For Class Tomorrow (Monday)

Everyone bring a printed copy of your latest draft to class. If you still have the version I commented, it might be helpful (although not strictly necessary) to bring that as well. I'll try to email this as a reminder to everyone as well.

Jonathan Doron proposal

It's a lot of jumbled thoughts now...

Main point: General flaws in human nature will eventually lead to the destruction of mankind.

I plan to expand on Butler's view of humanity... the human contradiction.

Argument: Human nature is flawed, and in turn, that will lead to our self-destruction.
Counter-argument: Human nature will continue to prevail that way it has been.

Support for the argument are characteristics of general human nature, such as our tendancies to be impulsive, selfish, power-seeking, and hierarchical.

As for research, I'm going to try and use case studies to prove how impulsive humans are, and for the rest I'm going to use historical events to prove how humanity has generally lead the same course all throughout history, and use that to make the point that will eventually cause the end of us.

Project Proposals done?

I believe that I have read and commented on everyone's proposal. All of them are interesting, and I look forward to seeing how all of them turn out; many, of course, aren't very developed yet, and you have your work cut out for you.

For next time, my first goal is to discuss research more coherently than I did last time, with a computer in front of us. We may (or may not) make further use of your project proposals. I also have, as you might imagine, more things to say about Butler if we get a chance.

Let me know if there is anything any of you want to discuss, and I'll try to prepare accordingly; also let me know if my comments on your project proposals raise any questions or problems.

Final Project

For my final project I plan to write a conventional essay that proves that The Human Contradiction is a real sickness in our society and will in fact lead to the demise of humans. To do this I am going to compare each of the writers/ that we have worked with this semester and liken them to a category of people/oankali that are presented in throughout the trilogy of Lilith’s brood. I am going to begin and end the essay with ideas from Bill Joy who pointed out that there is a very real possibility that humans will cause their own extinction. This will be followed by the first pair of paragraphs. The first exploring silver and his belief in a lack of fate justifying us to push on with technology and the second exploring the resisters determination to not give in to the Oankali. The second pair of ideas will be Mckibben and the constructs followed by just the Oankali. Somewhere in the essay I also intend to address intelligence through the Flynn effect and some historical references such as King Lear and the Incas (the research aspect). I would like for the overall theme of the essay to be that no one group has an ideology that is completely right or wrong and that no one is acting without a good natured intent. Since I am focusing on the human contradiction being a real thing however the views of Silver and the resisters will inherently present the counter argument.

Final Project Proposal: Dana Payne

For my final project, I am drawing from the ideas found within Jimmy Corrigan concerning the repetitive and cyclic nature of a family.  This will also draw upon ideas from Hawthore’s “House of the Seven Gables.”  The underlying thesis of the paper has yet to be decided, but I will either go with a more optimistic ending or the more depressing one.  If I am to stay true to the themes of Ware’s graphic novel, I will choose the depressing ending.  However, I feel that my choice in ending could very well be based upon my ideas and opinions concerning the cycle of life.  Can the cycle be broken?  This will be the underlying argument of my short story (hopefully).

I feel that writing a paper like this could be risky for me, considering how quickly my ideas for fictional pieces change.  I had to change my entire plot for National Novel Writing Month just because I totally lost my motivation and muse.  Therefore, I feel that having a back up plan would be prudent.  This back up plan consists of comparing the ideas found in two of Hawthorne’s works (“The House of the Seven Gables” and “The Scarlet Letter”) with two of William Faulkner’s novels (“As I Lay Dying” and possibly “Light in August”).  You may remember that I mentioned “As I Lay Dying” in one of my previous essays, but felt that exploring the relation between it and “House of the Seven Gables” would have led to a totally different paper within the paper.

If I had not let my sister borrow “Watchmen” I would have used that for my final project.  I felt she needed her education in Alan Moore literature.  

Now for the project itself, I feel like giving away the plot would not be any fun.  I will reveal that it was inspired by a song called “Spring Street” by Vanessa Carlton.  I plan on searching for books on family psychology to better understand the relationship between a mother and her daughter, which will be necessary for my short story.

If anyone wants to listen to the song search for it on Youtube.  Here are the lyrics.

I was heading down to Spring Street with a suitcase in my hand 
Filled with love and life and grand illusion,
I knew you'd understand 
I left you by the stairwell
And your eyes were wet with tears 
Mother you knew you had to let me go,
Even after all these years 

And we sing 
She said 
Walk on 
You're alright

And I found myself a new life 
I've been living with some friends 
We hold on to dreams and live like kings,
Like the days will never end 
I left him by the statue and his eyes were filled with tears 
Lover you knew you had to let me go 
Even after all these years 
And we sing 

He said 
Walk on 
You're alright 

Everything changes friends become strangers 
What we hold so dear slips away 
The past keeps on fading,
But I'll never forget you 
It's hard to see that you're a part of me 
Even when we have to say 

Walk on 
We sing 
Well alright 

And I moved out of the city 
To start a family of my own 
When I look into my daughter's eyes,
I don't feel so alone
And as I walk her down to Spring Street 
She holds on to my hand 
Mother you knew my eyes would be wet with tears and now I understand 

And I said 
Walk on 
Thank you 
Walk on,
You're alright 
Can't hold on 

Project Proposal- Dana Schaufert

Final Project Proposal:

For my final project I plan to write a conventional essay. I will be extending/elaborating on my previous essay titled, “The Science of Religion.” However, instead of just focusing on heaven and the viewpoints surrounding the idea, I’m going to broaden the essay to talk about religion and science in general (But, I still plan to keep the writing on heaven). I’m not positive as to whether or not I’m going to include the section of my essay talking about the future of religion, I plan to decide on that after I have begun to write my draft (I may decide to include it towards the end of the essay).

Here is a very rough outline of how I want my paper to be organized:

-Scientific viewpoint
Silver’s view- challenges the belief of heaven
-Religious viewpoint
Despite scientific data, people still follow their beliefs (religious)
-Which “truth” to believe?
Answer: The truth is, religion and science cannot be compared


Thesis:

Although scientific data disagrees with certain religious views, many people continue to follow their beliefs.


Counterargument:

Science and religion cannot be compared.

(I’m unsure if my thesis can really be considered an argument, this is something I would like to discuss)


Research:

Natural Religion by Frederick Turner
“Religious and Scientific Truth”

The Eye of Heaven by Owen Gingerich
“The Censorship of De Revolutionibus”

When Worlds Converge Edited by Clifford N. Matthews, Mary Evelyn Tucker, and Philip Hefner
“Cosmology and Religion” – George F.R. Ellis
“Science and Religion as World-Builders” – Philip Hefner

Most of the research I have is going to relate to my counterargument that science and religion cannot really be compared. As for the scientific viewpoint and religious viewpoints, I will be using quotes and ideas from Silver’s Challenging Nature.


Relation to class:

Technologic/scientific impact on human nature (specifically religion)

A Modest Proposal

My final project shall be a short story of sorts. I will take two characters from the book (I'm leaning towards Curt and Joseph) and "compare" their lives before Oankali abduction. I will place the time setting in either a year before the war or several days before the alien intervention. A central argument that I would like to make involves both the dark and the light side of human nature. That's why I have chosen to use Joseph and Curt. I feel that Butler wants us to hate Curt so he will be my example of the "dark side." Lastly concerning my research I plan on looking up cultural differences of both men (they were from separate parts of the globe) and using these differences to explain why each character acts a certain way.

That is it for now,

-Jason Miller

final project

I plan to write about how technology will ultimately end the human species, which will be my thesis. I will incorporate Bill Mckibben's "Enough" and Lee M Silver's "Challenging Nature" . Silver will be apart of the counter argument stating that technology cannot end our species, it can only help and improve our way of living. As my research aspect, i will find article or books written about technology. I'm sure i will mostly find articles on this subject so ill look mostly for online articles. I want to use aspects of today's technology along with technology in the past. So for example i would use the atomic bomb of WWII and the nuclear scare during the cold war. Also, i would use Genetic engineering in today's world and the idea of how terrorists can destroy our food supply. I am still on the fence whether or not I will be doing a short story or a paper.

Paschke Proposal

Brian Paschke- The Future of Human Nature Final Paper Proposal

For my project I will draw most heavily on the books Jimmy Corrigan and Lilith’s Brood. I will use some information compiled by Silver to show that the direction we are headed is not reversible, and is in fact desirable. To provide a counterargument I will use McKibben, as I feel he makes some artificial distinctions between right and wrong. I believe that McKibben’s views are too based in the flesh and physical reality, when in fact our human society is an imagined product of our advanced neural structure. I recently part of a book by Benedict Anderson entitled “Imagined Communities” In which he describes modern nations. Some believe that Nietzsche preaches a doctrine of uncaring, this is false- Nietzsche merely believes that fantasy is necessary in order for human life.

Jimmy Corrigan has every material thing he needs in his life. Jimmy has a stable job, a comfortable house, plenty of food. His basic physical needs are more than met, judging by his extra girth. Jimmy is still miserable, and this is because his mental needs far exceed what his overeating can match. Modern man does not have the old support structure and must look to something new.

In Lilith’s Brood I bring two most important points- The humans have an ability to deny reality. Shut off their senses and imagine an alternate reality of their choosing. The Oankali most closely identify with their family group- “Lo was more than a town. It was a family group”- pg 557 Humans have evolved beyond this family need. We have a sense of species that the Oankali somehow do not understand (although they should because of their tradition of Akjai) The Oankali have evolved to point where they do not care about their species because it is only the mission that they care about. If Humans do not want to destroy themselves, they must learn to respect knowledge above all.

This is what I want to prove in my essay, that nothing essentially human would be lost if humans were enhanced to an advanced point unrecognizable by ourselves. I argue that technological improvements possibly leading to a species without a physical body is not to be feared, but should be viewed as an metamorphosis wherein the need for physical comforts slough off and a more pure, superior being rooted in a conceptual world view emerges.

I’ve drank wine and eaten cheese in the hills of France, I am not claiming to be a person who is more intellectual than physical, or even that one is the better… I know I would prefer to remain driven purely by physical sensations, but I do not believe that humanity can continue on exactly the same path forever.

Kaitlyn Sisk

I plan to extend on a topic of an essay I wrote about Jimmy Corrigan on the page of postcards.  My thesis raises the question- are all of humanity’s accomplishments worthwhile?  My opinion is the progress we are so proud of is the result of meaningless progression and has not amounted to anything necessary or good.  A possible counter-argument would be that our lives have become easier, more efficient, and better because of the advancements we have made.  But I will argue that these advancements have brought about much more negative effects than positive.

I plan to research on the effects of this progression, which I will possibly demonstrate with some research on topics such as the increase in franchises and the decline in privately owned businesses, obesity, the history of Indians and how we slaughtered them and how unnecessary this was, change in family structures, drug use, teenage deaths from alcohol, and more.  All of these issues are addressed in the postcards on page 168 and I plan to show that I feel we need to evaluate what we’ve accomplished through showing Ware’s opinion that our accomplishments are not worthwhile.

Lauren Fisher's Project Proposal

Final Project Proposal

For my final project, I propose to write an essay that will focus on aspects of human nature and decide whether it is an innate quality or a learned experience. After reading most of “Lilith’s Brood,” I became interested in Octavia Butler’s fear that the human race will destroy itself because of its Human Contradiction – we are both intelligent and hierarchical. I began to wonder where these human tendencies come from and if they can ever be unlearned.

Thesis:
Human nature is an innate quality that is with us since birth. As shown in “Lilith’s Brood,” humans possess both good and bad innate characteristics that both help and hinder their chance of survival.

Evidence I plan to use to support my thesis is: human instincts, tendencies, thought patterns, behavior, and motives. I will also use the concept of natural selection and Darwinism to see how human’s innatism will help or hurt them in their quest for survival. I wish to see how one’s language and culture affects them and how knowledge and ideas are possessed innately.

Counterargument:
Human nature is a learned experience that only comes from watching and learning from others. Humans model one another’s behavior and acquire these characteristics.

In my essay, I will discuss the nature vs. nurture debate and apply it to both my argument and counterargument. The nature versus nurture debates concern the relative importance of an individual’s innate qualities (“nature”) versus personal experiences (“nurture”) in determining or causing individual differences in physical and behavioral traits.

Research:
I plan on using online articles or articles from the library database that will provide me with more information on human nature’s innateness.

I have already found one article by Leon Eisenberg titled “The ‘Human’ Nature of Human Nature” that was published in “Science” magazine. The full article text can be found here: http://rt4rf9qn2y.scholar.serialssolutions.com/?sid=google&auinit=L&aulast=Eisenberg&atitle=The+Human+Nature+of+Human+Nature&title=Sciences+(New+York)&volume=176&issue=4031&date=1972&spage=123&issn=0036-8075

Project Proposal -- Steve Clark

I intend for my project to be a hybrid Essay/Short Story. My hopes was in the body of the essay to explore the works of various Enlightenment Philosopher's, namely Hobbes and Locke, but also others such as Rousseau and Descartes. I will be using Hobbes and Locke's somewhat differing viewpoints about the fundamentals of human nature to ultimately conclude how humanity will eventually end up (i.e. by way of a short story). My plan, at least right now, is to have a short story set, much like Butler's creation of Earth, in a dystopian world void of control and where humans are forced to live on their own.

Hobbes and Locke both agree that there needs to be some sort of control for humans to be succeed as a species, but humans what Hobbes fails to realize is that humans are naturally social creatures, and will seek each other, inevitably leading to a hierarchical structure. Humans know right from wrong innately, and even though they may not always choose to follow it, the majority will, and as a result humanity will always find a way to succeed despite how dire their situation.

Jim Abbott Project Proposal

For my project I would like to write a short story about how people today hide behind technology instead of handling their problems and living their lives.  I would use a teenager as the main character and illustrate how all of the advancements in technology have changed the character's life, mostly in a negative way.  I would mention the inventions of cell phones, instant messaging, video games, television, internet and social networks, and show how they act as a shield from the characters real life.  How these advancements have made it easier for a teenager to procrastinate, from life's problems such as school work, and college applications.  Also i would mention how the main character lives vicariously through online networks (instant messaging, facebook) and fantasy sports.  This will lead to the loss of community that also occurs due to these hinderances.  There is less social gatherings, and less in depth conversations, due to cell phones and text messaging in particular.  Families will also become more divided as parents lose their closeness with their kids since kids would much rather occupy their time with their computers, televisions and cell phones.  I'm not sure about the sources I will use for this project, but i will definitely relate it to McKibben, and his theory of "How do you feel after you watch a whole night of Primetime TV?  Maybe like you wished you did something else."  Also i will check the the library webpage and look for statistics about time consumed on the computer or television.  Also, how this relates to success in school, athletics, and also overall happiness.  

Project Proposal - Conner

Thesis:  Man's use of technology will ultimately be his demise because of "the human contradiction" (intelligence combined with hierarchical behavior)described by Butler in Lilith's Brood. This was first seen at the Columbian Exposition of 1893 in Chicago.  The peak of man's achievement also signaled the beginning of what we know as the modern world.  Society would never be the same again because of the technological developments achieved for the World's Fair.  However, rich and poor as well as ethnic groups were segregated because of the new age of technology, and the generation of materialism.  With biotechnology, we see that a great amount of intelligence is required, but hierarchy plays a role in who is able to take advantage of the improvement that it provides.  Only those with the funds to pay are able to have genetically engineered babies, and there will be a "GenRich" and "GenPoor."

Counter-argument:  technology will only continue to improve human life, taking advantage of human intelligence supplemented by artificial intelligence, and reducing the hierachical structures to achieve a "flat world."

I will be using The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson for research into the Columbian Exposition of 1893, Celebrating the New World:Chicago's Columbian Exposition of 1893 by Robert Muccigrosso, and articles found in the library's database relating to my topic. There is also a film by Eric Faden of Bucknell U - Tracking Theory from Vectors Journal

link to the film:  http://www.vectorsjournal.org/index.php?page=7&projectId=78

My Project will relate to the class by talking about the introduction of technology at the World's Columbian Exposition and its effect on life at that time, and also relating to ideas of our most recent text, Butler's Lilith's Brood.  This will have strong ties to McKibben's Enough as well.

Lauren Dodds Project Proposal

Lauren Dodds
Final Project

For my project I plan on discussing the changes in family structure by showing how the changes the Oankali cause mirror these changes that have already taken place. In doing this Bulter is portraying the way society is going downhill and we don't even notice it.
Potential Thesis: Butler uses her book to show the changes in family structure that are causeing people to loose sight of important values

I can find research that talks about how women have started to puch back having a family until later on in their life and first focus on their careers. Babies are not what are not what important; they can wait. This can be compared to when the Oankali take away reproduction from the humans and all of a sudden having kids is the only thing that matters. Butler is showing how a family is what matters and careers should not come before them.

Another area I would discuss is how it has become more common for kids to be raised without a present father. Though people realize this is not the ideal situation, they do no doubt that a child can get by under these circumstances. However, when the Oankali tell the humans that most men will not stay with their families or be there for their child as he or she grows up, they are deeply disturbed. I have skimmed trough articles on the Pitt library thing that have addressed the effects of fathers who spend times with their kids.

I can also talk about same sex parents, the adittion of extra family members, and siblings.


Counter Argument: Nuclear family is not important and it is best not to have a set idea about what the right family structure is and the Oankali are acting off this by introducing ideas that Americans have already started to embrace without even realizing.

Anarchism

My essay will be on Anarchism and whether it would be an ideal form of structure. I came up with this topic when reading Lilith's Brood, it talks about the human contradiction. Hierarchy is one of the components of that contradiction. Does the government have the right to tell you what to do? The Oankali have a point that power struggles create problems. I want to explore this topic because it interests me.

My thesis is not fooly formed because I dont know until I read more if Anarchy would be a good thing or not. If i conclude that it isnt then I will then try to argue for a wide number of libertarian proposals, which i know i agree i with. Because if my thesis says that anarchy is bad, then most people would agree.

I plan to use a book I found in the Pitt digital library, which is called Changing Anarchism Theory and Practice in a Global Age. Also I will probally use some articles.

A counterargument for this would be easy because the subject is so controversial. First I will say that Anarchism isnt realistic, and it wouldnt work. There would be too much chaos. I can also argue that having government is necessary to have a civilization. It helps humans progress, and keeps us from destroying eachother. If i found while reasearching that Anarchy would be a bad thing, then I could argue against libertarians ideas by saying that some freedoms have to be taken away for the common good. Or that drugs are bad for you so they should be outlawed.

I was also toying with the idea of making a funny comic about living in a world of anarchy, but this cant be done until I do my research.

Jesssica' Proposal

My proposal for my final paper is going to going to argue about the different ways of reproduction between the Oankali and humans. I will talk about Octavia Butler's sexual orientation and some possible reasons why she decides that the Oankali have three genders instead of one. In the beginning I will talk about Octavia Butler and her sexual orientation and her interest in the form of gender and expanding the mind.

My argument is about the Oankali and their reproduction. I will talk about the Oankali way of reproduction and how they have to "trade" with other species. Also, I'll talk about the ooloi not being any gender and how they are the connector to the mates. In addition, I will talk about how Oankali mates are brother and sister and how it isn't incest. Then, I will talk about the birth of the Oankali child and how the sex of the child is not known until metamorphis.

My counter argument is on the human reproduction and sexual orientation. I will talk about how Oankali mates are different then human because humans are not related. I will talk about incest, the norms about it, and the physical defects of the child. Also, I will talk about how there is only two genders but there are many spaces between genders like gay, bi, and trans.

My research will be on the effects of incest and different sexuality. Also,I will research Octavia Butler and her sexual orientation.

I don't have a solid thesis, but as time goes on I think I will start to develop a strong thesis.

Kate Delle's final project

Final Project proposal: 

My paper will incorporate the literary works “Death of a Salesman” and “The Bell Jar” to support my argument that society puts so much pressure on mankind that often leads to extreme loneliness and self-alienation of the individual. This is able to prove that because there will always be this loneliness in the world, human nature is unlikely to change.

Thesis:

It is my belief that human nature is unlikely to change due to the fact that alienation, loneliness and societal pressures, which are contributions to human nature, have shown to lead to a decline in the progress of mankind. These negative aspects of human nature can be seen not only throughout Jimmy Corrigan, and The House of the Seven Gables, but also throughout Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller and The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath.   

 

Counterargument: 

            Many could argue that human nature does have the potential to change due to the positive aspects of human nature such as working together to achieve potentials, the tendency of humans to be optimistic, and the determination the humans have to make things better for themselves.   

 

Research:

            I plan to use mainly online articles for my research.  I will probably the Contemporary Literary Criticism data -base to find articles about Death of a Salesman and The Bell Jar that support my thesis. Hopefully I will be able to find some articles that

 

 

 

Project Proposal

I plan on writing a conventional essay in which I describe the direction that several authors in our class view humanity to being going in. By this, I mean for example, describing how it is that Hawthorne views humanity to be moving (downward spiral), meaning that he sees humans as slowly fading away in meaning by repeating the mistakes of the past. Also, I will use evidence from the text as proof that he portrays this. For McKibben and Silver, although they are similar, I will contrast how they view humanity and the future of humanity. Silver has a linear approach on progress and is only looking straight forward. McKibben uses an ascending spiral to show humans progress as a whole. He sees progression as moving upward, but still holding true to the morals of the past. The thesis of my paper will go something like: All of the literature presented in class has several complex ideas on the direction of humanity and can be simplified with the use of several visual representation, the ascending and descending spiral, linear, etc. For a counter argument- You could say that the connection to the symbol (spiral) is incorrect and is more similar to “blank”. For instance, one could argue that Jimmy Coorigan portrays human progress as linear even though most would see it as a standstill. As far as research, I can use different views from other futurists to refute Silver’s ideas. Or maybe I can do research on a specific view on the future of humans and connect that to a similar view.

Chris Gorham Final Project Proposal

My final project is meant to challenge one of the most controversial topics in today’s society, religion. I want to dig deep into the lifelong question of “Is it real?” Is there really a good, or have we all been misled by a long line of storytelling. Sure, this could qualify for a Class A ticket to hell, but I’m interested after reading the literatures that have been presented in this close to challenge the “given.” I think that with everything that has happened through history that it is hard to believe that we should rely on some higher being for justification. A great deal of the conflicts that have arisen throughout history have been derived mainly from the dispute of religion. If there was a God, shouldn’t he prevent our self destruction through sin and monstrosities like murder and more presently, technologies on the verge of disproving him and his ways? How can we put so much faith in something so unknown? I believe that religion has one sole purpose, and that is structure. Religion is an empty belief to keep structure in the world. This empty belief is also the precursor to our self destruction. Many religious people embrace the end of times because it leads to Heaven, but if we can’t prove Heaven, and we can’t prove God, then why the hell are people so eager to get there. Personally, I can agree that it is nice having Heaven to rely on when people die because we can all say, “They’re in a better place.” But why? Should Heaven make us forget that our so called God just let our mom die in a car accident, or our brother get exilled by a roadside bomb. There’s too much hurt in the world to believe that God is so loving and so kind because if he is real, he causes hurt. Saying this, I can already predict what the typical religion fanatic would say, “It’s meant to be, it’s HIS plan.” I say, prove it. I say prove that there is a God and then tell me that innocent people die for a reason. Tell me that the technology that is disproving souls in humans is His plan. Tell me that the possibility of recreating man with human technology is His plan. I’d love to believe in it, but with everything that has happened in history, and everything that continues to happen, it’s getting harder. So my final project is to explore the possibility that our belief in God is misguided. Really, I think that we take belief in something unknown because we take comfort in it when things go wrong in our lives. As you can see…my thoughts are kind of all over the place, so I might need a little help on that, but this is my general proposal. I plan on gathering extensive research from a lot of philosophical and religious sources. I'm sure there are plenty of smart people out there that have argued this same thing so I will be looking for their research and arguments to complement my own. I will most likely start in the library looking for books that will help and then move on to some online resources.

Final Project Proposal

My final project plans to incorporate the concepts of individualism the class discussed when we looked over an excerpt on Immanuel Kant and our progressive focus on the meaning of an individual, while incorporating ideas of prominent figures such as Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara, Martin Luther King Jr., and Robert ‘Bob’ Nesta Marley whom used their individualism to unify a great mass of peoples.
The main idea is analyzing the sacrifice of individual spirit against social impurities and corruption. I plan to develop an argument on how education, solidified individual beliefs and decision-making, self- confidence, self-questioning, the love of ones personal cause, and even personal fears will allow a single person to bring forward communal justice. I believe that with all of these, a more developed individual is created and is now able to lead, but in order to lead they must sacrifice the desire to change the world single-handedly and, therefore, enlist the help of others that are becoming in their own individuality. I believe that one cannot change or persuade others if they are uncertain of what they represent.
I plan to structure my paper as a creative work in the form of spoken word poetry while maintaining the 7+ page criteria. As I believe in individuals creating change, I will write as a true leader speaking to others that are now becoming individualized in a unified cause. While writing this paper I plan to use diaries and published works of Che Guevara, the movie Che!, lyrics of Bob Marley’s songs as well as the rules and beliefs of the Rastafarian movement, a book by Coretta Scott King that is a compilation of her husbands speeches, quotes, and ideas, and of course Immanuel Kant’s ideas.

Andre's Project

Andre Cedeno
Dr. Adam Johns
Seminar in Composition
November 10, 2008

My project is on how changes in communication technology have changed the relations between humans over time starting from cohesive family units and ending up as unconnected individuals. Examples include the Corrigan’s relationships with each other changing as more advanced communication systems come along such as the television and telephone, Bill McKibben’s belief that we rely too much on technology and are not as close-knit as we once were, and the completely redefined relationships in Lilith’s Brood along with their more advanced ways of communicating.

A counterargument to my thesis could be that as communication technology has evolved we have been able to communicate with people we never could have connected with before and that we can maintain relationships that were not possible before. Examples include communicating overseas through a business conference or keeping up with friends whom you no longer can see on online networking sites.

For my research I intend to use online catalogs to find articles and books relating to my topic. Such as articles and books on human relationships over time or communication technology.

Project Proposals

When are they due? Lauren and Kate pointed out after class that I was supposed to talk about this question again; they even tried and failed to get my attention. So... I'll leave it up to each of you individually. I highly recommend that you try to get them done for Monday, but if you can't do a good job for Monday, shoot for Wednesday.

What, exactly, is due? I want a detailed proposal, between a paragraph and a page, discussing what you want to do. If you are doing a conventional essay, things you should address include:

1. Your thesis, which should be clear, concise, and non-trivial.
2. A counterargument which an intelligent reader can take seriously. This especially helps to demonstrate that the thesis is, in fact, non-trivial.
3. Some indication of what research you intend to use. Most of you should begin (if you don't know this already) at the Pitt digital library page (I can't post a link right now, because it works differently from home - can someone do so?). On the upper left hand corner, you'll find links for "search for articles" and "search for books." The articles are conveniently broken down by subject heading. I intend to discuss this in class next week, for anyone having research difficulty. You should also feel free at any time to ask for help in the library: your insane tuition pays their meagre salaries just like it pays mine.
4. A brief explanation of how you see this project relating to the class. Don't bother with this if if it's completely obvious.

If you are not proposing a conventional essay, you should provide equivalent details, as far as it is possible to do so.

Notes:

1. Everyone should bring a printed copy of their proposal next week, in addition to posting it on the blog.
2. While I have fallen behind on reading your blog entries, and may have trouble catching up, I will read and comment on these promptly unless I am actually (knock on wood) hospitalized -- it will be my first priority, both within this class and among all my classes.
3. I want everyone to offer detailed comments on at least two other proposals, next week. We'll discuss details next week.
4. Post questions as a comment to this post, if and when you have them.
   

Dana Payne

Seminar in Composition

Dr. Adam Johns

November 5, 2008

One of the many things that keeps humans from falling to the state of primitive beasts is morality.  There are many definitions and applications of morality.  The application to which we have been exposed most is the morality of altering genetics in order to make the average homo sapiens something improved--an upgraded model, if you will.  Applying this to Octavia Butler’s Lilith’s Brood, we are bound to question the morality of the Oankali’s actions.  The more prudent question to ask is, does this application of morality exist in face of extinction?  I would answer this question with a doubtless, “No.”  Another application of morality is the division between right and wrong, good and evil, moral and immoral.  In my opinion, morality is stronger among humans because of the Oankali, or at least it is stronger among the humans that accepted the Oankali.  The situation in Lilith’s Brood is certainly a situation “beyond morality” in some cases, but not in all.

The novel starts with Lilith awaking in a windowless, colorless room in which she has been trapped for an undefinable period of time.  We learn that there was a war of a large scale on Earth--a war so violent and terrible that it destroyed much of the Northern hemisphere and many of the centers of human civilization.  Humans as they once were would not be able to survive on post-war Earth.  Elements of the Earth had been biologically changed, also most of the people saved would not have known how to survive because they had had the comforts of technology to aid them.  Extinction would have been the inevitable fate for the human species if not for the Oankali.  This alien species saved what was left of the Earth.  Though the Oankali saved the humans for their own biological purposes, they saved them regardless.  Lilith may have been altered genetically, but only for her own survival.  Nothing more than the necessary was done.  I do not believe that it’s immoral to save a dying species by altering their genetics.  If I were in the situation, I would rather live with slight alterations than die.

Though the sense of morality concerning may have changed because of the situation, the basic sense of human morality was maintained if not improved by Oankali and the people who did not resist them.  Morality has been improved because of the Oankali’s lack of hierarchical ambitions.  Life among the Oankali is harmonious and happy.  When Tino arrives the village, it is filled with children and a feeling of community as they ate.  “People brought food, shared it along themselves and with Lilith as they accepted what she offered.  They fed their own children and each other’s children...” (Butler).  The lesson we were taught as toddlers applies in the Oankali village more than ever before:  sharing is caring.  Not only is it caring, but it is proficient and best for the community as a whole.  Since the people of the village are not busy trying to earn dominance in some form, they can focus on surviving together.  Their reliance on each other and desire to see to it that all of them survive create a morality greater than that of the resisters.

The morality, or lack thereof, of the resisters is made most evident in the instance of two deaths in the novel:  one certain, while the other has yet to be ascertained, but is probable.  Curt, so consumed with xenophobia, kills Joseph when he sees that Joseph had been given the ability to heal remarkably fast.  The immorality of the situation is obviously murder, but humans are so blinded by their fear of the unknown that the morality of their actions escapes them.  In the second instant, Tino is killed so that Akin can be taken for trading.  The morality of the human resisters has regressed into a primitive state:  a state in which the strongest survive, a state in which killing a man and taking the child that was supposedly his son for trading.  The Oankali were right when they found the hierarchical nature of humans to be their greatest downfall.  In the novel, the resisters serve as a comparison to the Oankali village.  While the Oankali village is peaceful, reliant on each other, and sharing, the various resisters are violent, hierarchial, and are making to marked progress.

I apologize to whoever is commenting on this essay.  I wasn't on my game when I wrote it.

Sean Osterman
Dr.Johns
11/5/08

On every account of morality, it is some form of conduct passed down from a mature being in our life. Every person has their own set of morals to help them determine what is right and wrong. In “Lilith’s Brood”, by Octavia Butler, there is one instance where morals are a huge factor in determining the excistance of humans. Humans approach a situation where they have to determine whether or not to reproduce with a non-human life or face extinction. Of course due to diverse morals there is an immense controversy. This is much related to the controversy of today with engineering humans to make us the “perfect species”. If the humans in “Lilith’s Brood” decide to reproduce with another species other than human, the meaning behind life will completely vanish. The same idea follows with genetic engineering; if we create the ultimate human, than the meaning of life will vanish.
Lee M. Silver, author of “Challenging Nature”, would argue that by creating the perfect human, our lives will only increase in pleasure and the meaning will not decrease. Silver fails to realize that most accomplishments will lose its meaning because humans will no longer have to work for anything. It’s as if the perfect human will dehumanize our species. This can be seen in “Lilith’s Brood” because though the humans are reproducing and continuing their existance, can they even be considered apart of the human species?
I have always known a human as being born from another human. Bill Mckibben, author of “Enough”, is on the side of the people known as resisters in “Lilith’s Brood”. These people are against reproduction with the alien species. McKibben believes that the value of a human will decrease if the infant is not bron from a mother and instead a test tube or a foreign species. If Mckibben were in this situation he would take extinction over being half human. Unfortunatly the humans in “Lilith’s Brood” depend upon this alien species for survival. Morals will have to be put aside to continue the survival of human existance.
Though a choice may seem to be idiotic or irrational, these choices are made on what is believed to be most beneficial to the individual or the entire species. Morals keep us in line as if they are mandatory to side with. Humans rarely go against their morals resulting in a clear conscience. Morality is an increadible asset to the human species and will continue to benefit the decision making under the most extreme conditions.

Jonathan Doron Blog

Jonathan Doron
Seminar in Composition
Dr. Adam Johns
November 5, 2008

A species is “regarded as the basic category of biological classification, composed of related individuals that resemble one another, are able to breed among themselves, but are not able to breed with members of another species.” (www.dictionary.com) Though Akin may only have minute differences, and at first glance even resemble a human, he is barely closer to being a member of the human species than apes are. Akin is not fully human. Genetics, the “blueprint” for the structure and differences of living things separate Akin from physically being human. Interestingly enough, there are several psychological and emotional characteristics that make Akin (internally) quite human. Unfortunately, the answer to “is Akin human?” is not quite as simple as it sounds. There’s no doubt that he’s part human; he has human parents. But, he also has Oankali parents. Technically, Akin is a hybrid, “the offspring of two animals or plants of different breeds.” (www.dictionary.com) rendering him partially human, but not entirely.
Akin cannot be regarded as a human, because genetically he is not human. Though at his young age he may greatly resemble a human, the book hints that he will eventually undergo a metamorphosis that will make look much more like an Oankali than a human. The fact that Akin is going to undergo a metamorphosis at all is an obvious example of his inhumanity. Regardless of his appearance, we know that the Oankali have genetically modified him, themselves, and his parents, thus morphing many of the genes that would have previously characterized him as a human. One thing that we don’t know for certain by the end of the second book, is whether or not constructs would be able to interbreed among fertile humans (though resisters wish they knew). Therefore, it is impossible to determine whether or not Akin satisfied that part of the definition of being the same species as a human.
However genetically different Akin is than humans, he seems to possess many of the psychological and emotional qualities of a human. For example, his never-satisfied curiosity is extremely characteristic of humans, as well as his ability to feel fear, happiness, and loneliness. Akin even has the ability to entertain and make people laugh. When we read about Akin, it doesn’t even seem as though Butler is trying to portray as inhuman. If it wasn’t such a theme in the book, it might even be easy to forget that he’s a product of nonhuman parents.
The main point is, while Akin may be somewhat “human” he cannot match the scientific definition of being a Homo Sapien (the scientific name for humans, meaning wise human). Though he may possess several attributes that may characterize him as a human, the genetic differences that set him apart from “true humans” keep him from being truly “human.” Though I haven’t yet finished the book, Butler’s hint at a future metamorphosis indicates that he will appear much less like a human. Though he may fit the description of a sapien, we cannot classify him as being human.


I know this is a really weak paper right... i've been studying for an exam for Friday... the revision will be much better

Steve Clark

English Composition

Dr. Adam Johns

5 November, 2008

At the basis of every species, there is a necessity to put personal survival above all other priorities. Humans are no different, in this respect, from any other living creature, but humans perceive this “law” of nature a lot differently than other creatures. Humans have morals. It doesn’t matter how sick and twisted some humans can be, there is no doubt in my mind that at all humans possess morals. Can society reach such a point, where morality disappears, and survival is the only thing worth caring about? In “Adulthood Rites”, Octavia Butler creates a dystopian society void of everything humans had before an apocalyptic war. Akin and Lilith will soon find out that even though survival is on everyone’s mind, that they still have a very keen notion of morals. Octavia Butler uses certain scenes throughout “Adulthood Rites” to show that even the most dangerous can be weakened by their morality.

Morality is the one thing that separates humans from other creatures. Humans can consciously “reorder” their hierarchy of needs, and actually place survival below other priorities. Morality is the mechanism that allows us to do that. Morality says that when someone close to you in danger, that their life is more important than your own. Morality says that even though your survival is at stake, other people must be given an equal opportunity. Early in “Adulthood Rites” Lilith and Akin encounter a Resister in the woods; his name was Tino. Rather than distrusting him automatically, or even trying to kill him, Lilith risked being attacked, by lunging at the man and breaking his weapon. She sensed, through Akin, that the man was not entirely dangerous, and therefore possibly worth the risk of “saving”. Even a person she would have considered to be her enemy, became a member of her camp.

Even though she convinced him to stay at their camp, there is a lot more to Tino than meets the eye. He is a resister, but as Nikanj later explains, he also is a resister to other resister camps. He doesn’t really feel a part of any group. His morality will not allow him to be completely against any one side, so instead, he chooses to not be a part of any side. He had the chance to do harm to Lilith, and couldn’t go through with it. Even though he felt in danger of being attacked himself, his morality simply would not let him hate or kill another living thing.

Akin is a very interesting character. His youth comes with a very obvious degree of naivete, but also shows a great deal of curiosity. Much like any other human child, he is constantly asking questions, and easily becoming frustrated when he isn’t obliged by those around him. Octavia Butler uses Akin to show the development of morality. Although morals are at the basis of every human, they must still be learned and taught. Very early in his young life, he learns to “share any pain he caused”. Akin is quickly learning that humans are dangerous, but they can’t be seen as unanimously dangerous. Akin is learning how to use his senses, to understand human emotions, and to be able to differentiate between the dangerous ones and the not-so dangerous ones. Again, Butler is using Akin to show development of morality. It would be easy for Nikanj and Ahajas to just tell Akin that all full humans are dangerous, and never to trust them. They want to maintain the integrity of humanity, though, and they want to learn about them in hopes of being able to live peacefully again. Even in a completely dystopian world, with just enough supplies to survive, both Lilith and the Oankali understand the utter importance of being morally sound, rather than just surviving on their own.

Human nature is not always as irrational as it may seem. All humans have a need for interaction. It is not enough for humans to survive, if they cannot interact with other humans. It is another unique quality that sets humans apart from other living creatures. Morals will force us to live a certain life, even in spite of danger to our own lives. It is a set of laws that all humans must abide by. Although morality may differ from human to human, it is a common flaw to all humans. It is both our greatest strength and our greatest weakness. Individually, it actually gives us the ability to move survival below our greatest priority, and makes us prone to danger. Collectively, it makes us a superior race because it allows us to have a true bond that no other species could ever possibly have.

Morality Questioned

Colin Conner

Dr. Adam Johns

Seminar in Composition

5 November 2008

Morality Questioned

            Morality is defined as the quality of being in accord with standards of right or good conduct. I agree with this definition of morality saying that morality revolves around making decisions that you feel are right or just, but feel that it is immoral to try and impose your morals on someone else. In Octavia Butler’s Lilith’s Brood, it seems as though morality has come into question because of the Oankali’s immoral practices. This idea seems to mirror the quote from Solaris, “we are in a situation beyond morality.” The Oankali are introducing procedures, such as genetic engineering that in today’s world are argued as immoral. Because the Oankali are in control of most of the Earth, they can get away with doing things that are against human morals without any argument from the humans that live among them. But the resisters, or the humans that oppose the Oankali and their ways, hold strong to their morals and do not allow themselves to succumb to “trading” with the Oankali. Although the resisters feel that they are acting as the most moral of beings, to me it seems as though they just as immoral as any of the Oankali, or the humans living with the Oankali. Everyone in Lilith’s Brood is acting in a somewhat immoral way, causing society as a whole to turn upside-down.

            The Oankali attempts to push what they believe are moral ideals onto the humans that they have rescued from Earth. In today’s society many people feel that genetic engineering (which is the “trade” that Oankali want to make) is immoral. The Oankali give humans no real chance to choose if they want to “trade” or not, so this can create conflict. They could either accept this trade and live on Earth, or be left on the ship to try again or to live out their life. Lilith was given even less of a choice because since she was chosen she would have to trade with the Oankali, or as Nikanj offered, be killed by their sting and they would find someone else. Although morals that are shared between individuals in a society secure that society, people cannot be forced into accepting morals, they have to believe in the morals for true security. If people do not all agree with the morals, you have people that break off from the group and become resisters.

            The resisters want the Oankali just to leave them alone and to let them live life on Earth like they did before the war, but since the Oankali want to “trade” the resisters resort to immoral practices. Because the Oankali have made it so human are infertile without Oankali interaction, the resisters decide to steal the new construct babies. This does nothing but make morality a thing of the past. When the raiders take Akin, not only do they steal a prized construct baby, but they also kill Tino, acting like a life is an easily disposable thing. None of their actions were justified, and no one truly benefitted from baby being stolen. The raiders eventually get what they had coming to them when Tino’s father and friends attack and kill many of the raiders. If the resisters would just live by positive morals, maybe the Oankali would believe that they could trust them and would be willing to adapt to their morals so that they could all live in harmony. Or if the resisters were able to accept the fact that the Oankali saved their lives and they should be willing to repay them by accepting their trade for the benefit of mankind. This could lead to a single, secure, and prosperous society of Oankalis and humans.

            Morality allows for many different interpretations, many involving beliefs relating to “drinking, drugs, sex, gambling, etc,” but it seems that it deals with any conflict where you have a right and a wrong decision. Our morality states what we think is the right decision in those situations.  Our culture, religion, friends, and family most often influence our decisions. It makes since that in a society where there is very little religion, and most of the friends and family know to us were killed in the war, that there would be many conflicts in morality. Everyone would have their individual opinion. Because of this, people will push their beliefs onto other people trying to convince them they are right. Because of this it seems this caused “a situation beyond morality” where there are only conflicts in morality, no agreed understanding. As A.J Ayer states in Humanist Outlook, “No moral system can rest solely on authority.”

           

           

 

What makes us Human

Andre Cedeno

Dr. Adam Johns

Seminar in Composition

November 5, 2008

Humanity vs. Constructs

Throughout Lilith’s Brood the question of what it means to be human is brought up many times. One of the most prominent examples is brought up with Akin. A child who looks remarkably human but, still has features of the Oankali such as a photographic memory and extremely advanced sensory organs. All of these changes create a being which is inhuman. These beings like Akin are not human and these differences are much like the ones Bill McKibben feared in “Enough”. These new creatures are not human just like our distant ancestors who were more primitive than us.

Even though Akin was born of a human woman there are many things that separate him from actually being one. Major physical differences include his long, gray tongue which he is able to use to look at the cellular structure of another organism and the spots on his back which sensory tentacles will grow out of. These nonhuman physical characteristics enable him to do many things that humans can not without the assistance of tools such as microscopes or computers. The differences he has with humans are not limited to physical ones, he also has personality differences. Akin is a non-violent creature who finds it hard to lie. This is unlike the personality of humans who have a history of violence which is evident throughout the story and in real life. Humans also feel the need to lie about many of the things that go on in their life. Akin was unable to even understand humans and the why they did many of the things that they did. The fact that he could not even manage to understand human nature illustrates that he is not human.

This creature who is beyond human is exactly what Bill McKibben envisioned as the end result of genetic engineering. The changes they have made in the children of humans has created something else that might be better or worse than humans but, is definitely not the same as humans. The flaws of humans are a major part of what makes us actually human. As McKibben said, “It’s the ability to limit ourselves—in Kohak’s words, ‘the recognition that something may be perfectly understandable and yet be wrong’—that makes us unique among the animals.”(208) Without our flaws we can not be human these are apart of us just like being able to speak is apart of us. Humans are supposed to feel tired after running, they should not be able to jump up trees. Humans also are supposed to forget things, the should not be able to remember everything that ever happened in their life. All these changes create a new type of being something that is beyond human.

Whether these new “constructs” are better than humans or worse is another story. The “constructs” have many superior physical characteristics that enable them to do things that humans could only dream of. These traits obviously make them better than humans on the physical level. The mental characteristics such as their inability to lie and their lack of violence are two traits that can be better or worse than those of humans. Akin inability to lie caused much pain and suffering when Tino’s father asked if one of the raiders killed his son. If Akin had been able to lie as easily as most humans know one would have been killed or injured in the fight that followed. Akin’s propensity toward non-violence also cost him. If he was as violent as humans he could have escaped from his captors. Akin has the ability to poison people with his tongue, which he exhibited on a agouti who was in pain after being shot. If Akin had poisoned his captors he would have been able to escape and might have been able to return home. These differences could be viewed as positives since our inclination toward violence and lying has led to much bloodshed but, for Akin they turned out to be negatives. If constructs have superior physical and mental characteristics to humans but, are unable to use these to their advantage then they are not superior to humans. The constructs are humans equals with both having different advantages and disadvantages.

Akin and the other constructs are not human. They lack many of the physical traits and the things that drive humans. Many of the things that they are missing are things that are a part of human nature such as lying and violence, these are two things that help humans survive. The changes the Oankali have made with the offspring of humans has made them something else just like a mule is not considered to be a horse or donkey. This different life form has many qualities which separate it from humans making it unique. This distinctiveness also goes for humans which makes us great creatures in are own right. The changes made make the constructs something no better or worse than humans, simply something different.

Misplace Your Morality

Giovanni Serrapere
Dr. Adam Johns
ENGCMP 0200
5 November 2008

The resisters should just leave their morality at the door. This new life of theirs can best be described as post-human. Morality to me is the doctrine of socially accepted rights and wrongs that one adheres to. It is foolish of them to stick with the old society’s rules, because it is a different world they live in now. Lilith’s world is beyond morality because the human experience has changed, their lives depend on it, and man’s morality should not apply to a different species.
The human race is no longer at the top of the food chain. Throughout humanity’s existence we have lived by our own rules. But when something stronger than humans arrive shouldn’t we try to coexist just so we don’t become extinct. Why do the resisters stick to a rigid sense of morality, when it has failed them thus far? Our old ways led the humans to a nuclear war that nearly wiped them off the planet. The new era they now live in tells them that their old ways should be left behind and instead replaced with a more pragmatic approach. The resisters have chosen to not breed with the Oankali because they believe it to be immoral, they want to stay pure. When you die alone without children or other humans no one will care that you took the “high road” and didn’t mix DNA with Oankali. The resisters even acknowledge this futile existence, “We don’t get old. We don’t have kids, and nothing we do means shit.”(Butler 402) It just does not make sense to stick to morality that isn’t useful.
If they do not become like Lilith and breed with the Oankali, then they will not live out the full extent of their lives. “At least he’s been awake for sixty-five years in all. That’s a decent length of time for a Human being.”(Butler 327) This shows their attitudes towards their life expectancy, if they joined the Oankoli then their expectancy and quality of life would greatly increase. The humans are killing each other and live in a constant state of violence.”Twice, a pair of them rolled in the mud, punching and clutching at one another. Even then they did not fight; they cursed each other and cursed him.”(Butler 334) The Oankali don’t understand the irrational decisions made by the humans, and they can’t stand the reckless waste of life that they see. Their species differ greatly in practices and culture.
To call somebody rude for yelling in your face is permissible unless of course they are a foreign culture, or better yet another species. Humans cannot judge the Oankali by their set of morals, because it means nothing to them. This is May I remind you an alien culture literally and figuratively speaking. The same standards do not apply to them, because there are some things that we can’t begin to understand about them. Throughout the book there are examples of the Oankali not being able to translate words or feelings into something the humans would understand. Their ignorance of the Oankali’s point of view is seen when they try to cut Amma and Shkaht’s tentacles. It would actually be a very serious pain for them, but the humans don’t understand. “What if someone were going to cut your eyes out, and you had a gun?”(Butler 398) Another example is how Tino has trouble at first with mating with Nikanj, even though it is not a male he still sees it as one. This is common with many of the humans, it is another reason the resister will not assimilate.
The brand new Oankali-Human species, the fate of the last resisters, and the culture shock of a new species are all reasons that morality should have no place in the rebuilding of earth. Who is to say what is right and wrong? If the humans become more understanding like the Oankali, then they can move past judgments. Replace the morals with practical rules like the Oankali, don’t waste and seek knowledge. Their new nature will not be as volatile as human nature, and will lead to a prosperous future.