Monsters and Mad Science

[eldritchhobbit]

The "campus read" at Lenoir-Rhyne University for the 2014-2015 academic year is the excellent The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Author Rebecca Skloot will be speaking as part of the Visiting Writers Series.

On an intentionally related note, I will be offering the following undergraduate/graduate cross-listed seminar at L-R for Fall 2014.

"Monsters and Mad Science"

Course Description: How should medical science progress? What ethics should shape or even constrain experimentation? What is "good science"? How can new science be scary science? What may we make of science, and what may science make of us? This course will explore fiction that has expressed popular anxieties about the limits and ethics of scientific research and what experimentation means for the human body. We will consider how Victor Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll, Dr. Moreau, and other literary characters have made ethical questions and concerns part of an ongoing debate about the medical search for knowledge and what it means to be human.

Comments

[whswhs.livejournal.com]

When you look at Wells, are you going to talk about "The New Accelerator"? Gibberne's casualness about putting his drug on the market, despite its obvious usefulness to criminals, seems relevant to your theme. Of course, a lot of Wells is relevant to your theme.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Oh, great call! I haven't finalized all the readings yet, but that's definitely on the short list, and we'll talk about it whether it makes the final list or not. You're so right: it's really relevant to the course theme.

Thanks for this!

[sittingduck1313.livejournal.com]

Of possible interest, the Kickstarter for the Miskatonic School for Girls expansion Holiday Break is up. Gonna need a new field hockey stick.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1225737959/the-miskatonic-school-for-girls-holiday-break-expa

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Very cool! Just reblogged this. :)

[litlover12.livejournal.com]

That sounds like an amazing course! Wish I could take it! :-)

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Oh, thank you so much! :D

[xjenavivex.livejournal.com]

That's such an exciting course!

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

I'm so tickled you think so! Thank you. :) I'm excited about it.