Time Schedule:
Rebecca M Lemov
HUM 596
Seattle Campus
Exploration of current research in the Humanities and the study of the arts. Offered by specially selected U.W. faculty and visiting scholars in the arts and humanities.
Class description
Pragmatism & Behaviorism in America. This seminar will focus on th eintersection of two uniquely American thought systems, behaviorism and pragmatism. We will explore the intellectual contributions and social effects of these powerful systems of ideas, and ask what is the relationship between ideas and action. We will also explore how Americans in these years reckoned with the ascendancy of science and a scientific worldview. What types of scientific management and social engineering resulted, and how did these affect the functioning of a democratic society? Readings will include works by John Dewey, William James, C.S. Peirce, Louis Menand, Robert Westbrook, Donna Haraway, Philip Pauly, and others.
Student learning goals
General method of instruction
Recommended preparation
This course is intended for graduate students in any of the humanities or social sciences. Other students with a particular interest in the subject matter may consult with the instructor about taking the class.
Class assignments and grading
A short essay and a longer paper are required, along with one oral presentation of one of the week's readings.
