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Syllabus
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Origin of Images
A Hands-On, Interactive Approach to HTML
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We will experiment, in this course, with two interrelated and reciprocal inquiries: whether the biological concept of evolution is a useful one in understanding the phenomena of literature (in particular: the generation of new stories), and whether literature contributes to a deeper understanding of evolution. We will begin with an exploration of the basis for the
"story" of evolution as developed by biologists, move on to a consideration of the
relevance of the concept of evolution for making sense of other bodies of information
and observations, and then turn to a consideration of one literary story growing out of
another. We will ask repeatedly: Where do stories (scientific and literary) come from? Why do new ones emerge? What causes them to change? Why do (must?) some of them disappear? We will consider the parallels between diversity of stories and diversity of living organisms, and think about what new insights into evolution and literature emerge from such
considerations.
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