Sociology 299: Technology & Society
Instructor: G.R. Claveria

Week One Objective: Technology, Society and MarshallMcLuhan's Epochs

_________________        Quiz #1: Two Unethical Truths and One Unbelievable Lie (100 Points)

_________________        Syllabus / Course Overview

_________________        Lecture on: Technology, Society and Marshal McLuhan's Epochs

_________________        Nothing Into Something (200 Points)


Aristotle: Rhetoric is the faculty of discovering in any particular case all of the available means of persuasion.

Philosophical Highlights
1) Technology
2) Society
3) The Oral Tribal Culture
4) The Manuscript Culture
5) The Guttenburg Galaxy
6) The Electronic Age
7) Rhetoric 
8) Ethos 
9) Pathos 
10) Logos

Homework: Read Chapter 1 + Create Nothing into Something + Study for QUIZ #2




Week Two Objective: The "MEDIUMS" are the MESSAGES

_________________        Quiz #2: Technology, Society and Marshal McLuhan's Epochs (100 Points)

_________________        Nothing into Something Analysis Project

_________________        Lecture on: The "MEDIUMS" are the MESSAGES

_________________       Review Introduction and Chapter 1 

_________________       KGA #1 - Reflection Paper on a Horrific SOCIETY by using TECHNOLOGY creatively
                           1 Page PowerPoint Responsibilities Outline (250 Points)
                            Promotional Flier (150 Points)
                            Gathering Material / Typed List of Contributions (150 Points)


Adolf Hitler: The broad masses of a population are more amenable to the appeal of rhetoric than any other force.
Philosophical Highlights
1) Message 
2) Medium / Media
3) Oral
4) Print
5) Radio
6) Television
7) Film
8) World Wide Web
9) McLuhan's "The Medium is the Message"
10) Visual Aids (Chapter 13)

Homework: Read Chapter 9 + Creative 8 Collage of Character + 1 Page Typed Speech with FOCUS on Introduction / Conclusion






Week Three Objective: Creationism versus Evolution Controversy in Society

_________________        Quiz #3: The"MEDIUMS" are the MESSAGES (100 Points)

_________________        Film Analysis: Shut the Camera's Off!

_________________        Lecture on: Creationism versus Evolution

_________________       Creationism versus Evolution Handout Sheet



Philosophical Highlights
1)  Darwinism
2) Social Darwinism
3) Creationism
4) Evolution
5) Teleology
6) The Watchmaker Analogy


Homework: Film Analysis on Debate / Creationism versus Evolution Handout





Week Four Objective: Propaganda

_________________        Quiz #4 Creationism versus Evolution (100 Points)

______    Lecture on: Joseph Goebbel's Principal of Propaganda and Propaganda

_________________        Products and Propaganda in a PowerPoint (Research Public Manipulation) 

______   Jospeh Goebbel's Principal of Propaganda Worksheet


George W. Bush: See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda. (05/24/05)

Philosophical Highlights
1)  Propaganda
2) Branding
3) Product Placement
4) Subliminal Ads
5) Commercial versus Infomercial
6) Goebbel's Principals of Propaganda
7) Message Design: Style / Organization (Text Book)

Homework: History of Propaganda Informative Presentation /


Week Five Objective: Technology, Humanity and Post-Humanity
We'll begin by discussing Heidegger's "Question Concerning Technology," trying to figure out his picture of technology and its relationship to humanity, and then discuss Hayles' theory of the posthuman. We'll be especially interested in the difference a "posthuman" view makes to our thinking about the force that technology has in our definition of persons, societies, and notions of the good.


_________________        Quiz #5: On Propaganda

_________________        Presentations on History of Propaganda

_________________        Lecture on: Technology, Humanity and Post-Humanity

______    Critical Presentation on Astrology's Affects on You and Society


J. Krishnamurti: Most of us live in a state of inner conflict which produces outer turmoil and confusion; many escape from conflict into illusion.

Philosophical Highlights
1)  Heidegger
2)  Humanity / Post-Humanity
3) Astrology

Homework: Astrology Presentation






Week Six Objective: U-Topos / Utopia

_________________        Quiz #6: Astrology  (100 Points)

_________________        Lecture on: Utopia

_________________        Presentation on: Astrology's Affects on You, Me and the Society

_________________        Utopian Society Development Project





Philosophical Highlights
1)  Utopian Society / U-topos
2)  Politics
3)  Socialism / Capitalism
4) Democracy
5) Dictatorship
6) Plutocracy
7) Monarchy
8) Theocracy


Homework: Utopian Society Project




Week Seven Objective: Taking Sides

_________________        Quiz # 7

______   Utopian Presentations

_________________        KGA #2: Critical Paper

_________________        Lecture: On Controversial Issues (Textbook) + Internet Laws




Homework: KGA #2 Rough Draft + Resources + Choose Topic from Textbook






Week Eight Objective: Research Library Field Trip (12/07/09)

______   KGA #2: Critical Paper on Controversial Issues / Research




Week Nine Objective: The Final Examination