Class Times and Places:  Tuesday and Thursday 12:00 - 1:15
Discussion Sections:  Tuesday, 9:30-10:30, Tuesday, 11-12 (Beginning Sept. 21)

 The readings for both semesters consists of classic texts of the Western Tradition - scripture, philosophy, drama, and fiction, combined with some contemporary discussions of service work.  The assumption is that these texts, whether ancient or contemporary, can speak to the search for meaning, justice, and community that characterizes your search and that of those people you will meet outside this classroom.
 This course consists of two components, the classroom and the fieldwork; 60% of your grade for the semester will be the result of your classwork and 40% from your community service. A failing grade in either component of the class will result in a failing grade for the whole course. The grade for your service will be submitted to me by your supervisor at the end of the semester. It will be based on the terms of the learning work-agreement worked out between you and your supervisor.

Requirements:

 Class attendance and participation   10%
 Journal/discussion section          20%
 2 exams       20% each
 Final exam     30%

Required Texts:

 Robert Coles, The Call of Service
 Leo Tolstoy, The Death of Ivan Ilych
 Plato, Apology, Symposium
 Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics
 The New Oxford Annotated Bible
 Blaise Pascal, PensÈes
 Charles Taylor, The Ethics of Authenticity
 
Reading Assignments:

Sept. 5: Introduction

Sept. 7:   Tolstoy, The Death of Ivan Ilych

Sept. 12: Coles, "Method"
  Journal assignment:  choosing a placement and/or PULSE

Sept. 14: Plato, Apology

Sept. 19: Apology (cont.)

Sept. 21: Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, Book I, first half

Sept. 26: Ethics, Bk. I, second half
  Journal assignment:  happiness, your own and at your placement

Sept. 28: Ethics, Bk II

Oct. 3:  Ethics, Bk. VIII, Bk. X, ch. 6-9

Oct. 5:  Coles, "Mentoring"

Oct. 10: Exam

Oct. 12: Plato, Symposium
  Journal assignment:  mentoring/friendship and your placement

Oct. 17: Symposium (cont.)

Oct. 19: Genesis, chs. 1-4, 12-22, 37-45

Oct. 24: Job, chs. 1-24
 
Oct. 26: Job, chs. 38-42
  Journal assignment:  evil and your placement

Oct. 31: Romans, 1-7

Nov. 2: Romans, 8-15

Nov. 7: Pascal, PensÈes, nos. 45; 53-76; 110-118; 119-31
  Journal assignment:  responsibility

Nov. 9: PensÈes, nos.132-139; 149; 183;189-92; 193-202; 413; 418; 423-424

Nov. 14: PensÈes, nos. 446; 449; 468; 512; 533; 562; 674; 678; 887; 919; 978
 
Nov. 16: Exam
 
Nov. 21: Taylor, Ethics of Authenticity
  Journal assignment:  reassessing your beginning "idealism"

Nov. 23: Thanksgiving Holiday

Nov. 28: Taylor, Ethics of Authenticity

Nov. 30: Taylor, Ethics of Authenticity

Dec. 5:  Coles, "Young Idealism"

Dec. 7:  Coles, "Satisfactions"

PL/TH  088:  Person and Social Responsibility

Prof. Eileen Sweeney      Carney 217/552©3857
Philosophy Department      eileen.sweeney@bc.edu

Class Times and Places:  Tuesday and Thursday 12:00 © 1:15
Discussion Sections:  Tuesday, 9:30 Tuesday, 11:00 (Beginning Jan. 23)

 This is the second of a two semester, 12 credit course fulfilling all core requirements in Philosophy and Theology.  The reading for both semesters consists of classic texts of the Western Tradition © scripture, philosophy, theology, fiction, combined with some contemporary discussions of social problems.  The theme for this semester is community.  We will consider accounts of justice and charity which should inform a community, and ask about what kinds of obligations individuals have to communities.
 This course consists of two components, the classroom and the field.  60% of
your grade for the semester will be the result of your classwork and 40% from your
community service.  The grade for your service will be submitted by your supervisor to
me at the end of the semester.  It will be based on the terms of your work©agreement
worked out between you and your supervisor.  Failure in either the academic or service
portions of the class will result in failure for the whole 6 credits.

Requirements:

 Class/ discussion attendance and participation   15%
 Journals        15%
 Two tests        20% each
 Final exam    30%

Required Texts:

 Albert Camus, The Plague
 The New Oxford Annotated Bible
 Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Basic Political Writings
 John Rawls, from A Theory of Justice (handout)
 Hannah Arendt, The Human Condition
 Robert Coles, The Call of Service
 Cone, Malcolm and Martin:  American Dream, American Nightmare
 Primo Levi, Survival at Auschwitz

Jan 16:   Introduction

Jan 18:  Camus, The Plague, Part I

Jan 23:  Camus,  The Plague, Part II

Jan 25:  Camus,  The Plague, Part III

Jan 30:  Camus,  The Plague, Part IV  (Journal Due)

Feb 1:  Camus, The Plague, Part V
Feb 6:  Exodus ch. 1-15; 19-24

Feb 8:  Deuteronomy 5-11, 28-30

Feb 13:  Jeremiah, 1-10, 30-31

Feb 15:  Matthew ch. 1-15  (Journal Due)

Feb 20:  Matthew ch. 16-28

Feb 22:  Exam

Feb 27:  Rousseau, Discourse on the Origins of Inequality, pp. 33-60

Mar 1:  Rousseau, Discourse on the Origins of Inequality, pp. 60-81

Mar 6:  Spring Break

Mar 8:  Spring Break

Mar 13:  Rawls  (Handout)  (Journal Due)

Mar 15:  Cone, Malcolm and Martin

Mar 20:  Cone,  Malcolm and Martin

Mar 22:  Cone,  Malcolm and Martin

Mar 27:  Arendt, The Human Condition, Prologue, ch. 1

Mar 29:  Arendt,  The Human Condition, ch 5, sec. 24-29  (Journal Due)

Apr 3:  Arendt, The Human Condition, ch 5. sec. 30-34

Apr 5:  Test

Apr 10:  Levi, Survival at Auschwitz

Apr 12:  Holy Thursday Holiday

Apr 17:  Levi, Survival at Auschwitz

Apr 19:  Levi, Survival at Auschwitz

Apr 24:  Coles, "Satisfactions," "Why They Mean to Us"  (Journal Due)

Apr 26:  Coles, "Consequences"

May 1: Review, Discussion