Courses
Wayne State University
College of Urban, Labor, and Metropolitan Affairs
Department of Interdisciplinary Studies
Times' Harvest courses, Winter 2001
    ( http://www.is.wayne.edu/drbowen/thw05)
Bullet1.png (242 bytes)Times' Harvest Advanced Seminar (online)
    ISP 3360, Section 010, Call Number 25265, 4 credits
Bullet1.png (242 bytes)Times' Harvest Advanced Directed Study (online)
    a) ISP 3340, Section 010, Call Number 25785, 2 credits
    b) ISP 3340, Section 011, Call Number 25786, 4 credits 


                         Instructor
David R. Bowen
2311 A/AB
Wayne State University
Detroit, MI 48202		 Daytime tel: (313) 577-1498
Evening tel: (248) 549-8518
FAX: (313) 577-8585
Home Page:
    http://www.is.wayne.edu/drbowen
Email: d.r.bowen@wayne.edu
At Ford: 313-390-2155
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Last updated: 3/10/05
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Reading Questions for Times' Harvest
Winter, 2005

Here are the questions that you should have in mind as you read the Times' Harvest books.  For the AGS 3360 books, you will use these questions as the topic for essays, and you will choose one topic, not all. However, you will write thwo essays on The Third Wave, one on one of 1 through 5, one on one of 6 through 12, and the last on one of 12 through 16. For the AGS 3340 books, these are possible Quiz and Exam questions. That is, the Quizzes and Exams will be some of these questions, and you may have a choice of which one(s) to answer. For each question, if I choose it for a Quiz or Exam, it will appear there verbatim. But the difference is that in AGS 3360 you will choose one out of all of the questions, while in AGS 3340 you have to be prepared to answer them all, because you will not know in advance which I will choose (I don't know this in advance either). Note, however, that the AGS 3340 Quizzes and Exams will be open-book (just like life!).

AGS 3360

For The Third Wave (this is the core book for both courses)

  1. Essay 1
    1. Describe how Toffler sees second-wave society as an integrated whole. Describe any disagreements you have with this vision of second-wave society.
    2. It seems to be impossible to read Toffler for the first time without, at times, disagreeing violently and, at other times, feeling as if he must have been standing alongside you all these years, in order to experience what you thought was unique. Describe your agreements and disagreements with The Third Wave, so far.
    3. Assume that we are at some future date and that you are participating fully in the Third Wave, as Toffler describes it. Describe your home life in detail.
    4. Are you attracted or repelled by Toffler's vision of the future, or is it some combination of the two? Be specific. What do you feel you need to do to participate in those aspects that attract you? How could you control those aspects that repel you?
    5. If indeed the Second Wave is struggling with but will ultimately yield to the Third Wave,
      • Is the Third Wave evolving out of the Second Wave, OR is the Third Wave coming is some sense from outside of the Second Wave?
      • Do you agree with Toffler that there will be struggle between the two? Why or why not? Is some other mode of change more likely? Why?
  2. Essay 2
    1. In what ways is the Interdisciplinary Studies Program as a whole, a Second-wave institution, and in what ways is it Third-wave? Be specific and concrete. How would the Interdisciplinary Studies Program have to be changed to be fully Third-wave? Which of these changes are possible today, and which would have to wait for new developments? Do you think you would prefer the present version, or the fully Third-wave version? (See the remarks below on the structure of DIS.)

      Apply Question 1 to some other area with which you are familiar, such as:
    2. Your home or family,
    3. Your job or the organization you work in, or
    4. Some major area of current events.
    5. Give some specific examples of what Toffler means by "Blip Culture" in Chapter 13. In Chapter 14 he speaks of a new info-sphere to once more integrate our view of the world. What does he mean by this? What development(s) would make this possible? Give some specific examples, perhaps futuristic or imaginative, of how this might be done. Does the section "The Collapse of Consensus" contradict Chapter 14 or not? This question may be answered by either (a) an essay in the standard form, or (b) two fictional passages, one of the present and one of the future, that together deal with the topic as a whole.
    6. Assume that we are at some future date and that you are participating fully in the Third Wave, as Toffler describes it. Describe your home life in detail. (An essay that describes only some future technologies without dealing with social, personal and other changes, will receive a low grade for content.)
    7. If indeed the Second Wave is struggling with but will ultimately yield to the Third Wave, is the Third Wave evolving out of the Second Wave, OR is the Third Wave coming is some sense from outside of the Second Wave?
    8. Do you agree with Toffler that there will be struggle between the two? Why or why not? Is some other mode of change more likely? Why?
    9. In each of Toffler's "-spheres" (e.g. techno-sphere), describe the forces leading towards the Third wave. Given all of these forces acting together, what do you feel that Toffler's reaction to the popular saying that "technology is outrunning morality" would be?
    10. What, if any, trends do you see that support Toffler’s projections for new political forms? Feel free to refer to any outside experience or reading here. Toffler claims that it will be necessary to make radical changes in the U.S. Constitution. Do you agree about the necessity? How likely do you think such changes are? Would a failure to make such changes doom other aspects of the Third Wave model? This question can be answered, if you wish, by a fictional scenario describing the changeover, or attempted changeover, to such a new system, and the new system itself.
    11. Describe in detail any use that you are making of the Third Wave model in your own life or career, aside from this course.
    12. Toffler claims that we can influence the development of the Third Wave, and that the model can restore structure and meaning to our lives. Describe in detail how he feels that this can occur. Give your own evaluation of his ideas here.

For In the Age of the Smart Machine (Essay 3)

1. Describe, in an integrated essay, how the following concepts have changed, are changing and would change the nature of work, either in your own workplace, or in the workplaces described by the author:

a. Action-centered b. Rationalization c. Informate d. Electronic text

2. A. Describe the conflict between informating and hierarchical management.
B. What recommendations does the author give for firms desiring the full benefits of computer technology? What is the basis for these recommendations?

3. A. What are the two principal industries that the author analyzes in this book?
B. Describe the level of automation in each of these industries.

4. Describe the development of office and clerical work as presented in this book.

5. A. What is the Panopticon that the author presents in this book?
B. What is the significance of the Panopticon in the age of automation? For workers? For middle management?

6. A. What is the nature of work in the age of the smart machine?
B. What are the dangers for workers?
C. What are the opportunities or potential benefits for workers?

For Futuring: The Exploration of the Future (Essay 4)

  1. The author several times refers to us as explorers. How does he mean this? What implications does he draw, based on ur being explorers.

  2. Explain what the author means by the title, Futuring. What suggestions does he have for how we should be doing futuring?

  3. Describe some of the examples the author gives of specific past successful forecasts, and specific past forecasts that were not fulfilled in practice.

  4. Discuss the author's views on our duties, if any, towards future generations, and compare and contrast the author's views on this topic with your own.

  5. Is the future knowable, unknowable, knowable within some boundaries, or some mixture of these? Discuss the author's views on this topic.

AGS 3340

For Brave New World

  1. Brave New World is what Toffler would call a second wave vision of the future. What aspects of Huxley's vision make it second-wave?

  2. Toffler sees all aspects of society influencing each other, while Huxley says in the Introduction to Brave New World that he sees science and technology as the dominant forces leading towards this vision of the future. Which view do you think is a more accurate description of the forces shaping the society of Brave New World? Alternatively, if there is neither Toffler's mix nor Huxley's domination of science and technology, what situation do you see?

  3. Rewrite a portion of Brave New World, or a summary of the whole novel, assuming that the Third Wave, or perhaps just a portion of it, has taken over the Second Wave. Your rewriting can be humorous, if you wish.

  4. Which, if any, developments did Huxley correctly foresee, and which, if any, did he miss? Which of those that he missed would be critical in the development of the third wave?

  5. Toffler has claimed that in the future, everybody will be a minority. Is this the case in the society of Brave New World? Describe how today's minorities (women, blacks, etc.) and tomorrow's (Betas, Epsilon's, etc.) are treated in that society. What do you think that Huxley's personal feelings on this issue are, or would be today? This question deals with all of the minorities referred above, not just one of them. NOTE: In English society of the 1930's, Huxley would probably not have had personal contact with blacks. Compare his simplistic roles for blacks with his more complex roles for American Indians.

  6. What is the difference between a racist and an elitist? Which do you think better describes Huxley, or does neither apply? Be sure to include how you think Brave New World supports your views. Bear in mind that fictional writing about the future is often intended, and is so intended in this case, to warn about the dangers present in current social trends. That is, do not simply assume that Huxley's intention is to put forward what he thinks is an admirable society. His intention may be to make criticisms of the society of his time. What evidence or hints can you find in the book to support your view of Huxley's intentions here? Further, be careful in judging people in earlier times by present standards. The validity of this practice is at least controversial. That is, while Brave New World would almost certainly be viewed as racist or elitist, were it written today, Huxley was, relatively speaking, enlightened in his own time and society. The issue is, how far is it possible for someone to differ from the average views of his or her time, and especially, how far is it fair for us to require her or him to be from those average views? Also, based on the novel, how would being an elitist or a racist (or whatever else you think describes the author) influence the way Huxley would think about the Third Wave?

For Foundations of Futures Studies.

  1. Describe the concepts of possible, probable and preferable futures. How many times are these concepts discussed in this book? Why do you think they are discussed so often?
  2. As described in this book, how do futurists believe that the future comes about? What influences do futurists believe shape what actually happens? Feel free to compare or contrast this view with your own view.
  3. From what you have seen of this course so far, and looking at the syllabus as an indication of how the course will go for the balance of the semester, how does this class fit into the Interdisciplinary Studies Program? If you feel that it fits well, make a proposal for a second futures course. If you feel that it does not fit well, propose changes to the course so that it will fit better.
  4. This book states several times that we all must have some idea of the future in order to act in the present, and that the individual’s idea of the future shapes our actions. Describe your own idea of the future. How much do you rely on this idea of the future? Give some concrete examples. How did you acquire your view of the future? Is it fair or useful to discuss the foundation of your view of the future in epistemological terms, as is done in this book? Epistemologically, how valid is your idea of the future?
  5. Humans must act, and must use assumptions about the effects of their actions. And yet, the assumptions are fallible. What strategies can we use to make our assumptions as accurate as possible, and to protect ourselves if the assumptions are wrong?
  6. What should be the goal or goals of a course in Futures Studies in the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies (DIS)? (Bear in mind that DIS is directed towards working adults.) What are some specific activities that could be used in such a course? Are there any particular teaching methods that would be more appropriate. (Some traditional teaching methods are: lecture, reading, discussion, simulation or role-playing, small-group work, exhibition of slides or movies, library research, laboratory experiments, writing, testing, one-on-one tutoring, problem-solving, conducting interviews and surveys inside or outside the class, and modeling behavior.)

For The Lexus and the Olive Tree:

  1. What does the author mean by "globalization" and how does he think it is different than previous systems?
  2. Describe the different viewpoints that the author feels have to be integrated in order to understand globalism.
  3. What role does the author feel that the Internet has played in integrating different facets of society?
  4. For the author, what is the significance of the title of this book?
  5. What does the author mean by
    1. Creative destruction (OK, this comes from Schumpeter)
    2. The Berlin Wall didn't just fall in Berlin.
      1. According to Friedman, what three changes caused the fall?
    3. The democratization of technology / the democratization of finance / the democratization of information
      1. Does Friedman feel that, in order to have an impact, these changes must reach everyone?
      2. How does the democratization of finance make things different for government officials?
      3. How does the democratization of information raise expectations?
    4. Technology globalizes production
    5. The three stages of Microchip Immune Deficiency
    6. The buck starts here
    7. The Golden Straightjacket
    8. The Electronic Herd
  6. Describe the various stages of DOSCapital
  7. Describe the role of the following in globalization, according to Friedman
    1. Courts
    2. Accounting standards
    3. Bribery and other forms of corruption
    4. Fast communications
    5. Being an open society
  8. What role does the author feel that globalization will play in
    1. Reducing warfare
    2. Homogenizing local cultures
    3. How does Friedman feel that this homogenizing can be stopped
    4. Winner-take-all
  9. Globalization has damaged many economies around the world
    1. Describe three examples
    2. Why does the author feel that this has not resulted in a sustained backlash against globalization?
  10. How does Friedman suggest that globalization could destroy itself?
  11. What advantages does Friedman feel that the US has in being able to benefit from globalization?
  12. Describe the importance that Friedman attaches to a fictional Rapid Change Opportunity Act
    1. What would be in such an act
    2. Why would such an act be important for the US?
  13. Why does Friedman feel that a strong and activist US is important for the rest of the world?