Informal Reading Groups Fall Semester 2015
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Joe C. and Carole Kerr McClendon Honors College Informal Reading Groups Fall Semester 2015 Meet just one hour per week with 10-15 Honors College students to discuss roughly 50 pages of reading from specific books on the topics described in the following pages. The only commitment you make is a good-faith effort to complete the reading and attend group meetings as often as you can, with the understanding there may be one or two weeks when you are unable to attend. No tuition or fees No quizzes or tests No grades Free books Discuss important topics of mutual interest with other Honors College students Reading groups will begin the week of August 31-September 4 and will meet for 3-15 weeks as indicated in this brochure. To reserve a spot in the group of your choice, email your preference to [email protected]. Groups are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, so it is helpful to indicate a second choice. Books will be distributed at the Reading Groups Open House on Thursday, August 27 in David L Boren Hall, Rooms 180 and 182. Students who have not reserved a spot in any group are welcome to attend the Open House and sign up for any reading group with available spots, but please note that quantities may be limited. THE DIGITAL DOCTOR: OUR KIDS: GÖDEL, Hope, Hype, and Harm The American Dream ESCHER, BACH: at the Dawn of Medi- in Crisis an Eternal Golden Braid cine's Computer Age Thursdays 4:30-5:20 Fridays 3:00-3:50 Wednesdays 11:30-12:20 DLBH 182 DLBH 182 DLBH 180/181 (7 weeks) (15 weeks) (7 weeks) While Robert Putnam is a Harvard Douglas Hofstadter's Pulitzer Prize- Published in April 2015, The Digital social scientist, he has also been winning Gödel, Escher, Bach: an Doctor has received overwhelmingly described as the “poet laureate of Eternal Golden Braid delves into positive reviews and been described American civil society.” His 1997 the concepts of philosophy, art, and as “funny, informative, well written, book, Bowling Alone, is a major logic in a playful exposition (and a accessible, brilliant” and “destined classic and received bipartisan ac- relaxed demonstration) of the fa- to be a classic.” A thoughtful eye- claim. It argued that civic life in the mous Gödel's Incompleteness The- witness account of the effects on US is declining with ominous con- orem of mathematical logic. Often the practice of medicine of recent sequences. Bill Clinton brought him mistaken for just another "math and rapid computerization, the au- to Camp David, the campaigns of Al book," GEB reads more like a phil- thor takes a balanced view, under- Gore and George W. Bush sought osophical treatise, interspersing standing that in the pervasive use his advice, and Barack Obama gave M.C. Escher drawings, discussions of electronic medical records, much him a medal. In Our Kids, Putnam of Bach canons, and whimsical has been lost and much has been brings his talent for launching a dialogues--one of which reads the gained. He is aware that technolo- high-level discussion to a timely same backwards and forwards--into gy has enormous potential for posi- topic — the state of upward mobil- its main theme: self-reference. GEB tive change, but also has already ity. Widening income gaps, he ar- excels at presenting the challeng- produced surprising and unintend- gues, have brought profound but ing logical-mathematical concept of ed negative consequences. underappreciated changes to fam- self-reference in a manner suitable ily life, neighborhoods and schools for a wide audience while expanding Moderator(s): Prof. David Ray in ways that give big advantages the scope of its arguments across a to children at the top and make it large range of topics. According to ever harder for those below to work Nature, "[GEB] is an entire humanis- their way up. Putnam will visit OU tic education between the covers of in January, 2016, to give the Hum- a single book." The group will read phreys Distinguished Lecture on selected chapters of GEB to provide this book. a sampling of the diverse range of material. Moderator(s): Prof. David Ray and Dean Gregg Garn of the College of Moderator(s): Evan White and Jeff Education Terry DO ANDROIDS DREAM HUBBLE'S UNIVERSE: A NEW ERA IN U.S. OF ELECTRIC SHEEP? Greatest Discoveries HEALTH CARE: Critical by Philip K. Dick and Latest Images Next Steps Under the Affordable Care Act Mondays 11:30-12:20 Mondays 12:30-1:20 DLBH 180/181 DLBH 182 Mondays 2:30-3:20 (4 weeks) (4 weeks) Cate One 217 (4 weeks) This is perhaps the best-known This is the best of many books about science fiction novel by the prolific the Hubble Space Telescope pub- The Affordable Care Act has prom- and gifted American writer Philip lished since it was launched in 1990. ised revolutionary changes for K. Dick. First published in 1968, What makes this superbly well-pro- America's health care system. This the book served as the primary ba- duced volume unique is 300 images book offers a concise, readable, and sis for the 1982 film Blade Runner. that have never been made public be- insightful explanation of the prob- The novel is set in a post-apocalyp- fore. The author explains the 2009 lems that necessitated this law, tic near future, where Earth and “reboot” and describes how astrono- the process through which it was its populations have been dam- mers use a process called drizzling to adopted and is being implemented, aged greatly by nuclear war during create Hubble’s astonishingly sharp and the reforms that it will bring World War Terminus. Most types of images, such as a two-page look at about. One reviewer calls it “a suc- animals are endangered or extinct “a small segment of the night sky the cinct account of a mind-bogglingly due to extreme radiation poisoning size of a period in this book held at complicated piece of legislation.” from the war. To own an animal is arm’s length,” filled with thousands a sign of status. In Dick's futuris- of galaxies, each containing billions The book suggests an agenda for tic dystopian novel, life has become of stars. He also elucidates Hubble’s policy-makers and the health in- a tenuous existence for those who “top discoveries,” from proof that “su- dustry alike. Another very promi- permassive black holes are common have stayed behind after the war nent reviewer described it as “clear, in galaxies” to success in measur- and exodus to other planets. The elegant, smart, sober, insightful, ing the universe’s expansion rate. Its protagonist struggles as a bounty and highly recommended." ten chapters showcase a selection of hunter in San Francisco to destroy Hubble's most significant images with a new breed of androids nearly un- Published as part of the “Stanford explanations of the discoveries they University Briefs” series. detectable to humans. However, he helped make. Especially fantastic are finds himself battling with empathy the images of solar wind stripping Moderator(s): Prof. David Ray for the supposed lifeless beings— away large gas clouds that harbor especially when he must team up stellar nurseries; images of Hubble's with one to achieve his goal. deep field, revealing galaxy clusters from halfway across the universe. Moderator(s): Prof. David Ray Moderator(s): Prof. David Ray CAT'S CRADLE Epictetus's and DISCOURSES AND SELECTED GOD BLESS YOU, MR. ROSEWATER WRITINGS and Kurt Vonnegut’s shocking and Epicurus's satirical fourth and fifth novels THE ART OF HAPPINESS Mondays 3:30-4:20 Thursdays 1:30-2:20 Cate One 217 Cate One 217 (8 weeks) (15 weeks) This group will read two books consecutively, both by A crippled slave in the ancient Mediterranean world, the highly regarded American writer Kurt Vonnegut, Epictetus remarkably became one of the best-known author of Slaughterhouse Five. Stoic philosophers of the Classical era. He taught his followers to attempt only to change what was within Written in 1963, Cat’s Cradle, his fourth novel, is an their control, while submitting themselves to whatever apocalyptic satire that is both blackly fatalistic and hi- uncontrollable circumstances befell them, be it exile, lariously funny. It has been praised by critics as “one imprisonment, loss of loved ones, or poverty. of the 20th century’s most important works.” Pub- lished in 1965, his fifth novel focuses on Eliot Rosewa- Epicurus was also a philosopher of the Classical era, ter, drunk, volunteer fireman, Harvard graduate, and but the lifestyle he taught his followers was radically primary trustee of the fabulously wealthy Rosewater different from that of the Stoics. In Epicureanism, the foundation. When Rosewater is about to attempt a highest good came from pleasure, be it through friend- noble experiment with human nature, his relatives at- ship or the fulfillment of bodily desires. Epicurean phi- tempt to have him declared insane. When Vonnegut losophy was that each person should be free to pursue graded all his books – “comparing myself with myself” whatever pleasures they wished, so long as they did – Cat’s Cradle is one of only two that received an “A+” not pain those around them. grade, and Mr. Rosewater received an “A.” One re- viewer has said that “the one unifying thread that runs This reading group will cover most of the surviving throughout all of his works, is the knowledge that the works of these two great thinkers. Given that Epicu- universe is a Big Damn Mess, and that's a terrible reanism and Stoicism advocated such divergent life- thing, but also pretty funny when you stop to think styles, reading Epicurus and Epictetus side-by-side about it.” will encourage participants to critically analyze both philosophies.