I like to encourage my students to participate in extra-curricular events whenever they have time. I especially like to encourage to get involved with fine arts events on campus, and I occasionally give an extra credit point or two to students who participate in these vents.
I'd like to particularly encourage you to attend the faculty recital on Thursday, September 19, at 7:30 p.m. in JFAC. I'd also like to encourage you attend the senior recital Sunday at 3:00 in Krikac auditorium. For extra credit, just click on the "comment" button below and let me know what you liked best at the recital. If you post as an anonymous blogger, be sure to include your name at the end of the post.
You can also get credit for attending the Kenneth Meier's Constitution Day presentation. He'll be speaking at 7:00 p.m. in JFAC 134 on Tuesday, September 17. He'll be talking about the politics of education reform, an important subject and certainly relevant to some of what we'll eventually talk about in class.
Neither the speech nor the recitals not work with your schedule? Don't worry. I will give you extra credit for attending any of student organization meeting or event this week or next. Just indicate here which event you attended and say why you think participating in an event like this is part of a well-rounded college education.
If you enjoyed "The Dream of a Ridiculous Man" (and even if you didn't), you might enjoy some of the other selections in the Signet Dostoyevsky book. If you like romances, you might find "White Nights" particularly appealing. If you want to know what it's like to be in a Siberian prison camp, you might like the selections from the "House of the Dead." 
Some of the 19th and 20th century followers of Darwin hit on a novel way to speed up the "natural selection" process. Their ideas led to the development of what is called "eugenics." Please read through the Wikipedia summary of the eugenics movement. What do you see here that suggests that there is a dark side to the Darwinian idea of progress?
In the "Communist Manifesto," Marx and Engels suggest some "wonderful improvements" for society. Cite a line from the Manifesto highlighting one of these improvements, i.e, something Marx and Engels want to see changed. Would the change they suggest be a good one? Why, or why not? Do you get a feeling of deja vu when you read through the Manifesto? Any issues raised similar to those in contemporary American politics? 
Reading the articles in Diderot's Encyclopedia is one of the best ways to understand the French Enlightenment. It shows the attitudes of the philosophes toward everything from Islam to Women to Intolerance to History. While the online translation of the Encyclopedia articles does not include the wonderful illustrations of the original, you will probably still find much of interest.
I like to encourage my students to participate in extra-curricular events whenever they have time. I especially like to encourage to get involved with fine arts events on campus, and I occasionally give an extra credit point or two to students who participate in these vents.
