Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Fall 2026 - HUM 202 D100

Great Texts: Western Thought and Literature (3)

Class Number: 4755

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 9 – Dec 6, 2026: Wed, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Intensive study of major works that have had a formative influence on the structure and development of western thought. Reading and discussion of primary texts and their central ideas introduce students to essential philosophical, literary, social and religious themes of western civilizations. May be repeated once for credit when a different topic is taught. Breadth-Humanities.

COURSE DETAILS:

Prometheus: Technology as Utopia and Dystopia 
Prometheus audaciously stole fire from the gods and gave it to human beings. The gods feared that fire––symbolizing technology––could, in the hands of mortals, threaten to put an end to their sovereign power. As a result, the heroic titan was tied to a rock as a vulture consumed his liver by day only for it to grow back by night––a pattern that repeated itself mercilessly without end. The myth of Prometheus is the template for the modern horror story of Dr. Frankenstein and the life he creates from human body parts harvested from nearby cemeteries in Ingolstadt, Germany.   

This course examines ancient, modern and post-modern versions of the Promethean myth from writers such as Hesiod and Aeschylus through Mary Shelley to Marx and Engels as an allegory of the many utopian promises and dystopian dangers of technology.  

It also examines powerful cinematic representations of the myth and concludes with a discussion of the relevance of the Promethean myth for understanding the complicated dimensions of artificial intelligence, which seems to use human intelligence to increasingly sideline and displace human beings themselves.  

Grading

  • Short Essay and Presentation 30%
  • Class Participation 20%
  • Short Quizzes (3 x10) 30%
  • Portfolio (Notes/Reflections) 20%

NOTES:

This course fulfills the Global Humanities requirements for the

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

Mary Shelley, Frankenstein; or the Modern Prometheus (London: Penguin Classics, 2006) 


ISBN: 13: ‎ 978-0141914398

Other readings will be provided by instructor.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.

To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit: 


RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.