Philosophy 381 – American Indian Environmental Philosophies - Summer 1998

Dr. Michael P. Nelson

Office: 415 CCC; phone 346-3907, home 342-1235

Office Hours: before and after class, and by appointment

Rental:

Purchase:

All other readings to be distributed in class by instructor.

1. There will be daily reading and, because this is a writing emphasis class, writing assignments. Writing assignments are to be typed (double-spaced) and handed in the class period immediately following the one they are assigned. Late assignments will not be accepted. Writing assignments will be graded on a 1 to 5 scale. The sum total of all small writing assignments (minus the single lowest grade) will be averaged and will account for 40% of the course grade.

2. Because this is a small class, because the subject matter is quite interesting, and because you will all have read and written on the material assigned before you come to class, in-class participation is not only welcomed but expected. In class participation will count for 5% of your course grade.

3. Attendance in a condensed summer school course is absolutely crucial. Moreover, you cannot hand in your assignments, or participate in class discussions, or gather material for your papers if you do not attend class. Therefore, attendance will count for 5% of your course grade. If you have perfect attendance or miss only one class period, then you will receive the full 5%. If you miss more than one class period, you will receive 0%. Since I will not accept late writing assignments, if you miss more than two periods your grade will be reduced accordingly. Any student missing more than 4 class periods will receive a failing grade for the course.

4. The remaining 50% of the course grade will be determined by a term paper. Each student will write a roughly 10 pages (typed, double-spaced, one inch margins all around, no larger than 12 pt. font) term/research paper that will be due on Friday, August 7^th at 10:30 a.m. in my office. Because the course does not run long enough to allow for the choosing of individual topics, the paper will consist of the following:

A student may propose an alternative paper topic, subject to the approval of instructor of course.

Within the confines of the following structure you may be as creative as you wish. Obviously, the paper follows the outline of the course. In fact, the research for the paper will be mainly accomplished by doing the readings for class, although other sources are permissible. However, I warn you, do not merely type up your notes and hand them in for your paper. I expect a proper research paper, not glorified notes. If you hand in your notes merely typed-up, I will fail you for the paper portion (50%) of your grade. To assist you with writing the paper, and because a writing emphasis class should help you with your writing, I will be available before and after, and even during, class to answer all questions and offer all of the help I can muster. In fact, we will be having regular "writing workshops" during class time to help with such things as the use of quotations, proper citation, and so forth.

July 13: General course introduction.

Reading: Chief Seattle speech (in class).

July 14: Chief Seattle examined.

Reading: Rudolf Kaiser, "Chief Seattle’s Speech(es): American Origins and European Reception"; Timothy Egan, "Chief’s 1854 Warning tied to 1971 Ecological Script".

July 15: Indians as Environmentalists: Early views.

Reading: Frank Speck, "Aboriginal Conservators"; Thomas Overholt, "American Indians as Natural Ecologists"; Douglas H. Strong, "The Indian and the Environment"; William C. Macloud, "Conservation Among Primitive Hunting Peoples". American Indian Environmental Philosophies Challenges

Reading: N. Scott Momaday, "A First American Views His Land"; Daniel A. Guthrie, "Primitive Man’s Relationship to Nature".

Reading: William M. Denevan, "The Pristine Myth: The Landscape of the Americas in 1492"; Paul S. Martin, "The Discovery of America"; Donald K. Grayson, "Pleistoncene Avifaunas and the Overkill Hypothesis"; Joe Ben Wheat, "A Paleo-Indian Bison Kill".

Reading: Calvin Martin, Keepers of the Game, pp.ix-65.

Reading: Calvin Martin, Keepers of the Game, pp.69-109.

Reading: Calvin Martin, Keepers of the Game, pp.113-188.American Indian Environmental Philosophies Affirmed

Reading: J. Donald Hughes, American Indian Ecology, pp.vii-65.

Reading: J. Donald Hughes, American Indian Ecology, pp.69-109. Ojibwa and Koyokon Worldviews

Reading: A. Irving Hallowell, "Ojibwa Ontology, Behavior and World View"; Richard K. Nelson, "A Conservation Ethic and Environment: The Koyukon of Alaska".

Reading: Overholt and Callicott, Clothed-in-Fur, narratives 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10.

Reading: Overholt and Callicott, Clothed-in-Fur, narratives 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, and pp.153-155. Summary and Application

August 4: What Can We Learn?

Reading: J. Baird Callicott, "Traditional American Indian and Western European Attitudes Toward Nature: An Overview"; J. Baird Callicott, "American Indian Land Wisdom? Sorting Out the Issues"; Nina Rosenstand, "Everyone Needs a Stone: Alternative Views of Nature".

August 5: Issue: Mining in Wisconsin

Reading: Justine Smith, "Custer Rides Again—This time on the Exxon Valdez".

Conversion from numerical to letter grade: 95-100=A; 90-94=A-; 87-89=B+; 84-86=B; 80-83=B-; 77-79=C+; 74-76=C; 70-73=C-; 67-69=D+; 62-66=D; 60-61=D-; 0-59=F.