Reading "the Language Instinct" with JHNS2 Peer Tutor Maryam Arastu
- SASS
- Sep 25, 2020
- 2 min read
In this article, the Board of SASS interviews Human Nature and Society (JHNS2) peer tutor Maryam Arastu. We hope that this article will help current and future Human Nature and Society (JHNS2) students in their academic journey!
What did you enjoy about Human Nature and Society (JHNS2)?
When I took HNS, I enjoyed reflecting on the intriguing readings and participating in intense philosophical discussions in class. I love philosophy, so discussing/debating the readings--often from famous philosophers like Rousseau, Hobbes, etc.--in class was always the highlight of the week. I also have to mention that Dr. Walker-Dale has a really engaging teaching style, and she often goes on interesting tangents as well. Having her as my instructor was one of my favorite things about HNS.
What challenged you the most in Human Nature and Society (JHNS2)? How did you overcome those challenges?
The main challenge for me in HNS was fully understanding the readings. The language that was used was sometimes hard to interpret, and some of the abstract concepts were difficult to grasp. I overcame this challenge by 1) doing readings ahead of time so I could think about them, 2) asking questions in class, and 3) going to office hours when I was confused.
Another challenging aspect of HNS was writing philosophy papers, because the writing style was so unfamiliar compared to regular english essays. Luckily, Dr. Walker-Dale spent some time in class explaining the proper structure for a philosophy paper, and she provided students with helpful resources in Canvas as well. With the help of those resources, office hours, and practice, I gradually got the hang of philosophy-style writing.
What tips do you have that could be useful to students taking Human Nature and Society (JHNS2)?
Do all the readings ahead of time. You’ll probably need some time to think about the concepts covered in the text(s), and it’s always better to be prepared.
Don’t be afraid to speak up in class--most of the time, there’s no wrong answer.
Take advantage of office hours! There’s nothing wrong with being confused or having questions, and talking to your instructor will help clarify a lot of concepts.
About how much time did you spend a week working on assignments and preparing for discussion sessions in Human Nature and Society (JHNS2)?
The amount of time that I spent preparing for discussion sections varied from one day to the next, since some readings were much more straightforward than others. Generally, I spent around 1 hour preparing for each discussion section, and another 1.5-2 hours working on other writing assignments (although those were not every week). The final papers, however, took a little longer--closer to 8 hours total (including brainstorming, drafting, and revising). Overall, I spent about 3-4 hours per week on HNS-related work.
What was your favorite topic covered in Human Nature and Society (JHNS2)?
My favorite topic by far in HNS was language--how it works in the human mind, whether it’s unique to humans, whether it’s innate, etc. When covering this topic, we read parts of The Language Instinct, by Steven Pinker; it was really intriguing, and it touched on some of the psychology behind language as well.
Maryam Arastu is a peer tutor for Human Nature and Society and can be found on the Writing and Tutoring Center.
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