WORLD RELIGIONS Spring 201x
Philosophy 210 Section 1001 Prof. Kenneth G. Lucey
Tue. & Thur. 1:00-2:15 WRB 2008
108D (784- Cain Hall 4308)
Office Hours: Tue. , Wed. & Thur., 11:30-12:30 & by appointment or drop in.
E-mail: [email protected]
COURSE OBJECTIVES
This course is designed for the specific purpose of introducing the student to key features
of the major world religions, and thereby allow student to demonstrate an awareness of
the diversity of world cultures by an understanding of their religious beliefs and practices.
This is done by describing the beliefs, rituals and histories of these religions, with a focus
upon religious practices & their impact upon societal values, concerning race, ethnicity,
gender and social class.
The religions of the world are very diverse in a number of ways. For example, they differ
in their core beliefs. Some are henotheistic (Judaism), others dualistic (Zoroastrianism),
others monotheistic (Christianity & Islam), and still others atheistic (forms of Buddhism).
Religions are also diverse in their ethics, such as Confucianism’s Silver Rule, Judaism’s
Ten Commandments, Christianity’s Golden Rule, & Buddhism’s Eight Step Path.
Religions also differ widely in their treatment of gender and social class, a specific
example of which is Hinduism class system, the patriarchal organization of various
religion’s leadership, and Islam’s policies toward polygamy.
The second purpose of the course is to explore the philosophical background of these
religions. This in the sense of examining the philosophical presuppositions that they each
make about the nature of human beings, and their relationships to the world and gods or
God, and the quite distinct concepts of God that different religions contain. The
metaphysical/ontological presuppositions of religions differ widely from one another as
do their account of the mind/body relationship exhibited by humanity, as well as very
different conceptions of an afterlife. Sheol, heaven, hell, purgatory, reincarnation, etc.
are all as diverse in their conceptions as they are in their supporting beliefs and
arguments.
CLASS ORGANIZATION
Every meeting of the class will begin with a lecture about the religion under discussion,
and the approach will be mostly descriptive and only critical to the extent of trying to get
clear about the key concepts involved. It is not any purpose of this course to try to say
whether any of these religions are true, although students are encouraged to develop and
defend their own beliefs about these issues. Where appropriate, lectures will be
supplemented with videos exhibiting key rites of a religion (such as previously secret
Taoist rituals). The hope and intent is that every class meeting will provide an
opportunity for questions concerning the material that is presented in lecture and in the
reading assignments.
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SILVER CORE CURRICULUM
This course satisfied Core Objective 10 [CO10] (“Diversity and Equity”) and Core
Objective 11 [CO11] (“Global Contexts”).
Brief description of CO10: Students will demonstrate an understanding of diversity
through courses that focus on topics such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion,
physical ability, language, and/or social class with an emphasis on the analysis of equity.
Students will apply and evaluate approaches or modes of inquiry used to analyze
diversity and equity and the social barriers to these goals.
Brief description of CO11: Students will apply and evaluate modes of academic inquiry,
creative expression, or results of research to problems in historical and contemporary
global contexts. Students will articulate connections among local, national, and
international contexts and evaluate the ways that historical and contemporary global
influences affect their current situations.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
As a result of taking this course, students will be able to:
1. Describe the values and world view of at least two religious traditions that
have not been historically dominant in the culture of North America or Western
Europe.
2. Explain how different religious traditions offer contrasting accounts of human
well-being, and show how differences in their accounts can affect social practices.
3. Clarify what is at stake when controversies arise within a particular religious
outlook, or when conflicts arise between different outlooks, either historically or
in a contemporary global setting.
4. Identify key presuppositions of religious conceptions across multiple
traditions, as well as the similarities and dissimilarities between them that history
or cultural experience make relevant.
COURSE TEXTS
There are two texts for this course. The first is a classic by Huston Smith, The World’s
Religions, (c) 1991. The second is World Religions, 7th ed., by Warren Matthews. Both
are paperbacks.
CLASS ASSIGNMENTS
The following is a tentative schedule of reading assignments for the semester:
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2.
Tue. Jan. 20 Introduction
Smith 1-11, Matthews 1-13
Defining Religion & Points of Departure
Thur. Jan. 22 Hinduism
Smith 12-32, Matthews 71-83
Hinduism’s Conception of the Good Life
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Tue. Jan. 27 Hinduism
Smith 32-55, Matthews 83-92
Hinduism’s Four Ways of Salvation
Thur. Jan. 29 Hinduism
Smith 55-75, Matthews 93-107
Hinduism’s Four Stages of Life
Tue. Feb. 3 Buddhism
Smith 82-112. Matthews 109-122
The Four Noble Truths & The Eightfold Path
Thur. Feb. 5 Buddhism
Smith 112-139, Matthews 123-132
Basic Buddhist Concepts
Tue. Feb. 10 Tibetan Buddhism
Smith 112-139, Matthews 170-187
Atta, Anatta & Nirvana
Thur. Feb. 12 Zen Buddhism
Smith 129-140, Matthews 133-149
The Secret of the Flower
Tue. Feb. 17 Jainism & Sikhism
Smith 75-81, Matthews 151-174
Hinduism & Islam in Collision
Thur. Feb. 19 TEST #1
Tue. Feb. 24 Confucianism
Smith 154-183, Matthews 235-261
The Confucian Project: Ethics or Religion
Thur. Feb. 26 Confucianism
Smith 183-195
The Problem Confucius Faced: Rival Answers
Tue. Mar. 3 Shinto Matthews 202-214
The Bushido Code of the Samurai
Thur. Mar. 5 Taoism/Daoism
Smith 213-234, Matthews 207-226
Creative Quietude
Tue. Mar. 10 Review. Paper #1 Due. Topic TBA
Thur. Mar. 12 Ancient Near East Religions & Judaism Smith 271-286,
Matthews 45-66
Egypt’s View of Life after Death
Tue. Mar. 24 Judaism
Smith 286-303. Matthews 243-266
Messianism & The Chosen People
Thur. Mar. 26 Judaism
Smith 303-316, Matthews 267-286
The Kabbalah
Tue. Apr. 1 Zoroastrianism
Matthews 221-241
The Teachings of Zarathustra
Thur. Apr. 3 TEST #2
Tue. Apr. 8 Christianity
Smith 317-330, Matthews 289-303
The Mystical Body of Christ
Thur. Apr. 10 Christianity
Smith 330-346, Matthews 304-309
Augustine on the Grace of God
Tue. Apr. 15 Roman Catholicism Smith 346-356, Matthews 310-333
Roman Catholic & Greek Orthodox Traditions
Thur. Apr. 17 NO CLASS Matthews 377-393
Tue. Apr. 22 Protestantism Smith 356-363, 386-429; Matthews 313-321
Calvin & The Doctrine of Election
Thur. Apr. 24 Islam
Smith 221-235, Matthews 335-351
The Five Pillars
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26.
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Tue. Apr. 29 Islam
Smith 235-248, Matthews 352-374
Basic Theological Concepts
Thur. May 1 Islam
Smith 248-268
The Social Teachings & Sufism
Tue. May. 6 Review. Paper #2 due.
Tue May 12 Test #3 [5:00-7:00 p.m.]
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Attendance is not formally required in this class. Yet any class may begin or end with a
quiz on the reading assignments for that day, and there shall be at least a dozen such
during the semester. If any changes are made in the assignments they will be made at the
end of the prior meeting. A quiz not taken is recorded as a zero. A missed quiz can be
made up by writing a 150 word essay on a topic specified by your instructor. The quiz
average for the semester will count for 20% of the final grade for the course. Each of the
three tests will likewise count for 20% of the final grade. Two five-page papers will be
written on an assigned topic, which will be jointly worth 20% of the final grade. The
first paper will be due on March 10; the second on May 6. The three exams are
February 19, April 3, and May 12.
GRADING SCALE
The following is the scale we will be using for all assignments in this course:
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“A” (94-100%) the highest grade, is given for work of exceptional quality.
Each credit earned with a grade of A carries 4.0 grade points.
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“A-” (90-93%) carries 3.7 grade points for each credit earned.
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“B+”(87-89%) carries 3.3 grade points for each credit earned.
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“B” (83-86%) is awarded for better-than-average work. Each credit earned
with a grade of B carries 3.0 grade points.
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“B-” (80-82%) carries 2.7 grade points for each credit earned.
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“C+” (77-79%) carries 2.3 grade points for each credit earned.
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“C” (73-76%) represents average work. Each credit earned with a grade of
C carries 2.0 grade points.
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“C-” (70-72%) carries 1.7 grade points for each credit earned.
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“D+”(67-69%) carries 1.3 grade points for each credit earned.
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“D” (63-66%) carries 1.0 grade point for each credit earned.
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“D-” (60-62%) carries 0.7 grade points for each credit earned. D- is the
lowest passing grade for which undergraduate credit is allowed.
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“F” (0-59%) represents failure.
Note: No credit or grade points are earned with a grade of F. Failed courses count
as credits attempted.
MISCELLANEOUS STATEMENTS
Audio and video recording: Surreptitious or covert video-taping of class or
unauthorized audio recording of class is prohibited by law and by Board of Regents
policy. This class may be videotaped or audio recorded only with the written permission
of the instructor. In order to accommodate students with disabilities, some students may
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have been given permission to record class lectures and discussions. Therefore, students
should understand that their comments during class may be recorded.
Disability Services: "The University of Nevada, Reno supports providing equal access
for students with disabilities. If you have a disability for which you will need to request
accommodation, please contact me and the Disability Resource Center (Thompson
Building 107) as soon as possible to arrange for appropriate accommodations."
Academic Success Services: Your student fees cover usage of the Math Center (7844433 or www.unr.edu/mathcenter/), Tutoring Center (784-6801 or
www.unr.edu/tutoring/), and University Writing Center (784-6030 or
http://www.unr.edu/writing_center/. These centers support your classroom learning; it is
your responsibility to take advantage of their services. Keep in mind that seeking help
outside of class is the sign of a responsible and successful student.
Statement on Academic Dishonesty: "Cheating, plagiarism or otherwise obtaining
grades under false pretenses constitute academic dishonesty according to the code of this
university. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated and penalties can include canceling
a student's enrollment without a grade, giving an F for the course or for the assignment.
For more details, see the University of Nevada, Reno General Catalog.”
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