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Class Syllabus Summer 2004 at Stanford University |
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Stanford Philosophy Discovery Institute 2004 Course Syllabus
Office hours
announced daily. Welcome to Philosophy and Religion, a course that offers a three-part journey. We begin with an introduction to major philosophical problems, then explore the ways in which different religious traditions respond to those same questions, and finally investigate the presence and power of religion in the modern world. This course is not intended to give you comprehensive knowledge about major world religions or certain philosophical problems. Each day of this course covers a subject large enough to be the topic of an entire semester; for example, it is simply impossible to learn everything about Islam in one day. Rather this course will give you glimpses into modes of thinking and alternative worldviews that can spark philosophical thinking and discussion—the act of doing philosophy. Doing philosophy and talking about religion requires you to leave your preconceptions at the door and engage with perspectives you may have never considered before. This requires you to have respect for other peoples' ideas and questions and courage to express your own. You are highly encouraged to meet with the instructor and teaching assistant during office hours, which will be held almost every day after class. The following materials are required in class every day: (1) Course reader and binder (purchased in class) (2) Spiral notebook, hole-punched and with at least two sections (purchased at the book store)
MAPPING OUR JOURNEY WEEK ONE: PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION OR The most difficult and dreadful questions about your existence that will (hopefully) haunt you (in a good way) for your whole life. Introduction to basic issues in the philosophy of religion from the western tradition, including the nature of self, the existence of God, the problem of evil, the creation of the world, and faith and morality in a rational world. Readings: Monday Wonder The Top Hat from Sophie's World, Jostein Gaarder Tuesday What is real? Meditation I, Rene Descartes The Circular Ruins, Jorge Luis Borges The Republic, Book VII, Plato Wednesday Who are you? Dandelion Wine, Ray Bradbury Meditation II, Rene Descartes Thursday Does God exist? Little Bessie, Chapters 1-3, Mark Twain Is there a God? Gary Kessler In class... Summa Theologica, St. Thomas Aquinas Meditation V, Rene Descartes The Watchmaker, William Paley Friday How to
live? The Will to Believe, William James (Journals submitted) (Topics distributed for Essay One)
WEEK TWO: MAJOR THEOLOGICAL FRAMEWORKS OR How the world's great organized religions answer (or purposefully evade) those menacing meaning-of-life questions from last week. Exploration of some philosophical underpinnings of major world theologies, how they order the world and provide meaning to human life. Discussion includes aspects of the Abrahamic Religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam— and selected Eastern Religions— Buddhism, Hinduism, and Sikhism. Readings: Monday Judaism Passages from the Torah Christianity Passages from the New Testament (Essay One due) Tuesday Islam Passages from the Qur'an Wednesday Thursday Buddhism The Four Noble Truths, The Buddha Siddharta, Herman Hesse Friday Sikhism Passages from the Guru Granth Sahib (Journals submitted) (Essay One returned) (Packets distributed for Essay Two)
WEEK THREE: RELIGIONS OF THE MODERN WORLD OR The wonderful and horrible things that religions have done to your world and how witnessing these conflicts (between bodies and truths) will drive you either to madness, deafness, or enlightenment. Choose wisely. Evaluation of how religion operates today in the contexts of contemporary philosophy and modern-day global conflict. Areas include: the challenges and richness of religious pluralism, the philosophical movement of pragmatism, the growth of both religious fundamentalism and liberation theologies. Readings: Monday Pluralism: Excerpt from Life of Pi, Yann Martel, pages 47-70 Crisis in Contemporary American Religion, Cornel West (357-359) Tuesday Pragmatism: Religion as a Conversation-Stopper, Richard Rorty Moral Man and Immoral Society, Reinhold Niebuhr (Essay Two due) Wednesday Liberation Theology: Champagne Glass, Xabier Gorostiaga Liberation Theology, Phillip Berryman Prophetic Christian as Organic Intellectual: Martin Luther King, Jr. Cornel West (425-434) Thursday Religion and Sept 11 No reading Friday Class Presentations (Final Project due) NOTE: Readings are subject to change. Instructor will announce reading assignments each day.
HARD WORK In-Class
Discussion (20 Engaging in class discussion is crucial to your development as a philosophical thinker and demonstrates that you have done all the readings. You must come to class with at least one question and one comment on that day's set of texts. Write them down, because you may be called on to share with the class. Journal Entries (20%) Your journal entries are short responses to the day's readings and discussion. Instructions for journal entries will be given in class. In general, each entry will encompass one or more of the following: (1) Reconstruction and critique of an argument in the texts/discussions. (2) Your personal reactions to the subject and its application to your life. (3) Questions you have for the instructor. These entries will track your development as a philosophical thinker. The success of your final project depends largely on the work you put into your journal entries. Take time to brainstorm your ideas on paper before you begin. You may be creative as long as you address the topic in depth. Be sure to label each entry with the date and topic. Short Essays (30%) In these essays, you will present arguments using the texts in class in the format of a philosophy paper. Philosophy papers are different from any paper you've ever written. Further guidelines and suggested paper topics will be provided in class. Final Project (30%) The final project has three parts: a reflective paper, a class presentation, and a final porfolio. General guidelines follow and further instructions will be provided in class. For now, consider that the final project will encompass your personal encounters with the philosophical and religious ideas presented in the class and chart your development as a thinker. It will require you to draw upon your journal entries. Your final portfolio will consist of a binder containing all your journal entries and essays, so be sure to keep your work in order during the course.
Note on Written Work All written work must be done in Times New Roman 12 point font with standard margins. Spelling and grammar must be correct, according to college standards. Do not tamper with margins or fonts, because I can tell (I was a student too). More importantly, focus on content rather than quantity of writing. If you keep all your finished written work in your binder, you will be better prepared for the final project. Suggestion for Doing Work Here is my suggestion for the order of your daily homework after our class: (1) Write your Journal Entry for that day. (2) Do the Readings for the next day. (3) Write down questions/comments on those readings for class discussion.
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