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Nikolai Gogol
Nikolai Gogol was born on April 1, 1809 in the Ukraine in a small village in Poltava province
called Sorochintsy. Gogol is known for his remarkable humorous prose that is often described as
"laughter through tears of sorrow". Upon reading his most notable pieces like The Overcoat, The
Nose, The Governor Inspector, it is clear to see that with images that are too ludicrous to bear a
genuine social message, Gogol exposes the foundationless of reality and the magical power of
words. His influence can be seen in the works of Dostoyevsky (The Double) and even the later
works of Russia's 20th century great satirist, Mikhail Zoshchenko. Nikolai Gogol died on May 4,
1852.
Gogol's piece, The Portrait, however takes on a concrete, fundamental issue that is often faced
by the artist, and that is the issue of the role of the artist. This short story looks at the destructive
power of wealth bestowed on its new inheritor. The protagonist of this piece, Chartkov embodies
the figure who attempts to answer for us whether art is godlike or diabolical, sacramental or
sacrilegious and at what point does it change from one to the other. These are questions Chartkov
are faced with as he pursues a career as a painter. Only himself can grapple with these questions.
As he grapples, he shifts from a state of order to a state of chaos.
Study Questions
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What is Chartkov's state of mind like early in his career?
What events take place to alter his young state of mind?
Is he aware of this alteration taking place? I.e, is he CONSCIOUS of it?
When does he realize he has changed?
What is his reaction to his conscious or unconscious change?
-O. James
© Orin James 2013
Chaos Theory
Study Questions
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What is a fractal? How does it relate to chaos theory?
What is the butterfly effect? How does it relate to chaos theory?
What is bifurcation? How does it relate to chaos theory?
How is order defined in terms of chaos theory?
How is chaos defined in terms of chaos theory?
Is it possible to predict the change from order to chaos and vice versa? If so how?
Plato's Phaedrus
Plato was born ca. 427 and died ca. 347 B.C.E. One can never exaggerate Plato's influence on
Western philosophy. All discourses ranging from the humanities to the natural sciences, from
politics to warfare arguably stem from the thoughts of Plato. With a focus on the dialectic to
reach the truth, Plato uses the dialogues of his lionized instructor, Socrates (possibly not the
historical Socrates) to articulate strong argumentative views.
In Phaedrus, Plato addresses several issues, to which the idea of genuine true wisdom is the
focus. Some of these issues include love, poetry, the soul and the use of rhetoric. As the dialogue
between Phaedrus and Socrates plays out, one finds that what is important, is getting to the
spiritual truth and this is no easy task as the truth resides in authentic living wisdom that exists in
philosophy.
Study Questions
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Explain Lysias' speech in which he suggests the non-lover is better than the lover.
What is Socrates' problem with this speech and how does he alter it?
Explain Socrates' suggestion that love is a form of madness?
Explain the concept of the soul.
The metaphor of the charioteer and the two horses is one of Plato's best known
metaphors. provide an idea of how it is to be interpreted.
6. Describe the realm of true being.
7. How does Socrates' feel about rhetoric as described in Phaedrus?
-O. James
© Orin James 2013
Jonathan Haidt's Happiness Hypothesis
Jonathan Haidt was born October 19, 1963. Currently he is a professor at New York University
Stern School of Business. He focuses heavily on the psychological bases of morality.
In the Happiness Hypothesis Jonathan uses a broad range of disciplines to grapple with the self,
these disciplines include philosophy, biology, psychology, among others. Though many of our
thoughts and behavior may seem orderly, reaching to these points may be chaotic.
Study Questions
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How does Jonathan describe the self?
How does The Divided Self relate to our discussion on Phaedrus?
Why may the self appear chaotic?
What other disciplines does Jonathan invoke?
How do you feel about his approach?
-O. James
© Orin James 2013
Leo Tolstoy's The Kreutzer Sonata
Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy (aka Leo Tolstoy) was born on September 9, 1828 and died on
November 20, 1910. He was a Russian novel and short story writer. Though born into a fairly
affluent family, Tolstoy still managed to relate to the serfs, for whom he advocated strong
education. His strong religious, nonviolent, pacifist views are well wrought out in his literature.
His views on love and the upper class are prevelant in pieces like Anna Karenina and War and
Peace. His views on marriage and gender are highlighted in the short stories The Kreutzer
Sonata among others. His views on science and its toll on understanding individuals are
inescapable as you read Diary of A Madman. It is undeniable that Leo Tolstoy was a writer with
great depth and insight into the minds of all individuals around him. This unique feature of his
has led to some of the best writings in world literature, which still command attention today.
In The Kreutzer Sonata Leo Tolstoy's protagonist, Pozdnyshev, shares his views on marriage,
and women, all which seem to be problematic to him.
Study Questions
As you answer these questions, cite specific examples from the text to support your answer.
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What is Pozdnyshev's social status?
What are his views on women? How do you think he developed these views?
What are his views on marriage?
Describe Pozdnyshev's wife as an individual.
Describe Pozdnyshev's wife in terms of Jungian Archetypes (refer to notes and handout).
Describe Pozdnyshev as an individual.
Describe Pozdnyshev in terms of Jungian Archetypes (refer to notes and handout).
Attempt to use Jung's idea of the collective unconscious (archetypes) to explain
Pozdnyshev's behavior.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Elective Affinities
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was born on August 28, 1749 in the Free Imperial City of
Frankfurt, Holy Roman Empire (now Germany). He is often referred to as the German
Shakespeare, but Goethe truly stands on his own and his works are to be compared to no one. His
body of work includes lyric poetry, proses, verse dramas, memoirs, novels, autobiographys,
literary and aesthetic critcism and works on the natural sciences. Goethe's body of work
emcompasses a broad range of philosopical movements. He is often seen as an early participant
in the Sturm und Drang literary movement, a precursor to German Romanticism. German
Romanticism is viewed as a reaction to the philosophical ideas of die Aufklärung, better known
as The Age of Enlightenment, which pervaded much of Europe between the 17th and 19th
centuries. Goethe died on March 22, 1832 in Weimar, Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach,
German Confederation.
Goethe's Elective Affinities demonstrates the conflicts which exist as one attempts to use
"reasoning" to explain what may appear as "natural" phenomenon.
Study Questions
As you answer these questions, cite specific examples from the text to support your answer.
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Describe Eduard as a character.
Describe Charlotte as a character.
Describe The Captain as a character.
Describe Ottilie as a character.
What do you think will happen in later chapters?
Why do you think Goethe calls the text Elective Affinities
-O. James
© Orin James 2013
Friedrich de la Matte Fouqué's Undine
Friedrich de la Matte Fouqué was born in 1777 into an old Norman noble family. He served in
the Prussian military. During his life he published a great deal in the genres of poetry, prose
fiction and drama. He is, however, best known for his prose romances, which were heavily based
on Old French poems and Norse mythology. Fouqué died in 1843 in Berlin, Germany.
Published in 1843, at the height of Romanticism, Fouqué takes pains to counter the argument
posed by those who favored "Enlightenment". In Undine Fouqué attempts to demonstrate how
the forces of nature will prevail over reason.
Study Questions
As you answer these questions, cite specific examples from the text (where possible) to
support your answer.
1. Our in class discussion on Freud centered around the male's affection towards his mother.
However, there is the notion of "daddy's girl". Using Freud's ideas, as discussed in class,
explain how a young girl may grow attached to her father.
2. How might both Jung and Freud's ideas help the argument of the Romantics?
3. What is Undine? And why might this form have been selected by the author?
4. What is the "soul" symbolic/representative of?
5. Do we see a development in Undine over time? If so, where and how? Explain in
Freudian terms.
6. How does this text refute the argument posed by supporters of the Enlightenment ideas?
-O. James
© Orin James 2013
Apuleius' Cupid & Psyche
Lucius Apuleius was born ca. 125, in what is now considered Algeria, and died ca. 180. He was
a Latin prose writer, who studied Plato heavily. He is best known for his piece, The Golden Ass
(aka The Metamorphosis).
Lucius Apuleius' Cupid and Psyche stems from his larger text The Golden Ass, which was
written in the 2nd century AD. Using popular fairy tale motifs, Apuleius tells the story of a
young woman (Pysche, meaning soul) forbidden to see her lover. Curiosity gets the best of her...
Study Questions
As you answer these questions, cite specific examples from the text to support your answer.
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Explain how psyche gains her place with Cupid
Who puts psyche through great tribulations?
What elicits Pysche's curiosity about Cupid's appearance?
Why does Cupid forbid her to see him?
Why do you think this story's ending is happy, when compared to what else we have read?
Explain this story in Jungian and Freudian terms.
-O. James
© Orin James 2013
Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis
Franz Kafka was born on July 3, 1883 in Prague, Austria-Hungary and died on June 3, 1924.
Kafka's writing has proven to be influential not only during his lifetime, but also for following
generations worldwide. He has influenced writers such as Vladmir Nabokov, J.D. Salinger
among others. Kafka's appeal stems from his ability to present themes such as alienation, social/
individual and parent/child conflicts in literary form. Some of his most noteworthy works like
The Metamorphosis (Die Verwandlung) The Trial (Der Process) and The Castle (Das Schloss),
all share the common theme of alienation and a search for answers, which in turn leads to more
unanswerable questions. These experiences then lead to a type of transformation within the
individual.
Kafka's The Metamorphosis (Die Verwandlung) symbolically deals with Gregor Samsa's
transformation. However, this transfomation has more to do psychologically than it does
physically. Study Questions
As you answer these questions, cite specific examples from the text to support your answer.
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Identify key symbolic elements that recur throughout the text.
What do these elements symbolize?
What is the relationship like between Gregor and his father?
What is the relationship like between Gregor and his sister?
What is the relationship like between Gregor's mom and dad?
Who morphs in this text?
What is Gregor Samsa?
Determinism vs. Free Will
Study Questions
As you answer these questions, cite specific examples from the text to support your answer.
1. Provide a detailed summary of both Paul Holbach's and A.J. Ayer’s article.
2. What is hard determinism?
3. What is soft determinism?
-O. James
© Orin James 2013
Midterm Study Questions
Wow! Hard to believe that we are at the midpoint of the semester already. We have covered a
significant amount of material and now it is your time to show that you have learned the
material. Here are a series of questions to consider as you study for the midterm. Good Luck!
Study Questions
As you answer these questions, cite specific examples from the text to support your answer.
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Explain why love is madness according to Plato
Explain Jung’s idea of the collective unconscious.
What are the three realms of the psyche according to Freud and what resides in each?
Explain the concept of Enlightenment.
What is Romanticism.
Goethe is seen as a forerunner of early Romanticism. Using referring to the text Elective
Affinities, explain how nature controls behavior.
7. How is the story Undine used to counter the Enlightenment argument?
8. Using 3 examples along with Jungian and Freudian psychology, explain how the
tribulations of Psyche in Cupid and Psyche, leads to her individuation/development.
9. Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis is one of his best known novellas. However, it is not quite
simple to grasp, as Kafka appears to use a great deal of symbolism. Provide at least 4
symbolic elements and explain what they symbolize and why Kafka might have selected
these symbols.
10. Define hard and soft determinism.
Religion/The Book of Job
Each of us is familiar with at least one story of how the world was created. We are all aware of
creation stories. These creation stories, handed down orally, or in the written form, provide
wonderful explanations. However, they all suggest that an omnipotent creator has forged the
creation of this world i.e., that a creator preexists all else. For many people, these stories are
simply wonderful accounts of the beginning of the world and are accepted without being
questioned. For others these stories may lead to beliefs that will mold their everyday life
practices, as is the case of Job. For others, whose lives have been shaped by internalizing these
stories, many difficult questions about the world's creation will arise. One of these questions is
whether or not God truly exists. Various attempts to answer this centuries-old question have been
made. Ontological and cosmological arguments along with arguments from design have been
well articulated to prove the existence of God. Some examples include Saint Anselm's The
Ontological Argument from Proslogium, St. Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologica, and William
Paley's The argument from design. among others.
Study Questions
As you answer these questions, cite specific examples from the text to support your answer.
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What five ways does St. Thomas Aquinas use to prove the existence of God?
Discuss St. Thomas Aquinas' use of motion to explain the existence of God.
What is meant by the nature of efficient cause (St. Thomas Aquinas)?
Discuss St. Thomas Aquinas' use of possibility and necessity to explain the existence of
God.
5. Discuss St. Thomas Aquinas' idea of gradation to explain the existence of God.
6. What tools does William Paley draw on in his text The Argument by Design
7. Explain William Paley's analogy of the watch.
8. Provide a summary of The Book of Job
9. Why might Job be so steadfast in his belief?
10. What are some of Job's trials and tribulations?
Democracy in Ancient Athens? / Antigone
Pericles' Funeral Oration speech is arguably one of the greatest speech of all time. Delivered
during the Peloponnesian War, Pericles seeks to exhort his fellow Athenians to do battle against
the Spartans in face of significant loss of soldiers. This speech has brought into question the
workings of democracy in Ancient Greece and whether there existed a democracy at all. His
words and mode of speech has been described by Gorgias as a drug, which has its effects on the
minds of the listeners. Classic scholars have often times suggested that the only insight we have
into Ancient Greek democracy is through readings like this. Using this as a backdrop to
understand Athenian Democracy, we can better understand the plight of Antigone.
Study Questions
As you answer these questions, cite specific examples from the text to support your answer.
1. Do you think Pericles' Funeral Oration presents us with an image of democracy as we know
it? If so, what type (Charismatic, special interest, or a mixture of both)?
2. Discuss what special tactics Pericles uses to bring about popular consent.
3. Who do you think are the members of Athenian democracy?
4. Are special provisions given to women? If so, what?
5. What type of ruler is Cleon in Antigone?
6. What is Antigone's beef?
7. Is Antigone's love for her brother too strong? Think in terms of Jungian archetypes.
8. Does Antigone believe being a female plays a role in her society?
9. Why is Cleon so steadfast in holding on to his decision?
10. Think of Antigone in terms of order and chaos.
-O. James
© Orin James 2013
Quiz II study questions
Please answer each of these questions in great detail!
Study Questions
1. Explain the differences between sex, sexuality and gender. How does sex lead to gender?
2. Discuss the role religion plays in peoples lives. How does this lead to social order?
3. Provide possible justifications of Antigone's behavior. Be sure to include a discussion on
gender.
4. State at least 4 provisions of the communist manifesto.
5. What is Hegemony? How is it implemented?
6. Briefly describe what happens in The Butterfly Effect. How does it relate to order and
chaos.
Narural Selection by Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin was born February 12, 1809 in The Mount, Schrewsbury, Shropshire,
United Kingdom and passed away April 19, 1882 in Down House, Downe, Kent,
United Kingdom. His seminal work titled The Origin of Species, has provided
naturalist and evolutionists with the strongest of arguments for natural selection. In
this text Darwin argues how natural selection works, i.e., the conditions and modes,
by which natural selection will take place. Though this text focuses heavily on natural
selection in nature itself, there are implications for natural selection among human
beings in the social setting. The non scientific, literary language used in the text
provide the reader with discernable vernacular to understand the key concepts and
raises sophisticated questions. Questions which seem to have no answer, but
nonetheless worth exploring. there is no doubt that Darwin's work still remains with
us because of seemingly logical concepts that still need to undergo earnest
exploration.
Study Questions
As you answer these questions, cite specific examples from the text to support
your answer.
1. What is natural selection according to Darwin?
2. How does natural selection work?
3. Explain the concepts of sexual selection, intercrossing, isolation, number of
individuals and extinction
4. What is the speed at which natural selection will occur? Why?
5. How does Darwin's ideas relate order and chaos?
-O. James
© Orin James 2013
-O. James
-O. James
© Orin James 2013