God,
Meaning and Morality
GHUM102
Section 1 9:30-10:45 T, Th, Moody
109
Section 2 11:00-12:15 T, Th, Moody 109
Fall, 2007
Iain
S. Maclean
Course Description and Policies
"God, Meaning and Morality" is one of the courses constituting Tier 1 of the Cluster 2 package of the General Education Program, entitled "Reality and Imagination."
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
An examination, primarily through classical primary and secondary texts, of the ways in which various communities, Eastern and Western, perceive and understand, philosophically and religiously, the basis of knowledge (epistemology), reality (being), ultimate reality (the divine), the meaning or purpose of life, the norms by which they live (ethics/morality), and beauty (aesthetics).
REQUIRED TEXTS:
1] Iain S. Maclean (editor) with Diana Edelman, "God,
Meaning and Morality" (
2] Gregory Bassham and Eric Bronson (Editors) "The Lord of the Rings and
Philosophy."
3] Handouts, and audio-visual material as announced and distributed
.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Goals for Cluster
To introduce students to
cultural, historical, aesthetic, religious, and theoretical expressions of and
questions about human experience.
To expose students to
multiple academic disciplines in the arts and humanities and their methods and
unique perspectives.
To inspire a deeper
awareness of how the interplay between culture and its expressions affects both
collective and individual identities.
To
foster appreciation of the aesthetic and formal qualities of literary, visual,
and performing arts.
To engage students in
thinking critically and communicating clearly about enduring questions
concerning human existence.
Objectives for Group
Group
1. Human Questions and Contexts (formerly named Historical, Cultural, and Philosophical
Perspectives)
After
completing one course in this group, students will be able to:
1. Use critical and comparative analysis to
question their own and others’ beliefs about and responses to the world
or universe.
2. Apply
the methods of the discipline(s) studied to material from the humanities.
3. Identify, evaluate, and produce
arguments using appropriate concepts and techniques and to formulate logical
arguments on the same basis.
4. Demonstrate an understanding of broader
cultural, historical, religious or conceptual contexts of particular issues,
ideas, objects, or events - past and present.
5. Experience
humanities events more discerningly (such as exhibits, films, performances or
public lectures)
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
1] Students are expected to read the assignments for each class session
before that class meeting. The main points and issues should have been isolated
during the reading and thus available for analysis and discussion.
2] The reading assignment for each class session should be available in the
class either in the original or in note form.
3] There will be two tests, (each covering approximately a third of the course
material, with some cumulative material), four written assignments (on specific
issues, persons and/or ideas), one essay, a group project (see # 5 below) and a
final exam.
4] Class attendance is expected, and REQUIRED during Group Presentations (see #
5 below). Class discussions, lectures and Group Presentations will cover
material not provided in the textbook and will be assumed in test and essay
questions. Students are responsible for all announcements and or changes that
may be made in and to the class. Please note grade penalties for unexcused
absences below, under the heading Course Policies, # 2.
5] A final Group Project will require cooperative effort in presenting to the
class the results of group research on a particular perceptual,
epistemological, socio-political or aesthetic issue, relating such research to
the ideas and themes discussed during the course (the issues to be decided by
class vote and/or consultation with the professor).
GRADING:
NOTE: All work/ assignments, essays, and tests must be attempted, and
submitted -any required assignment not submitted will lead to a FAILING GRADE
FOR THE ENTIRE COURSE! This in particular applies to the Group Project
and accompanying essay!
1] The final course grade will be determined by computing the following grades:
two tests (10% [test #1] plus 20% [test #2 midterm] {total for tests =30%)),
four written assignments (20%), paper (20%), Group Project (10%) and final
(20%).
2] Grading for the writing assignments: Three ratings are possible: a check (2
points), a check-minus (1 point) or a zero (0). A check means that adequate
supporting evidence and reasoning support your argument; a check-minus that partial
supporting evidence and reasoning has been utilized, and a zero (O) that little
evidence of reading the material is present, no or inadequate reasoning,
little effort displayed, or if work is submitted late.
3] Grading for the tests and paper:
A This letter grade is for excellent work demonstrating ability to integrate
reason, content and coherent critique, with no or minimal stylistic
infelicities.
B: This letter grade is for good work that demonstrates the ability to grasp,
comprehend and synthesize the material, but lacks the finished quality of an
"A" paper.
C: This letter grade reflects the fact that the work done was insufficient.
Such work typically reveals a lack of competence in the comprehension of
the readings or lecture material, and most critically, a failure to synthesize
and to address the material critically. Such work is often marred by
grammatical and spelling errors. If an essay, it displays either no, or a very
weak thesis.
D: This letter grade is awarded for work that displays little evidence
that the question was addressed adequately, that the appropriate material was
read, evaluated, compared, or critically assessed. Displays stylistic
weaknesses, often to a heightened degree, of a C minus paper.
F: Please make an appointment to see me.
Grading is on the following values:
letter plus grades, from 7 above; thus a B+ is equal to 87-89 percent
letter grade alone, from 3-6; thus a B is equal to 83-86 percent
minus letter grades, 0-2; thus a b- is equal to 80-82 percent
4] Grading for the Group Presentations: One grade for the group presentation,
following the scale noted above. Grade will take into consideration the ability
of the group to work together as displayed through their presentation, the
integration of content and theory, application and oral/visual presentation.
All papers and written assignments are due at the beginning of class on the
assigned day, typed/word processed, stapled (no paper clips), complete with a
title page which includes the student's name, course title, number, and
section, honor pledge, and where necessary, an acknowledgments page (for
bibliography, citations, sources etc.).
COURSE POLICIES:
1] The HONOR CODE of
2] Attendance is expected, and an attendance roll will initially be taken,
primarily so that the professor might learn your names! Random attendance roll will
be taken during the semester. Absences in excess of 4 will carry a one third of
a letter grade penalty off of your final COURSE GRADE, PER CLASS SESSION MISSED
without acceptable excuse. (For example, your final grade for a the course is a
A-, but you had two unexcused absences, so your FINAL GRADE is docked by 2
thirds of a grade to B). Attendance will be a determining factor in deciding
border-line grades. You alone are responsible for attendance and for the making
up of any material, whether prescribed or presented in lecture (not necessarily
the same).
3]
4] Participation in class discussion is expected.
5] Proficiency in written expression is necessary for clear communication of
your ideas and arguments. Errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar will
negatively impact your grade. If you are concerned about your writing
proficiency, expose yourself to writing style by further reading and perhaps,
consult the Writing Lab before submitting your final version.
6] Responsible computer users realize that computers are not always reliable
(they can crash, they can scramble data, they can refuse to work, they can host
viruses: at certain periods of the academic year, it can be difficult to find
an open terminal, and printer problems are legendary.) YOU must therefore take
all precautions to ensure that your papers are completed on time. Making
frequent backups is a beginning, but you should have hard copies of your most
recent version of your paper, so that, should your disk become corrupt, your
hard or z drive fail, or
7] Work submitted later than the due class date will be docked a third of a letter grade per hour overdue from the beginning of class till it reaches my person or the department secretary (who will sign, time and date the item).
8] Any makeup or work submitted later by prior agreement must be submitted within a week (7 calendar days) of the original deadline (unless indicated otherwise). Time and place of makeup tests/exams is, after agreement with the professor, arranged with the department secretary, Mrs Linda Wandless (room 218 Sheldon Hall, 568-6394). Failure to meet the time limits or the arranged test time with the secretary, results in a grade of FAIL for that assignment.
9] The professor is happy to discuss work, readings, lectures and course content either in class as response to questions, or during a scheduled office hour. Grades are only communicated directly in person or on paper to the student concerned. The professor does not respond to E -mails on these subjects.
No late assignments can be accepted in fairness to others who have timeously prepared their work. A grade of "F" is assigned to any written work not turned in on time, with the exception of those assignments for which prior, alternative arrangements have been made due to serious extenuating circumstances. The grade deducted policy noted in point 2 above is still in effect. Please keep copies of all submitted assignments.
INCOMPLETES: These are only granted as the result of application arising from positively critical medical emergencies, or death in one’s immediate family. The onus is on the student to provide supporting documentation for the granting of an "Incomplete." NO APPLICATION FOR AN INCOMPLETE (or a makeup for any assignment) WILL BE CONSIDERED WITHOUT OFFICIAL MEDICAL DOCUMENTATION PROVIDED BY THE APPLICANT.
The Professor reserves the right to make changes, alter, or modify this document, normally with due notice to the students and never to their disadvantage.