Unit 1A: Perspectives: Ways of Seeing, Not Seeing, and Being Deceived
Larry Stern, Teaching Philosophy and Overview of the Course
Larry Stern, Why I Teach and "About Me"
Class Lecture*: Perspectives: Ways of Seeing, Not Seeing, and Being Deceived
David Leonhardt, "A Quick Puzzle to Test Your Problem Solving," New York Times, July 2, 2015
YouTube Video: Watch David Foster Wallace's Commencement Speech, "This is Water"
Issie Lapowski, "Is the U.S. Leaning Red or Blue? It All Depends on Your Map," Wired," July 26, 2018
*Note: For some units - not all of them - I will provide a transcript - with images - of a class lecture that covers materials that will not be found in the textbook. Sometimes - as in this instance - it will replace a text reading assignment, in other instances it will provide materials that will supplement the text and other readings. By clicking on the link above, you will be taken to a web page where you simply scroll down to view the materials.
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Class Discussions
In his “I Am a Sociologist Because . . .” Peter Kaufman, an associate professor of sociology at the State University of New York (SUNY) at New Paltz, lists 41 reasons why he considers himself a sociologist. Which of these – if any – do you find congenial to your self-image and why do you think you have developed these interests? Last, which of the reasons Kaufman offers you have never thought about but find interesting?