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Fys - Humor - Syllabus
Fys - Humor - Syllabus
1 Description
The First-Year Seminar (FYS) introduces students to Dickinson as a “community of inquiry” by
developing habits of mind essential to liberal learning. Through the study of a compelling issue or
broad topic chosen by their faculty member, students will:
• critically analyze information and ideas in the texts we discuss;
• examine issues from multiple perspectives;
• discuss, debate and defend ideas, including one’s own views, with clarity and reason;
• learn to find, evaluate, and correctly incorporate outside sources so as to avoid plagiarism;
• create clear academic writing.
In this particular seminar, we’ll examine the nature of humor and its place in the good life. What
is it, exactly, that makes something funny? If humor, like beauty, is supposed to be “in the eye of
the beholder,” why do so many people agree on who or what are the best comedies, comedians, or
comedic actors? What is the purpose of humor or comedy? Is it merely to entertain? Or should
it do something more than this? And is there such a thing as an “ethics” of humor? When is it
okay, or not okay, to laugh? The seminar will be divided into three sections: the first focuses on the
main philosophical theories of humor; the second focuses on the aesthetics of humor; and the third
focuses on the ethics of humor. Our readings will be mostly philosophical, spanning from Plato and
Aristotle to present day.
1
First-Year Seminar: Just Kidding 2
2 Required Texts
1. The Philosophy of Laughter and Humor, edited by John Morreall (SUNY Press, 1987)
2. Beauty: A Very Short Introduction, by Roger Scruton (Oxford University Press, 2011)
3. Born Standing Up, by Steve Martin (Scribner, 2007)
4. Modern Romance, by Aziz Ansari (Penguin, 2015)
5. Bossypants, by Tina Fey (Back Bay Books, 2012)
* Additional readings will be posted online
3 Assignments
The good news is that you won’t be taking any tests in this course. The bad news is that you’ll be
so busy writing that you won’t have time to appreciate that fact. Since one of the main purposes
of the FYS is to introduce students to college writing, you should expect this to be a relatively
writing-intensive course. However, the assignments are all quite different from one another, in order
to foster different skills. Instructions for each assignment will be provided to students in due time.
Here is how the grades will be distributed:
Grade distribution
Attendance & Participation 10%
Journals 10%
Reaction Paper 10%
Comparative Analysis 20%
Proposal/Annotated Bibliography 20%
Research Paper 30%
Students receive credit only after completing the entire tutorial, answering all questions, and clicking
the “Finish attempt” button, followed by “Submit all and finish.” The “Submit all and finish” button
must be clicked at the end of the tutorial in order for students to receive credit for completing the
tutorial. Please direct questions about the Academic Integrity tutorial to Christine Bombaro in the
Waidner-Spahr Library at bombaroc@dickinson.edu.
You do yourself a huge favor by keeping up with the readings—i.e., finishing every assigned reading
before its corresponding class meeting. Contrary to what is commonly assumed, class meetings
are not supposed to be a time for me to summarize the readings for you. Students who make
this assumption often do not come to class prepared to participate. Instead, our class meetings
are supposed to be a time for us to discuss the readings as a group. But of course, it’s hard to
participate in this kind of discussion when you have not done the reading. (And for the record,
it is usually obvious to professors—often painfully so—when students are trying to contribute to
discussion without having done the reading ahead of time.)
4.5 Disabilities
Dickinson values diverse types of learners and is committed to ensuring that each student is afforded
equitable access to participate in all learning experiences. If you have (or think you may have) a
learning difference or a disability – including a mental health, medical, or physical impairment –
that would hinder your access to learning or demonstrating knowledge in this class, please contact
Access and Disability Services (ADS). They will confidentially explain the accommodation request
process and the type of documentation that Dean and Director Marni Jones will need to deter-
mine your eligibility for reasonable accommodations. To learn more about available supports, go to
www.dickinson.edu/access, email access@dickinson.edu, call (717) 245-1734, or go to ADS in Old
West (lower level), Room 005.
If you’ve already been granted accommodations at Dickinson, please let me know as soon as possible
so that we can meet to review your Accommodation Letter and complete your Blue Forms. If you
will need test proctoring from ADS, remember that you will need to provide them with at least one
week’s notice.
A Mastery of course content at the highest level of attainment that can reasonably be expected
of students at a given stage of development. The “A” grade states clearly that a student has
shown such outstanding promise in the aspect of the discipline under study that he/she may
be strongly encouraged to continue.
B Strong performance demonstrating a high level of attainment for a student at a given stage
of development. The “B” grade states that the student has shown solid promise in the aspect
of the discipline under study.