CORE Religion Seminar  Rel. 361.    Fall, 2000
      SUMMARY OF CLASSES HELD
     361 Main Page        Calendar: readings, assignments.      How to do assignments

Class #1.  Thurs.  Aug. 24  Introduction to course:
   See course syllabus for material reviwed today.
Class #2. Tues.  Aug. 29.  Raising basic questions
The first part of the class was spent selecting special topics:
   1.  International Human Rights (Sears presentations for all 3rd year CORE)
   2.  The UD Diversity Statement (also a combined Sears presentation)
   3.  Death penalty
   4.  Sexual orientation issues
   5.  Euthanasia
   6.  Organ and ova sales
   Each of these will be addressed by two or three people in class.
   These teams will read articles, select a few for the whole class to read.
   They will lead discussions on the topics and hand in written reports.
Here is the groupings of students according to topics:
1. International Human Rights  Sarah, Nick, Suzanne
2. UD Diversity Statement Cole, Leanne
3. Death Penalty   Jonathan, Liam, Kris
4. Sexual Orientation  Colleen, Erin, Andrew
5. Euthanasia   MacKenzie, Elizabeth, Katie
6. Organ /ova donation  Theresa, Alyson, Brian
7. Genetic Manipulation  Brent, Holly, Lou
The second part of the class was spent discussing two readings, "A Slave in New York," and the prologue to The Abuse of Casuistry, in order to initiate discussion on the problem of determining the basic criteria of morality.
Class #3.  Thurs.  Aug. 31.  Discussing Barnes' Ch. 8 on Morality
This chapter divides morality into four types:  taboo, acceptance-based, universal laws, and basic value morality.  The class reviewed the four types, using examples from the assignment due today.
Class #4.  Tues. Sept. 5.  Kohlberg and Fowler's Theories
The class first reviewed the cultural stages, especially from prmitive to archaic, and touching on historical and modern.  The rest of the class went over Kohlberg's stages and began to discuss Fowler's.
Class #5.  Thur. Sept. 7.  Fowler, then Flanagan's Criticisms of Kohlberg
Class #6.  Tues. Sept. 12.Two Types of Divine Command Morality
Kathleen Boone, on fundamentalist ideas of hell;  and Oliver Barclay, on biblical moraity as a sophisticated source of what in the end must be best for people.
Class #7.  Thurs., Sept. 14.  Austin Fagothy on Natural Law and Sex
Love, marriage, artificial contraception, and the natural end of sex.
Class #8.  Tues.  Sept. 19.  Paul Kurz on humanistic ethics
Class #9.  Thurs. Sept. 21.  First exam.  for up to 25 points.
Take-home part:  read selection on Japanese pre-war culture and analyze according to types of morality represented in the article;  in-class part:  read brief fictional passage (modeled on High Noon) to do the same.
Class #10.  Tues. Sept. 26.  Return exams.  Review and preview course requirements, etc.  Do survey on future expectations for the world.
Class #11.  Thur. Sept. 28. Conjoined Twins -- moral dilemma
Presentation by Barnes and Andre Knight as an example of a presentation, using the case of Jodie and Mary in the UK as a starting point.  Problem:  surgical intervention killing one child, or allowing both children to die naturally.
Class #12.  Tues. Oct 3 Conjoined Twins -- cont'd:  Parents Rights?
The parents of the conjoined twins wanted to let the children die.  Whether they were right or wrong, should they have the final say?  Material on deaths of children who were withheld medical care in favor of faith healing.
Class #13.  Thurs., Oct. 5.  International Human Rights - presentation.
Suzanne, Sarah, Nick: readings from UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, chapter on international women's rights, and AFL-CIO arguments on World Trade Organization, free trade, and exportation of jobs.
Class #14.  Tues., Oct. 10.  Massai Kebede and Mark Ensalaco: SEARS
Two presentations to the 70 CORE students on universalism vs particularism:  How to promote basic human rights without trampeling local cultures.
Class #15.  Thur.  Oct. 12.  Organ and Ova Donation - presentation
Alyson,  on organ donation and sales generally, as well as ova and sperm, and on patenting body parts/DNA.  Theresa, on fetal stem cells, and  Brian: on whether people should be allowed to sell a kidney to make money.
Class #16.  Tues., Oct. 17.  follow up on organ and ova donation / sales; and follow up on Kebede and Ensalaco presentation in Sears.  Analysis of how these issues would look to those with different Fowler / Kohlberg styles.
Class #17.  Thur.  Oct. 19. Sexual Orientation -- presentations.
Andrew, on theories of the causes of homosexuality;  Erin, on same-sex parents; and Colleen, on religious views.
Class #18. Tues., Oct. 24.  follow up on sexual orientation issues.
Class #19.  Thur., Oct. 26.  Leanne, Cole on the UD Diversity Statement
Presentations on the UD diversity statement  and on affirmative adtion in general
Class #20.  Tues. Oct. 31.  City Commisioner Dean Lovelace, Economics Professor Ralph Frasca, and American Studies Director and History Profesor Una Cadegan.  The commisioner spoke on problems in making the city fire and police departments reflect the racial makeup of Dayton,, Dr. Frasca on the marginal value of labor and the implications for affirmative action policies, and Dr. Cadegan on the Catholic and Marianist contributions of UD to diversity.
Class #21.  Thur. Nov. 2.  McKenzie, Elizabeth, and Katie on Euthanasia
The Hemlock Society vs. Right to Life. 
Class #22.  Tues. Nov. 7. follow up on euthanasia. 
Additional topic:  Many in the class have a fairly strong "libertarian" outlook, which allows a person free choices as long as no one else's rights are violated. Question:  which values guide those free choices?  None?  Implicit values? Is it important and wise to articulate and evaluate one's own basic values?
Class #23.  Thur. Nov.9. Kris, Jonathan, and Liam on Capital Punishment. The history of the electric chair and lethal injection, the history of legal status in the U.S., pragmatic arguments on public policy, and moral evaluations.
Class #24.  Tues.  Nov. 14.  follow up class on capital punishment.
The four moral approaches in relation to capital punishmnet.  A continuation of the question about articulating and evaluating one's own values.
Class #25.  Thurs. Nov. 16.  Jennifer and Mary comparing Wiccan and Catholic pastors' positions on some moral issues.
Class #26.  Tues. Nov. 21 -- no regular class; option to watch the film Pixote.
Class #27.  Tues. Nov. 28.  Basic issues and values.  Where are we headed and where do we want to go -- what values should guide the future?
Class #28.  Thur.  Nov. 30.  Holly and Lou on genetic manipulation
Class #29. Tues. Dec. 5. Follow up on genetic manipulation. Final exam review
Final Exam:  Monday, Dec. 11, noon to 1:50
Page last updated by MHBarnes, Nov. 28, 2000   barnes@udayton.edu