|
HON 101: Humanities I - The
Ancient and Medieval World |
Profs. Donald Arentz,
Michael Kagan |
|
M. Kagan: Office
Hours in RH-436 (445-4489) |
D. Arentz: Office Hours
in the Honors House |
|
MWF |
MW |
|
Email: kagan@lemoyne.edu |
Email: arentzdw@lemoyne.edu,
arentzdw@aol.com |
From the course description
(taken
from http://www.lemoyne.edu/class_availability/course-04-SP-int.html#HON):
"This is a team-taught, interdisciplinary sequence of courses open to
members of the Integral Honors Program. Major
trends and developments in Western and non-Western civilizations are
studied
from the perspectives of literature, history, philosophy and religion."
Goal: We hope to increase our understanding of some aspects of the
ancient
and medieval periods, with a particular concern for(what might be
called
Confucian) questions about the relationships between learners and the
people
they teach and learn from, and how these are informed by the contexts
in which
they are found.
Requirements and grading
GRADING
1.
20%
of the grade is based on participation, in-class writings, and optional
writing
assignments that may develop as a result of our class discussions.
2.
40%
of the grade is based on two student essays. (Each essay counts 20%.)
3.
40%
of the grade is based on two take home essay exams. (Each exam counts
20%.)
Grades are based on a
10 point
scale as follows:
90-100 - 'A' range (97-100 = A+; 94-96=A; 90-93=A-).
80-89 - 'B' range (87-89 = B+; 84-86=B; 80-83=B-).
70-79 - 'C' range (77-79 = C+; 74-76=C; 70-73=C-).
60-69 - 'D' range (67-69 = D+; 64-66=D; 60-63=D-).
Below 60 - 'F'.
Failure to complete any of (1)-(3) can result in a failing grade.
Plagiarism
will result in a failing grade.
Required Reading List:
A Bible (including Jewish and
Christian
scriptures)
Arendt, excerpts from "Some Questions of Moral Philosophy (from Responsibility
and Judgment)
Aristotle, Selections (trans. Irwin)
Augustine, Teacher
Confucius, Analects
Dante, Purgatorio
Dewitt, Last Samurai
Homer, Iliad
Lau Tzu, Tao te Ching
Maimonides, selections from the Guide of the Perplexed
Plato, Republic, Meno, Apology and other
selections from The
Trials of Socrates, Euthydemus (many of Plato's works
are
available at http://www.perseus.tufts.edu)
Sophocles, Antigone
Steiner, Lessons of the Masters
Strauss, "Persecution and the Art of Writing"
Virgil, Aeneid
SPECIAL NEEDS
In coordination with the Academic
Support Center (ASC),
reasonable accommodations are provided for qualified students with
disabilities. Please register with the ASC Office for disability
verification
and determination of reasonable accommodations. After receiving your
accommodation form from the ASC, you will need to make an appointment
with each
of us to review the form and discuss your needs. Please make every
attempt to
meet with us within the first week of class so your accommodations can
be
provided in a timely manner. You can either stop by the ASC, Library,
1st
floor, or call (445-4118-voice or 445-4104-TDD) to make an appointment.
IMPORTANT DATES
No classes on the following dates: Mon., Jan. 19 (Martin Luther King,
Jr. Day),
Mar. 1-6 (Spring Break), ), Apr. 8-12 (Easter Break).
First Essay due Fri., Feb. 20 (end of week #6) . First take
home exam
due Fri., Feb 27 (end of week 7). Second essay due Fri., Mar.
2
(end of week #11). Second take home (final) exam due at the
scheduled
time of the final (Friday,
May 7,
2004,
TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE AND SCHEDULE OF ASSIGNMENTS
Continue reading Arendt,
DeWitt,
Steiner. Read throughout, to be finished by week 12.
1. Homer on the best, mastery as being the best, honor and
vengeance Finish reading the Iliad by the end of week 2.
2. Gisli saga - equality - justice feud; family, honor and
vengeance Also read Genesis, chs. 27 - 34 (from
the
time Jacob disguises himself to get Esau's blessing through his sons'
response
to the violation of their sister, Dina). Read by end of week 2.
3. Gita - Lordship, royal duties, karmic duties, family
vs. caste
obligation and the teaching of teaching of the gods Read by
week
3. Read Genesis 18 (God's promise to Abraham about children;
Abraham's
response to God's plan to destroy
4. Antigone and Euthyphro - Responding to questions about
justice
and the divine. Read by week 5. First essay due by end of
week
6. Finish reading Arendt.
6. Take home due end of week 7.
5. Masters in conflict: Socrates of Euthydemus, Euthyphro,
Apology, Meno & the philosopher of the Republic (Book 5, Line and
the
Cave), Read by week 7.
6. Aristotle as rebellious student (which here, at least, means
the best
student . . . ); on going activity [Nicomachean Ethics Read by week 9;
Poetics
and Topics read by week 10.
7 . Lau Tzu, Confucius, Read by week 11.
7b. Virgil and Dante, more questions about justice and the
divine.
Read by week 12.
8. Augustine and the medieval project. Augustine (constructive
conflict
between the teacher and the student). Read Genesis, chs.
1-3; John
chs. 1-3. Read Augustine's Teacher. Read by week
13.
10. Maimonides and Strauss on identifying the student (or showing one
corner
but not the other three). Some paradoxes involved in teaching
secretly
through books. Read selections from Maimonides' Guide and
Strauss,
"Persecution and the Art of Writing" by week 14.
Arendt, DeWitt, Steiner. Read throughout, to be finished by week
12. Second essay due Fri., Mar.
2 (end
of week #11).
10. Selected presentations of student essays.
Take home final due at regularly scheduled time of final. (
Some of this page's links:
This syllabus revised