Honors Program in Consciousness, Creativity & Meaning

Honors 211 examines the biblical story of Adam and Eve, one of Western culture’s key foundation myths, by following its preoccupation with forbidden knowledge in the works of authors ranging from the 17th-Century poet John Milton to contemporary women writers of the psychedelic movement, who like Eve, ingest forbidden wisdom-giving "fruit." In doing so, we enlist the help of philosophers, neuroscientists, and psychologists to explore such questions as: Should certain kinds of knowledge be forbidden or is knowledge an unqualified good? Who should decide? What does it mean to be in a state of innocence, or of experience? What aspects of the human psyche are involved in occupying these states and what kinds of knowledge are they capable of acquiring? These questions will in turn invite us to(re)assess what we understand to be the nature of reality and the deepest aspects of our human identity.

This course is an introduction to the major monuments and movements of Buddhist art in Asia, including China, Korea, Japan, Southeast Asia, and Tibet. Emphasis is placed on the interaction of different Buddhist concepts/schools and diverse visual forms that represented them. Issues of examination include the evolution of the Buddha’s image from aniconic to iconic representation, the development of Buddhist iconography in relation to other religious iconography and secular imagery, the role of patronage, and the relationship of pilgrimage and art production. Each class combines lecture and discussion.

The goal of this course is to provide an in-depth, accurate understanding of mindfulness, from both an academic and experiential perspective. The history of mindfulness is examined, including its roots in Buddhism, along with the more recent integration of mindfulness practice in Western psychology. The course explores what mindfulness is, common misconceptions about mindfulness and mindfulness meditation, how mindfulness works, and also the qualities and virtues cultivated in mindfulness practice. Both through readings as well as applied practice, the course explores different forms of mindfulness meditation, from present-moment awareness in everyday life and activities, to formal sitting meditation, body awareness, walking meditation, loving-kindness meditation, and movement-based meditations including qi gong. Throughout, the course is grounded in an exploration into the science and neuroscience of mindfulness, including research evidence on the effects of mindfulness practice and mindfulness-based interventions on the brain, immune system, physiological stress reactivity, and overall physical and psychological health. Along the way, the course addresses important questions about the self and the mind, through the lenses of philosophy, psychology, and contemporary neuroscience. These questions include: Is there such a thing as a self? Is there such a thing as a mind, which is separate from the brain? And if so, how are the mind and brain related?

This class explores how new trends and technologies in the fields of biological sciences and biotechnology influence emerging art and artists. The course looks at the world around us from differing perspectives, with the aid of technology, biological phenomena, and artistic eye. The class is designed for students of all disciplines, including the non-declared, with the goal to inspire students to think outside of the box, explore divergent and convergent thought, and seek out knowledge and inspiration from many different disciplines. Students are encouraged to collaborate with peers. Satisfies the Connections core requirement.

Human consciousness is at once the most basic and most mysterious fact of our existence. It is difficult to describe because it cannot be compare the ground upon which the experience of living rests, including our ability to make comparisons. Moreover, its source remains elusive; no one knows, the brain, a material organ, creates perceptions, ideas, or emotions, all of which are immaterial. Poets, novelists, and philosophers of the Romantic 19th C.) were especially preoccupied with the mysterious nature of consciousness and sought both to describe and explain the puzzling relationship subjective experience and the exterior world that subjectivity negotiates. This course focuses on the ways in which literary art of the British Romantic questions that attend the study of consciousness: Is the mind created by nature, or does it create nature? What is the mind’s relationship with the subjective experience of being a self governed by imagination? In what ways are the literary arts uniquely suited to explore the mystery of human also examines how Romantic era authors subsequently influenced poetry and music of the Beat Generation and the 1960s counterculture, as well with contemporary research in philosophy, neuroscience, psychology, physics, and the burgeoning field of psychedelic studies.

What role do films play in shaping our imagination of the environment? How has cinema influenced our actions in the past, and how might it alter our actions in the future? What effect do films have in understanding non-human systems, knowledge production, or storytelling? How can an eco-critical approach to film challenge and/or subvert those assertions? Can film in particular advocate for the planet’s agency? These are some of the central questions we will explore as we screen and examine the intersections between films/film-making and ecological ways of knowing from Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Through critical analysis of a variety of cinema traditions, genres, and practices, students gain exposure to films as expressions of environmental discourse and their potential as inspiration and instigators of environmental action. Students apply the tools of eco-critical cultural studies and ecologically informed approaches to cinematic practice, and to representations of the relationships that humans have with the non-human. Themes explored will vary and may include: the material ecologies of film production; cinematic ideology and affect; the eco-politics of Hollywood and its alternatives; representations of landscape, sense of place, and identity; the imperial and colonial gaze; ecological utopias and dystopias; tensions between human `dominance’ and co-existence with other species; problematizing the eco-documentary; the ever-growing climate catastrophe genre and its reactions (e.g. eco-anxiety); foodways and human (over)consumption; and Indigenous and social justice activism.