Original Web Document: http://webpages.marshall.edu/~altany/bh350-0001.htm
Marshall
University Fall,
1999
Basic Humanities [CL/PHL/RST] 350: God in Western
Consciousness and Culture
Team-taught: Dr. John
Vielkind (Philosophy) & Dr. Alan Altany (Religious Studies)
"This thing we tell of can never be found by seeking, yet only seekers find it." - Abu Yazid Al-Bistami
Dr. John Vielkind, Philosophy, Harris Hall 417 Phone/Voice Mail: 304.696.4640 FAX: 304.696.2703
Dr. Alan Altany, Religious
Studies, HH 411 Phone/Voice
Mail: 304.696.2702 FAX:
304.696.2703
Email: altany@marshall.edu Office
Hrs: MW 10-11, 12-2; T/R 11-12:30; F 10-11
Altany Web Site
Department of Religious Studies Web Site
Sessions: T/Thr 12:30-1:45, Harris Hall 445
Office Email: Student
email will be responded to within 24 hours of reception
Texts: God, Robinson,
ed.
The Hidden Face of God, Friedman
The History of God, Armstrong
God: Stories, Curtis, ed.
World Wide Web Sites on "God"
The following course explanation, in its totality, is a syllabus that is dynamic and flexible according to the needs of the learners and of the learning process. It is not presented as complete at the beginning of the study, but as an initial trajectory for the study. More specific guidance will be available as needed along the way. You, the learner, have a voice in the directions our study of "God" takes so that our work is significant for you and for the class as a whole within a learner/student-centered context.
Course Description
Now, the God of metaphysics is not the only
version of God with which we will deal -- but for the moment it can be a starting
point. We could appeal also to the father of
modern philosophy, Descartes, and even more importantly to Aristotle's First
Philosophy/Metaphysics. For in
Book 12, first philosophy is theology -- speech about God, the highest being, the supreme
being.
The "God" of faith in western religion and culture has been both thought of in very anthropomorphic terms and as ineffable
mystery beyond any
conceptualizations,
especially in the mystical aspects of religion. Martin Buber said that the word "God"
was the most loaded in the
English language. It is a word capable of eliciting all manner of responses and
interpretations. Thus,
what is meant by the very word
"God"? From the
perspective of religious faith the word epitomizes an ancient and continuing
human longing for the sacred, for that which is
considered as the reality of all realities.
Therefore, a course in "basic
humanities" is a most appropriate horizon in terms of which to thematize
"God" -- mimicking Heidegger's opening of Being and Time -- first,
do we even know what we mean in speaking this word, to say nothing of what
possible Being this word intends to name?
Indeed, is it even proper to speak here of a "being," albeit supreme? See
Armstrong's
introduction for a good setting up of the issue of what the word "God"
might possibly mean!
Learners (alias, "students") will be responsible for their own learning and
for helping each other learn. Each
learner is
to do all assigned readings and is encouraged to
take the initiative to read more and is expected to be at each class and be
always prepared to discuss and write on the
relevant themes or topics. In addition, there will be a formal essay which will emerge
from a drafting process and be presented to the
class by each person. There will be in-class and out of class writings, both
individual and collaborative. Learners also need to have basic computer skills (email and Internet) since there will be a class email discussion
list, individual emails, and the need to explore various web sites. The vision for this course is that it
is to be
a study that engages in active,
collaborative, reflective, participatory learning, forming a small community of learners
in the process. The professors are guides or mentors who provide guidance, direction and resources, but the
actual integrative learning is the responsibility of each person and of the class as a
whole, working together to go deeply into the central question or problem of life and
existence, Ultimate
Reality, or "God."
By the end of this study it is
hoped and expected that each learner will be able to formulate a foundational understanding of the nature, role and meaning of the ideas of
"God" in western consciousness and culture. This can all serve to encourage people in
their quests for meaning, understanding, compassion and wisdom.
Computing in this Course
Each student needs to have the
basic ability to use email that is web-sensitive such as Netscape Messenger and to be able
to find and utilize world-wide web resources that are available through use of a web
browser such as Navigator (4.0 or higher) or Internet Explorer. The course will
include sending and receiving email, web site readings and research, an electronic
discussion list (with web archive) and electronic publication of student writings, both
individual and collaborative. In seeking web sites for certain topics,
seach engines can be used.
The educational use of telecomputing will facilitate ongoing asynchronous discussion, submission and revision of student writings, peer review of student writings, collaborative group writings and projects, individual communication with the professor, or among students, and publication of an electronic course journal with student contributions. Telecomputing tutorials are available as is guidance on how to engage in respectful communication on the Internet (netiquette). In using web sources, please refer to Documenting Sources from the World Wide Web.
The purposes of the using of computer technology in this study are as follows:
Attendance Policy
Course Evaluation
Writings (in & out of class,
individual & group) & Class List Participation
- 40%
Group
Essays/Presentations
- 30%
Rough Draft & Revised Integration Essay &
Presentation
- 30 %
* Collaborative Initiatives for Course Journal Issues * - Students will be given the opportunity to volunteer to form
groups to create, write, edit and publish issues of our Course Journal (yet to be named)
to the class discussion list.
Such work will be a factor in the final evaluation of one's course work.
Late assignments will not be accepted unless for a serious reason.
Academic Honesty
Academic dishonestly and plagiarism ("copying or imitating the language, ideas,
and thoughts or another author and
passing of the same as one's
original work") will result in a grade of "0" for the work and will be
grounds for course
failure. The work in this
course is often connected with texts -- always cite your sources.
"Truth is so obscure in these
times, and falsehood so established,
that, unless we love the truth, we canot know it." - Pascal
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