Core 212: Ideas, Values, Images, Sec. 04
Spring 2004, Self and God
M W 03:00-04:15
Flanner 625
Professor Svitlana Kobets
Office: 302 Decio Hall
Office Hours: MW 11:30-12:30, F 10:30-11:30
574-631‑5572
Svetlana.V.Kobets.1@nd.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course will survey
the history of selfhood as expressed in masterpieces of philosophy,
spirituality, literature and art. Through our reading of a variety of works
representing different times, cultures and societies, we will explore various
paradigms of the human understanding of selfhood, its essence and its place in
society. Our readings will include masterpieces of Eastern and Western
civilizations spanning Antiquity, the Middle Ages and Modernity. In the first
half of the semester we will explore attitudes toward the individual and
selfhood as expressed in classical Greek philosophy (Plato, Socrates,
Epictetus, Diogenes), documents of early Christian asceticism (lives of St.
Anthony and St. Alexis the Man of God) and biographical writings of Medieval
Europe (St. Francis of Assisi and Margery Kempe). After considering European
civilization and Christianity we will turn to Eastern spiritual traditions including
the teachings of Taoism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam (Lao Tzu’s Tao Te
Ching, The Bhagavad-Gita,
poetry of Jalal al-Din Rumi). In the second part of the course we
will address European Modernity. First we will read and discuss Dostoyevsky’s
The Brothers Karamazov. Then we will consider findings of psychoanalysis and
their importance for twentieth-century social and aesthetic thought (Freud,
Jung). The quest for the individual self and spirituality under totalitarian
regimes will be the focus of our discussion in the latter part of the course.
We will read a novel by the Russian anti-utopian writer Zamiatin. The Nobel
Prize winning novel Doctor Zhivago by
Boris Pasternak, will conclude our course. Issues important to our discussions will include the
individual and society, freedom and submission, self-awareness and the failure
of self-knowledge.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
In part two of the College Core Course, “Ideas, Values, and Images,” titled “Self and God,” we will continue working on developing skills in critical thinking through reading, discussing, and writing. Our readings will include masterpieces of Eastern and Western civilizations spanning Antiquity, the Middle Ages and Modernity. In the first half of the spring semester we will concentrate primarily on the individual as a psychological entity, exploring what classical philosophy has called “the parts of the soul,” and going on to ask what form of life is best for the self in view of its natural condition. In the final half of the semester we will turn to consider the importance of the religious option.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Since the course is a seminar, discussion will be its most important aspect. All are expected to come prepared, with assignments read, ready to share ideas generated by the readings. Each student will be expected to make at least two contributions per class period directly related to the assigned readings. Over the course of the semester each of you will have the opportunity to lead class discussion.
ATTENDANCE
Attendance is mandatory. Please be sure to bring a letter of excuse for official or excused absences (illness, religious holidays, family emergencies). When you know of a necessary absence in advance, please mention it to me. Unannounced absences when you are discussion leader are noted as inconsiderate behavior. If an emergency comes up, it is your responsibility to exchange the date with someone else and to inform me as soon as possible of the arrangement.
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS
You will be required to write two 5-page papers in which you will explore in depth some aspect of the texts we have read and discussed in class. The first paper will be due in the middle of the semester and the second paper will be due by the end of the semester. The papers will be written on topics of your choosing (in consultation with me). Therefore, you should be thinking throughout the semester about possible paper topics, in accordance with your own personal interests. The deadlines for choosing your midterm and final paper topic will be respectively February 18 and April 15. I will also provide some suggestions to get you started. Remember to keep your ideas focused and specific, and please feel welcome to speak with me during office hours at any stage of the writing process!
SHORT ESSAYS
In partial fulfillment of the writing assignment in our class, you will all be expected to regularly participate in the online discussion forum by posting comments on the reading on WebCT. 10 short essays are the minimum. I will post discussion questions on the WebCT site each week.
FINAL EXAM
There will be a final exam. It will consist of three questions to be answered in writing. The list of possible questions will be submitted to you in advance.
GRADING
Class participation/leadership 20%
Midterm paper 20%
Final paper 20%
Short essays 20%
Final exam 20%
A WORD ABOUT THE ND HONOR CODE
Please acquaint yourself with the chapter on Notre Dame's Academic Code of Honor in Du Lac (beginning on p. a-33): particularly section IV, entitled "Student Responsibilities under the Academic Code of Honor," points A through D. A copy of the Honor Code can be obtained from the Office of Undergraduate Studies, or online at http://www.nd.edu/~orlh/dulac/academic-codeofhonor.pdf.
Please keep in mind that your written assignments and papers must be entirely original. Furthermore, if secondary sources are used for the final paper, these should be listed in footnotes and/or a bibliography given at the paper's end, and any quoted material should be placed in quotation marks and clearly attributed to its source (suggested bibliographic formats can be found in the MLA Handbook or the Chicago Manual of Style). Plagiarism (=any written work presented as entirely your own and original to the particular assignment that is not, in fact, entirely your own and/or original to the particular assignment) is a serious matter and will be investigated and brought to a hearing by the Honor Committee of the Department of German and Russian. Penalties for violations of the Honor Code are severe. If you are in doubt about the legitimacy of your activities with respect to this course, please ask ahead of time. It is always better to be safe than sorry!
REQUIRED READINGS, EVENTS & FILMS
Lopez, Barry. "God's Love on a Darkling Plain" and "The Naturalist" (preceding lecture on January 28th.)
Plato. Apology from The Trial and Death of Socrates. Hackett
Epictetus. Handbook. Hackett.
Euripides. The Bacche. Trans. Arrowsmith. Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Dante. The Inferno. Trans. Robert and Jean Hollander. Doubleday
Gay, Peter. "An Autobiographical Study." The Freud Reader. New Haven: (course book)
Becker, Ernest. "The Present Outcome of Psychoanalysis." The Denial of Death. New York: Free Press Paperbacks, (course book)
Ramachandran, V.S. "Preface" and "The Phantom Within." Phantoms in the Brain: Probing the Mysteries of the Human Mind. New York: William Morrow. (course book)
Sophomore Literary Festival
Shakespeare, William. Romeo & Juliet. Signet Classic
Performance of Romeo & Juliet by Actors from the London Stage in Washington Hall, Feb 11-14
Johansen, Ruthann. Listening in the Silence, Seeing in the Dark. University of California Press
Chopin, Kate. The Awakening. Bantam Books
Hillesum, Etty. An Interrupted Life and Letters from Westerbork. Owl Books
Dostoevsky, Fyodor. The Brothers Karamazov. Bantam Books
Merton, Thomas. New Seeds of Contemplation. New Directions
Lao Tzu. Tao Te Ching. Trans. Victor Mair. Bantam
The Bhagavad-Gita: Krishna's Counsel in Time of War, translated by Barbara Stoller Miller. Bantam Books
Eck, Diana. "The Faces of God, "Encountering God. Beacon Press (course book)
Esposito, John L. "Muhammad and the Quran; Messenger and Message," Islam: The Straight Path. Oxford University Press. (course book)
Rumi, Jalal al-Din. The Essential Rumi, translated by Coleman Barks. Harper San Francisco
O'Connor, Flannery. "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" and "Revelation" (course book)
SYLLABUS
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1. |
Wednesday, January 14 |
Introduction to the course.
What do we mean by the "self"?
Introduction to Plato, Euthyphro. |
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2. |
Monday, January 19 |
Plato, Apology, Crito; Epictetus, Handbook |
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3. |
Wednesday, January 21 |
Epictetus, Handbook
Euripides, The Bacchae |
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4. |
Monday, January 26 |
Euripides, The Bacchae |
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5. |
Wednesday, January 28 |
Dante, The Inferno, Cantos I-X |
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6. |
Monday, February 2 |
Dante, The Inferno, Cantos XI-XXI |
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7. |
Wednesday, February 4 |
Dante, The Inferno, Cantos XXII-XXXIII |
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8. |
Monday, February 9 |
Gay, "An Autobiographical Study" (course book) |
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9. |
Wednesday, February 11 |
Becker, "The Present Outcome of Psychoanalysis" (course book) and Ramachandran, "Preface" and "The Phantom Within" (course book)
Kat Moravek, Kristin Graham |
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10. |
Monday, February, 16 |
Shakespeare, Romeo & Juliet
Sarah Whitaker |
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11. |
Wednesday, February 18 |
Shakespeare, Romeo & Juliet |
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12. |
Monday, February 23 |
Johansen, Listening in the Silence, Seeing in the Dark
Nora Fallon
deadline for choosing your midterm paper topic |
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13. |
Wednesday, February 25 |
Chopin, The Awakening
Jessica Fickey |
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14. |
Monday, March 1 |
Chopin, The Awakening
Hillesum, An Interrupted Life, pp. 3 --top of 128 |
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15. |
Wednesday, March 3 |
Hillesum, An Interrupted Life, pp. 128—231
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16.
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Monday, March 15 |
Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov, Author's Preface, Part One, pp. 7-195
deadline for submitting midterm paper
Bob Seus |
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17. |
Wednesday, March 17 |
Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov, Part II, pp. 195-395
Matt Masoni
Curtis Leighton |
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18. |
Monday, March 22 |
Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov, Part III, pp. 395-619
Emily Pike |
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19. |
Wednesday, March 24 |
Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov, Part IV, pp.619-790
Alison Glass |
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20. |
Monday, March 29 |
Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov, Part IV, pp.790-913, Epilogue
Daniel Gonzales |
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21. |
Wednesday, March 31 |
Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation," What is contemplation?," "Everything that is, is holy," "Union and division," "We are one man," "Learn to be alone," "The pure heart," "Integrity," "Sentences," "Faith," "From faith to wisdom," "The mystery of Christ," 'The Woman clothed with the sun," "The general dance," and
Madeleine Heck |
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22. |
Monday, April 5 |
Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching
Stephen Heiny |
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23. |
Wednesday, April 7 |
Miller, The Bhagavad-Gita, pp. 1-14, 19-75 and Eck, "The Faces of God" (course book)
Brandon Carrillo |
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EASTER HOLIDAY
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(Friday April 9 through Monday, April 12) |
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24. |
Wednesday, April 14 |
Miller, The Bhagavad-Gita, pp. 77-125, 137-154
deadline for choosing your final paper topic |
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25. |
Monday, April 19 |
Essay on Islam. (course book) Rumi, Chapters 1-4 |
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26. |
Wednesday, April 21 |
Rumi, Chapters 12, 16, 18, 19 |
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27. |
Monday, April 26 |
O'Connor, "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" (course book) |
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28. |
Wednesday, April 28 |
O'Connor, "Revelation" (course book)
Final paper due |
Study Days, April 29 - May 4
Finals, May 7
