Person & Social Responsibility II Spring, 2002
PL089/TH089; Section 9 TTh @ 12:00
Prof. David McMenamin Carney 262: 552-3868 or PULSE Office: 552-3495.
email: david.mcmenamin@bc.edu Office Hours: Wed/Fri, 1:00 - 2:30; and by appt.
This is the continuation of the two semester, 12 credit course offered through the PULSE Program and fulfilling all core requirements in Philosophy and Theology.
Placement work begins immediately according to the same schedule you arranged for the first semester, unless you have already agreed to a new schedule with your supervisor. Discussion groups will resume on Wednesday, January 24.
If, in light of your first semester placement experience, you want to renegotiate your Learning Work Agreement, see the information in the PULSE Newsletter.
Class Requirements
Exams: Mid-term and final exams will be given. The due date of the take home final is May 7, the date set by the registrar.
Journals: Unlike last semester, journals are due about every other week, beginning January 25. (A schedule of due dates follows the schedule of readings.) They are due on Fridays by 4:00pm.and should be sent to the email address above. Also unlike last semester, they will constitute a part of your grade not just for being sent in, but also for their content.
Institutional Analysis: This is an analysis of your placement, its role and function in society, in light certain readings we will be doing. A form describing how this is to be done will be distributed. They should be done progressively over the course of the semester, beginning as soon as possible.
Class grade will be determined on the basis of an approximate 65% - 20% - 15% breakdown between tests, journals and the institutional analysis respectively. Attendance at all class meetings and discussion groups, and preparation of reading assignments before the class, are all expected. As you know from the way I conduct class, participation in the class and in discussion group is a key component of this course: this can only happen, of course, if you are present and prepared. Lack of preparation and/or any unexcused absences from class or discussion may result in a reduction in grade at the discretion of the professor. I will be looking (listening) for those who tended to be quiet in the first semester to increase their participation.
Required texts:
Which you should have from last semester:
The Bible
Aristotle's Ethics
Michael Himes, Doing the Truth in Love
Jane Jacobs, Death and Life of Great American Cities
Thomas Cahill, Desire of the Everlasting Hills
New this semester:
Jean Jacques Rousseau, Basic Political Writings
Michel Foucault, Discipline and Punish
Charles Taylor, The Ethics of Authenticity
John Locke, selections from Second Treatise on Government (Handout)
Martin Luther King handouts.
Schedule of classes/readings:
January
15 (Tu) Introduction: Athens & Jerusalem, Philosophy & Theology, Politics and Religion, or: Private Life in the Public Sphere. (Including the "Whirlwind Tour" of Medieval Theology, Philosophy and political structures.
17 (Th) Rachel Remen, "In the Service of Life;" Robert Coles, Introduction and Chapter 1 of The Call of Service. (Handouts) Review/reread Chapter 4 of Michael Himes, Doing the Truth in Love.
22 (Tu) Jean-Jacques Rousseau, "Discourse on the Sciences and the Arts" in Basic Political Writings, (pp. 1-21).
24 (Tu) "Discourse On the Origins of Inequality; Part One" (pp. 25-60).
27 (Th) Rousseau, "The Origins of Inequality, Part Two" (pp. 60-81).
29 (Tu) Rousseau, On the Social Contract, Books I and II (pp. 141-172)
31 (Th) John Locke, Second Treatise of Government, pp. 7-30 (Handout)
February
5 (Tu) Locke, Second Treatise, pp. 30-65 (Handout)
7 (Th) Michel Foucault, Discipline and Punish, pp. 3 – 69
12 (Tu) Discipline and Punish, pp. 135 – 194
14 (Th) Discipline and Punish, pp. 293 – 308.
19 (Tu) Parrhesia revisited: Plato, Apology. (Now would be a good time to start reading Cahill’s Desire of the Everlasting Hills, both for timing sake and for a return to the theme of parrhesia.)
21 (Th) Plato continued.
26 (Tu): review for mid-term.
28 (Th) Mid Term Exam.
March
5 (Tu) & 7 (Th) Spring Break
12 (Tu) Charles Taylor, The Ethics of Authenticity, Chapters I -- IV.
14 (Th) Taylor, The Ethics of Authenticity, Chapters V – VII.
19 (Tu) Taylor, The Ethics of Authenticity, Chapters VIII – X.
(Reading of Cahill’s Desire of the Everlasting Hills should be finished/resumed/begun if you haven’t around now.)
Schedule of classes/readings (cont’d):
21 (Th) "Imagining Solutions." Read the Gospel according to Matthew. Be conscious of Himes’s last chapter (pp. 136–144) as you read this.
26 (Tu) First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians. (1 Corinthians).
April
2 (Tu): Finish Scriptural material, transition to contemporary setting. You might begin to read the MLK handouts for today, depending where we are in class.
4 (Th): Civil Prophets: the contemporary marriage of theological and philosophical principles. Martin Luther King (handouts)
9 (Tu): King, continued. (Note that following break we will be covering Jane Jacobs’ Death and Life of Great American Cities.
11 (Th) Easter Break
16 (Tu) Jane Jacobs, Death and Life of Great American Cities
18 (Th) Jacobs (continued).
N.B. Last date to hand in Institutional Analysis.
23 (Tu) Nicomachean Ethics, Book VIII, sections 1 - 9; Book IX, sections 4 and 8; Book X, sections 6 - 9. (Look yet again at Himes, chapter 9)
25 (Th) Bringing it all together, sorting it all out: Friends, Prophets, Disciples, Citizens? Life, Spirit, Vision, Imagination? Person & Social Responsibility.
30 (Tu) Wrap up and review.
Journal Due Dates:
January 25
February 8
February 22
March 15
March 27 – note that this not a Friday, but the last class day before Easter Break.
April 12
April 26