Winter 2002

HNR 094-01 (4 Units)
Can we measure personality through play?
Keith Barton
MW 4:10-6:00 PM - Kerr 176

Whatever exists at all exists in some amount. Thorndike 1918
Any thing that exists in amount can be measured. McCall

The point is, that while academic psychology increases the reliability and validity of objective measures, out in the ‘real’ world, we have to deal with entities that can best be described as ‘subjective’ in nature. These are phenomena that we know exist because we experience them. We also know that they exist in other ways since we can communicate about them. What kinds of things do we mean? Quality of life, zest for living, loneliness, depression, stress, etc. Yes, for some of these, attempts have been made to measure, but they have fallen far short of being satisfactory. Is this because some concepts are inherently immeasurable or is it just that we have not yet succeeded?

In my own research on sand play in children, I am facing this question as I attempt to make objective what many others consider a truly subjective projection. I invite you as a member of this seminar to try to analyze if not solve this objective-subjective measurement problem. If it is not solved, psychology itself runs the risk of fragmentation.


HNR 094-02 (4 Units)
Body Image: What We Let Others Do to Our Egos
A.E. Orel & R.R. Freeman
TR 1:10-3:00 - Academic Center 166 (The Colleges at LaRue)

Perhaps nothing is more important as an indicator of success in life for a young adult as a healthy self-image. When we think of ourselves as part of the group that "matters", we find it much easier to accomplish our goals, either personal or professional. Self-image is a product of many inputs: from family, friends, peer groups and, unfortunately, the media. This seminar examines how the media has defined to most of us what is the "body that matters" in our society. A rudimentary examination of television adds, magazines and movies makes it all too clear what a "body that matters" means. What is so damaging is that by the very nature of this definition, virtually no one can ever have that body, yet people will spend enormous time and money in a futile attempt to achieve it, even risking surgery and potentially dangerous drugs, for example steroids, to achieve it. The result is a generation of young adults who have their self-image threatened by a media definition of a "body that matters". In this seminar we will examine who defines the "body that matters", why is this definition "pushed" in the media, and why anyone cares....


HNR 094-03 (4 Units)
The Counterattack by Microbes — Emergence of Antibiotic Resistant Microbes and New Pathogens. Are New Epidemics and Pandemics Inevitable?
Jack Goldberg
MW 3:10-5:00PM - Academic Center 166 (The Colleges at LaRue)

In the Third Pandemic, A Novel by Pierre Quellette, a harmless bacteria picks up some genetic material transforming it into lethal killer of humans. The disease spreads from its origin on a small island to worldwide in a matter of weeks, killing hundreds of thousands of people. No immediate cure is available.

Over the past forty years, there has been an emergence of new, lethal viruses such as Dengue Fever (1700’s, new lethal strain 1953), Marburg (1967), Ebola (1976), HIV (1978 or possibly a decade earlier), and the Hauntaviruses (1993). While most of these viruses remain geographically isolated, in the areas in which they emerge the mortality rates are 80% to 90%. We have no effective drug treatments for viral infections. Algae floating on the surface of the oceans is a known reservoir for the bacteria that produces cholera. Winds and currents move this reservoir of cholera from country to country. Algae-born cholera, delivered to the western coast of South America, by a freighter from Asia, was responsible for the massive outbreak of cholera in Latin America and the west coast of South America in the early 90’s. The microbe that causes malaria, the number one killer disease worldwide, is developing resistance to drugs. The incidence of multiple, drug-resistant tuberculosis is on the rise. In the first half of the twentieth century, tuberculosis was a worldwide, major killer. Epidemics and pandemics of the past, such as the Bubonic Plague and Black Death, killed over 25 million people by the end of the 1600’s. The plague killed 10 million people in China and Southeast Asia at the turn of twentieth century. The flu epidemic of 1918 — 1919 killed an estimated 20 million to 80 million people worldwide. The epidemic killed over 500,000 people in the United States. The death toll in one year from the flu was greater than the death toll from the Black Death spanning 1000 years. Will the world return to the lethal epidemics and pandemics of past centuries?

What are the national and international public health measures that could or need to be initiated to provide for the rapid identification of emerging diseases, and minimize their spread? Who should take responsibility? Is it the responsibility of the industrialized countries to provide diagnostic laboratories, treatment facilities and drugs to the world for diseases that might become pandemic? What problems might occur in implementing international public health measures? Who should bear the costs? Is the emergence of new pathogens inevitable? What has contributed to the emergence or reemergence of disease in the last half of the twentieth century? Students, working in groups, will identify two or three issues for focus during the quarter. Each group will contribute to a final written report including the preparation of an executive summary. The groups will also prepare a poster, and either a web-based or Powerpoint presentation that summarizes the quarter’s work for presentation at the Davis Honors Challenge Colloquium. Peer evaluation and facilitator evaluation will be used in determining students’ grades


HNR 094-04 (4 Units)
Non-Race Variables Contributing to Racism
Jeffrey Granett
TR 4:10-6:00 PM - Briggs 158

Races and ethnicities exist: we can scientifically describe patterns of physical, physiological, and cultural traits. Ethnic racism is the association of racial and cultural traits with the belief that one’s own racial ethnicity is superior to that of others. Though enlightened individuals reject ethnic racism, at least intellectually, it is an intense social force worldwide. In this seminar we will ask whether racial and cultural traits are biologically or socially meaningful enough to explain the intensity of the ethnic racism we see around us. Are there data to reject the hypothesis that one racial ethnicity is superior or inferior to another? The politically correct answer, of course, is that racial and cultural traits are of minor evolutionary importance. If so, non-racial and non-cultural variables or conditions must play a deciding role in racism. What are those factors and how does racism arise? If we understand the determinants might we imagine control? The substantive goal of this seminar is to envision the solution to a selected racially-based problem and write it in the form of a report.


HNR 094-05 (4 Units)
Antibiotics: Friend or Foe?
Rance Le Febvre
MW 10:00 AM —11:50 AM — 1132C Haring

The discovery of antibiotics was thought to be the end of infectious diseases. Prior to their development humans and animals were at the mercy of pathogens. In the last 50 years dozens of new and sophisticated antibiotics have been introduced. Their development, at considerable expense, was due solely to the fact that their predecessors were no longer effective at killing bacteria that were susceptible just a few years prior.

This seminar will address the hypothesis that over-prescription and overuse of antibiotics are setting the stage for super-bugs which will be resistant to all pharmaceuticals and thus will return us to the pre-antibiotic era in our war against infectious diseases.


HNR 094-06 (4 Units)
Food Safety: How safe is your food?
Mike McCarthy
TR 1:10-3:00 PM - Wellman 201

"While the American food supply is among the safest in the world, there are still too many Americans stricken by illness every year caused by the food they consume, and some -- mostly the very young, elderly, and immune compromised -- die every year as a result. The threats are numerous and varied -- among them are Escherichia coli (E.coli) in meat and apple juice; Salmonella in eggs, on vegetables and on poultry; Vibrio in shellfish; Cyclospora and Hepatitis A virus on fruit; and Cryptosporidium in drinking water."1

Food-borne diseases are for the most part preventable. Should we demand zero tolerance for disease-causing threats in food? If we implement zero tolerance, many common foods might be banned including raw oysters, cheese made from raw milk, and foods that use raw eggs. We will examine the issue of food safety in terms of legal aspects (e.g., What is the role of government? What is the role of education?), mathematical (risk assessment), sociological (e.g., ethnic foods vs. safety risk; consumer fears vs. scientific facts) and economic (e.g., What is the cost of more regulation? Who would lose money?).

The topic will be examined through team work with the final product of the course to be decided by the participants.

(1. Administration Statement on behalf of The President's Council on Food Safety, August 4, 1999)

 

HNR 094-07 (4 Units)
Stem Cell Research
Krishnan Nambiar
MW 9:00-10:50 AM - Academic Center 166 (The Colleges at LaRue)

Stem cells and their utilization in medical research received considerable public attention during the past year. This seminar will explore the properties of stem cells and the pros and cons of conducting stem cell research. A detailed investigation of the scientific and medical implications of using stem cells in research, the related ethical and political issues and how it could affect our society will be the focus of this seminar. The results will be summarized in the form of a recommendation to The President's Commission on Stem Cell Research.


HNR 094-08 (4 Units)
Demystifying Extra Sensory Perception
Francisco J. Samaniego
MW 10:00 AM -11:50 am -Kerr 176

On October 13, 2001, the multimillion-mark German national lottery drew and announced its winning numbers. Months earlier, on February 17, magician David Copperfield had placed his written forecast for this lottery in a box that had been sealed by a notary and kept under lock and key since. When this box was opened, it was found that Copperfield's numbers matched the winning numbers perfectly. Copperfield indicated that he was able to do this only when his choices were kept secret. In previous tries in which he revealed his prediction to others, the prediction was off the mark (no pun intended). Stories such as these are typical of events in our lives and experience that are difficult to explain either as a consequence of known physical laws or simply as a coincidence. Through readings, guest lectures and discussion, this seminar will seek to understand the nature of phenomena such as extrasensory sensory perception, telepathy, clairvoyance and psycho-kinesis, researching how these terms are defined and used, how phenomena of this type are documented and how scientific methods might be brought to bear on the question of their existence and of their relative frequency of occurrence. The class will research both sides of the long-standing arguments for and against the existence of ESP and will engage in periodic debates concerning this and related questions. All students will contribute sections, based on their individual research, to the class's monograph on paranormal phenomena.


HNR 094-09 (4 Units)
Nutritional Supplements: Are they all they are cracked up to be?
Ellen Sutter
TR 3:10-5:00 PM - Hart 1106

Nutritional supplements, ranging from vitamins to inorganic chemicals, have become a billion dollar industry in the United States. Do you take supplements or do you know someone who does? Claims are made that they improve diet and health, vitalize the mind and body, and are essential for those involved in athletics. Mark McGuire was taking supplements when he hit his home run record. Olympic athletes are said to take supplements such as creatine, phenylalanine, and chromium. Tryptophan is alleged to work wonders in mood stabilization and glucosamine/chondroitin is supposed to alleviate osteoarthritis. Many of these supplements are manufactured synthetically while others are extracted from plant and animal tissues. These supplements are sold over the counter without governmental regulation. In the light of reports of poor quality control and the potential harmful effects of some supplements, should they be regulated by the FDA? Are these supplements safe without regulation? Do they live up to the promises of the manufacturers or is there false advertising and should their advertisements be regulated as pharmaceuticals are? We will address these problems and others as they may arise. One objective may be to develop a statement either supporting or not supporting governmental regulation of nutritional supplements or to develop a web site with the specific arguments and evidence to support our conclusion.


HNR 094-10 (4 Units)
Drugs in Society: Fact, Fantasy, and Fiction
Rick Vulliet
MW 5:10-7:00 PM - Academic Center 166 (The Colleges at LaRue)

The class will investigate societal patterns of drug use and abuse. We will determine the economic costs of drug use/abuse and will evaluate the governmental strategy for dealing with drug use/abuse. Depending on the desire of the class, we may investigate factors controlling therapeutic drug availability/cost (e.g. why are therapeutic drugs produced in the same plant selling for one third the price in Mexico?) or we may elect to study drugs of abuse (recreational drugs) ( Why will more drugs be smuggled into the US next year than were smuggled in last year?). By the time the class is taught, there may be sufficient data to critically evaluate the early effects of the drug rehabilitation initiative that was passed by the California voters (not the legislature) two years ago. Our overall goal will be to recommend changes on drug policy that will either improve availability of therapeutic agents or decrease the use and societal costs of illegal agents.

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Spring 2002

HNR 94-01 (4 units) GE Credit: Writing
Would You Like to Live Forever?
David Biale
MW 10:00-11:50 am
166 Academic Center/The Colleges

From time immemorial, human beings have both sought to stave off the inevitablity of death and have fantasized about life after death. Now, biologists and medical researchers think that they may have uncovered the secret to immortality. But would immortality be a good thing for us individually, as a society, and as a species? What if we can create immortality, but not stem the process of aging — would it still be worth doing? Are the promises of immortality based on good science or is it all a pipe dream? And, what is death, anyway? How have cultures other than our own understood aging, death and immortality, and what do they have to teach us in thinking about these issues?

Our course will be open to answers to these questions from many of the disciplines represented in the university: biology, medicine, law, ethics, philosophy, history, religious studies, and literature. We will work in teams with the goal of producing a book with all our findings. Each team will also also develop a separate oral, multimedia presentation of its own material.


HNR 94-02 (4 units) GE Credit: Writing
The Cosmos and the String Theory (the Theory of Everything)
Ling-Lie Chau
TR 3:10-5:00 pm
158 Roessler

Cosmos and String Theory (the Theory of Everything) and Their Social Relevance
In this seminar, students will quickly learn about our current understanding of the universe and why string theory is considered the leading candidate for providing a unifying understanding of the basic interactions of physics (strong, weak, electromagnetic and gravitational). We will then use our understanding to examine question about the relationship between science and society, for example: what is the social relevance of string theory and why should research about it be funded by taxpayers' money; why do laypersons feel that subjects like string theory are hard to understand; why do these subjects not appeal to women students; how do we make the physical sciences more interesting to laypersons; and how do we encourage more students, especially women, to go into the physical sciences? In the course, we will interview experts and visit a science museum. For the convocation, we will make a poster and a multimedia presentation.

Final Project: Making a multimedia CD on the subject.


HNR 94-03 (4 units) GE Credit: Writing
Racial Profiling: Get Used to It
R.R. Freeman
TR 11:00-12:50 pm
166 Academic Center/The Colleges

"One Nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all". Nice sentiment, warm and fuzzy thought, and something we would all like to believe is at the core root of America. But is it reasonable to assume that, in the face of ethnic and racial hatred abounding in the world, that America can even hope to live up to its "Pledge"? This seminar returns to the theme that what we Americans like to think about ourselves concerning "liberty and justice for all" has really never been true, and that it’s likely to get a lot worse before it ever has a chance to get better; that is, we as a nation will continue, with a vengeance, to single out and prejudge fellow citizens according to ethnic origins. Since September 11, it is now not only socially permissible to categorize broadly whole classes of people by race, it’s even argued that our National Security depends on our doing so. This seminar seeks to determine the basis for the history and future of racial profiling in America, and to develop clearly delineated arguments (pro and con) concerning its spread within our society. As in past seminars I’ve taught, sign up for this seminar only if you are willing to work on techniques for public persuasion, work in teams to research facts that may disturb you, and to participate in robust debate with your fellow students.


HNR 94-04 (4 units) GE Credit: Writing
Is This Real Life or Just a Movie?
Jerry Last
TR 3:10-5:00 pm
139 Hunt Hall

The events portrayed in the movie "Erin Brockovich" actually happened here in California. There is a town called Hinckley, and there is a utility called PG&E. There are also lots of lawyers, lots of politicians, lots of scientists, lots of TV and newspaper reporters, and lots of public interest groups very much involved in trying to guide the development of an appropriate public policy with regard to the potential risks to people exposed to chromium in their drinking water. The movie alerted the public to the alleged risks of chromium, and made it very clear who the good guys and the bad guys were/are. But could that have been the fictional part of the movie? Who are the real good guys and bad guys (or are there any good guys at all?)? Publicity from the movie also forced State agencies to try to regulate chromium in the face of a lot of scientific uncertainty, and a lot of people (especially in Los Angeles) to worry about whether their drinking water is safe. This class will try to address the issues about how we can try to be confident that our air, water, and food are safe, using chromium-6 as an example, when science doesn't have definitive answers. How much should we trust government agencies to protect us, and how do they do this? What do lawyers, lawsuits, and public interest groups add to this debate, and is this a good thing? What is the role of the media, and do they generally present factual truth or alarmist falsehoods that make for "a better (or more dramatic) story".


HNR 94-05 (4 units) GE Credit: Writing
Chocolate, Politically Correct?
Ahmet Palazoglu
TR 12:10-2:00 pm
176 Kerr

In the movie Chocolat (from the book by Joanne Harris), we delightfully witness the mystical and magical effects of chocolate, as a mother (played by Juliet Binoche) and her daughter use it as a medium to transform a little village in France. Yet, how much do we really know about this awesome, dangerous, delectable, erotic, heavenly, sinful, calming, and intoxicating (all adjectives suggested by a survey of students at Hofstra University in 1997*) confection? While chocolate has been consumed in the Americas for centuries, the first Europeans to encounter cacao (cacahuatl) were Columbus and his crew in 1502. Historical accounts reveal the use of cacao beans for a variety of purposes ranging from a source of currency to healing various ailments. Chocolate mixture made from the beans was also used as part of religious ceremonies and still is an important element of rituals in parts of Mexico. Today, chocolate impacts societies and cultures in a significant manner with global economic and social implications in terms of cacao production and manufacture of various chocolate products. As scientific studies suggest evidence linking polyphenol-rich foods and prevention of diseases, health implications of chocolate and chocolate products also gain a new dimension. In this seminar, we will study cacao/chocolate from a variety of angles. Our goal will be to uncover the mysteries by learning about the history and by probing the connections among ritualistic practices and the cultural and social evolution of peoples. We will also explore what, if any, health benefits cacao/chocolate may have and also seek evidence for possible adverse effects. It would also be important to understand the type of impact that cacao/chocolate has on the global economy and how it shapes the markets and the societies around the world. In summary, we will attempt to answer the perennial question: "Is it good for ME?"

* H.E. Yuker, Perceived Attributes of Chocolate. In: Chocolate: Food of the Gods. Greenwood Press, CT (1997).


HNR 94-06 (4 units) GE Credit: Writing
Gender Apartheid: Where Cultural Differences and Women’s Rights Collide
Ray Rodriguez
TR 10:00-11:50 am
127 Briggs

Recent events in Afghanistan have focused the spotlight of world attention on an important issue that transcends religion differences and the geopolitics of the day. Gender apartheid is the systematic and state-sanctioned elimination of the basic rights of women and girls. Although the recent war on terrorism has focused world attention on the Taliban of Afghanistan and their treatment of Afghan women, gender apartheid exists in many countries from Africa to Asia. Gender apartheid may include female circumcision, arranged marriages, selective female infanticide and prohibitions on the education and employment for women. This seminar will explore the similarities and differences of racial and gender apartheid and the relationship between women’s rights and what the World Health Organization calls "harmful cultural practices." Are women’s rights universal or are they defined country by country? Are women’s rights different from human rights? What are the social and political implications of exporting harmful cultural practices to societies that prohibit them? How do we balance our respect for the rights of women with cultural diversity? These are some of the issues to be addressed by this seminar.


HNR 94-07 (4 units) GE Credit: Writing
Can We Build a Conscious Computer?
Richard Scalettar
TR 5:10-7:00 pm
166 Academic Center/The Colleges
Instructor's Web Page

Ever since the first computers were imagined and constructed more than fifty years ago, people have wondered whether someday a machine will be built which is so complex, flexible, and advanced that it would be "alive". This theme is present in many of the classic books of science fiction, as well as television and movies, from "Star Trek", "2001" and "The Terminator", to, most recently, Spielberg and Kubrik's "A.I.". Attempts to create machines which mimic living creatures have progressed to popular computer games ("Black and White") and to robots like the "mechanical cat" and the "virtual dog" of the MIT media lab which respond to contact and affection.

In this honors seminar, we will examine the basic philosophical question of what it means to be "conscious" or "alive", and the current state of computer technology as it applies to whether a machine can ever possess "life". Is it still the case that there are tasks that living creatures perform easily and naturally that are impossible for a computer (like recognizing patterns)? What sort of research is being done to make computers able to do these tasks? What is the likelihood that such research will be successful?

The intended goal of the seminar is to decide whether there is a fundamental, unsolvable feature that human beings possess which natural and computer scientists will never duplicate, or whether is it only a matter of time before artificial life is successfully developed.

HNR 94-08 (4 units) GE Credit: Writing
What's Cooking?
Wendy Silk
TR 2:10-4:00 pm
166 Academic Center/The Colleges

As vividly implied in the popular film, "Like Water for Chocolate," those who prepare food may wield immense power. Food production is a mainstay of the California economy, and food grown in California provides much of our self reliance as a nation. In our homes food preparation may serve psychological functions. Dining is often a socially important ritual. In this interdisciplinary seminar we will explore some trends and problems in food production, preparation, and consumption in California. Depending on student interest we may address some of the following issues. Does commercial food preparation have effects on public health? Are transgenic foods a boon or a danger? As a nation should we subsidize food production or allow urban development to take precedence over farming? Is the preference for "natural foods" healthy? What emotional needs are served by preferences for particular foods or food preparation methods? What are the nutritional implications of increasing popularity of ethnic foods, fast- foods and gourmet meals? The product of the seminar will be a symposium entitled "What's Cooking in California, 2001?" Students will present talks and/or prepare food and contribute a five- to seven-page paper to the Symposium volume.


HNR 94-09 (4 units) GE Credit: Writing
The Dark Side of Science (and the Light Side of Beliefs)
Mani Tripathi
MW 9:00-10:50 am
176 Kerr Hall

In today's world, science enjoys an unprecedented popularity. Society expects that knowledge be gained via the scientific method, replacing the trend in earlier eras when scholars, religious or otherwise, doled out the truth.

Such is this power of science that (contrary to everyday experience) nearly everyone believes that the earth goes around the sun, rather than the opposite. There is widespread acceptance of the existence of sub-atomic particles that no one has ever seen. What are the origins of this belief structure? Are scientists modern day miracle makers who have now acquired the power to dole out the truth? There have been instances when wrong science gained popularity only to be disproven later. Will scientists always be as vigilant? How many wrong or partially correct scientific notions exist in the public mind even today?

We will examine these issues in the seminar. Each student will be challenged to examine his/her beliefs in common scientific facts and explore them to determine their soundness. As a common class project we will research some controversial topic of the day. The end result will be a document that will detail our findings and provide guidance to enable the reader to examine their own belief structure.

HNR 94-10 (4 units) GE Credit: Writing
When (if ever) should we remove children from their homes?
Child Abuse and the Efficacy of the Foster Care System
Susan Tucker
MF 3:10-5:00 pm
166 Academic Center/The Colleges

While most everyone would agree that abused children should be protected from further abuse, practical implementation of this ideal is controversial and fraught with complexity and difficulty. For example, what degree of abuse is sufficient to warrant the removal of a child from his/her home? That is, how much is too much? And how do we define what constitutes abuse? Is any physical punishment abuse? What about emotional or verbal abuse? And is what constitutes abuse culture-dependent? Or is the definition of abuse universal, transcending the beliefs of individual groups? If so, how should this definition be determined, and by whom? (Keep in mind that it was not so very long ago that sayings like "Spare the rod, spoil the child." and "Children should be seen but not heard." were part of this country’s mainstream culture.) If we do agree that a child is being abused, and we remove this child from his/her home, what then? What is the emotional cost to the child of the loss of his/her parent(s), and how do we determine and/or evaluate such costs? If we put a child in foster care, are we really providing an effective, viable alternative for the child? How do we decide? If the system is not viable, why isn’t it, and what could be done to improve it? Are there any alternatives to this standard solution? What are the legal issues involved? This question of how we should define and respond to child abuse clearly raises issues in the areas of psychology, sociology, law, ethics, cultural and religious studies, and probably other disciplines as well. The goal of this seminar will be to create a public display of class findings – in media to be determined by class interests – in order to increase public awareness of child abuse and response issues.

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