like earthbound gods in their levels of powers JUSTICE: The hero’s devotion to justice overrides even his devotion to the law THE NORMAL AND THE SUPERPOWERED: The extraordinary nature of the superhero will be contrasted with the ordinariness of his surroundings THE SECRET IDENTITY: [The] extraordinary nature of the hero will be contrasted with the mundane nature of his alter-ego. Certain taboos will govern the actions of these alter-egos SUPERPOWERS AND POLITICS: [Superheroes] can be capable of considerable patriotism and moral loyalty to the state, though not necessarily to the letter of its laws Richard Reynolds, Super Heroes: A Modern Mythology
Common Traits of Heroes

17. The Batman Problem

18. What does it mean to fight crime with no “powers”? ~3:06

19. What compels someone to dress up in a funny outfit and risk their lives to fight crime?
Ethics

20. Ethics and Superheroes
Through character decisions and reasoning we will investigate ethical problems
For example, the classic ‘Trolley Problem’...
Ethics and Superheroes

21. Do you pull the lever?

22. Do you push the fat man?

23. Did we achieve the objectives?
Know background on the 5 schools of Western philosophy
Know why are we studying philosophy with literature
Know tropes and themes of super heroes
Did we achieve the objectives?

24. Exit ticket: Due tomorrow: signed syllabus
On a half sheet of paper (share with a sidekick):
Which 1 of the 5 schools of philosophy will be our main focus in this course?
Through characters we see ___________ and these help us understand ____________.
In your own words, what is the “Batman Problem”?
Bonus: Would you pull the lever? Would you push the man?
Exit ticket:
Due tomorrow: signed syllabus

25. How to Understand Comics

26. Know how to read the medium of sequential art (aka comic books)
Today’s Objective:

27. One Panel A single image conveys the entire story Simple, elegant
Details matter
One Panel

28. Two Panels There is the “setup” and the “punchline”
There is some sort of transition between the two panels
The space separating the panels is called the “gutter”
Two Panels

29. Four Panels The standard of newspaper comics
Sets up a story line, can show change
Fourth panel is the punchline with three panels used to set it up
Four Panels

30. Endless possibilities and creative choices...
Longer...

31. Let’s read Scott McCloud on the subject...

32. Did we achieve the objective?
Know how to read the medium of sequential art (aka comic books)
Did we achieve the objective?

33. Describe the concept of ‘Closure’ and how it related to the medium of comics.
Exit Ticket:

34. You’re Super!

35. Solidify understanding of common traits of a Superhero by creating our own.
Today’s Objective:

36. Remember: Common Traits of Heroes
1. THE MAN-GOD: [Most] superheroes will be like earthbound gods in their levels of powers JUSTICE: The hero’s devotion to justice overrides even his devotion to the law THE NORMAL AND THE SUPERPOWERED: The extraordinary nature of the superhero will be contrasted with the ordinariness of his surroundings THE SECRET IDENTITY: [The] extraordinary nature of the hero will be contrasted with the mundane nature of his alter-ego. Certain taboos will govern the actions of these alter-egos SUPERPOWERS AND POLITICS: [Superheroes] can be capable of considerable patriotism and moral loyalty to the state, though not necessarily to the letter of its laws Richard Reynolds, Super Heroes: A Modern Mythology
Remember:
Common Traits of Heroes

37. Due Friday:
Tomorrow:
Super Hero Design
We begin reading

38. SlidesCarnival icons are editable shapes.
This means that you can:
Resize them without losing quality.
Change fill color and opacity.
Change line color, width and style.
Isn’t that nice? :)
Examples: