Instructor: Dr. Daniel Skubik, PhD JD MDiv
Voice: 951.343.4288 / Fax: 951.343.4520
Web: http://www.calbaptist.edu/dskubik
E-Mail: dskubik@calbaptist.edu

 

Honors Seminar II

Hon 150 (Main Campus)
Tuesdays/Thursdays, 8:00 – 9:20am, J367

California Baptist University
Spring Semester, 2005

This seminar is the second in a series of eight CBU Honors Program seminars that will investigate ideas systematically, progressively and in interdisciplinary fashion.  All eight seminars of any single cycle will be thematically linked, so that students will have the opportunity for intensive, focused study from historical, philosophical, religious, sociological, political, literary, economic and scientific/technological perspectives. This seminar and all seminars in the Honors Program cycle are open only to students accepted into the Honors Program.

The guiding theme for our initial cycle, and so for this second seminar, is “liberty.” By the end of the semester, students should grasp the fundamental associations of the term “liberty” across the academic disciplines; understand the development and use of categories of thought generated by the theme of liberty; and be able to demonstrate how to identify and analyze the presence or absence of liberty discourse in primary and secondary academic materials and literary works.

As developing scholars in the CBU Honors Program, students will

·       learn how academic disciplines organize around key generative ideas;

·       begin and develop personal academic journaling;

·       appreciate the broad impact of liberty across the disciplines;

·       learn what academic research and research writing requires; and

·       become sensitive to diverse disciplinary perspectives.

 

More specifically with regard to this seminar, students will be introduced to and begin investigating foundational philosophical, political, theological and economic dimensions of liberty. Particular focus will be given key terms such as autonomy, self-determination, freedom of choice, libertarianism, and hard and soft determinism.

 

 

Required Texts

 

There are no texts that must be purchased. All required readings will be made available to students, either as handouts or as reserve items at the Library. Web pages likewise will be referenced, where appropriate.
Class Readings & Discussion Schedule

 

  Week #1
  (Jan 11/13)

  Introduction to Honors Program: scope, methods, procedures, expectations
  Introduction to this seminar: scope, methods, procedures, expectations
  Introduction to terminological & bibliographic research

  Week #2
  (Jan 18/20)

  Library visit on 18th
  Discussion of possible research topics (related to first essays) on 20th

  First Essay due on 20th

  Week #3
  (Jan 25/27)

  Whose freedom? Which liberty?

  Dostoevsky, “The Grand Inquisitor,” excerpt from The Brothers Karamazov,
  Book V, chapter 5 (pp.127-137 in the Great Books edition, vol. 52) Also
  online (same translation) at http://www.tameri.com/csw/exist/dostgi.html

  Week #4
  (Feb 1/3)

  Whose freedom? Which liberty? (con’t)
  Viktor Frankl, excerpts from Man’s Search for Meaning, pp.1-28, 35-40, 72-93 in
  1962 edition (on reserve in Library)

  Week #5
  (Feb 8/10)

  Autonomy as liberty in ethics and law
  Kant, excerpts from Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Morals
  (pp.256-282 in the Great Books edition, vol. 42: viz. 256-261; 262-263A; 269;
  274A, 277A-279; 279-282) Also available online (same translation) at
  http://www.swan.ac.uk/poli/texts/kant/kanta.htm

  Week #6
  (Feb 15)

  Self-determination as liberty in ethics and politics
  More, excerpts from Utopia (Book I; Book II: [Geography]; Of Their
  Slaves and of Their Marriages; and Of the Religions of the Utopians)
  Any edition will suffice, but suggest using the very readable online version at
  http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/phl302/texts/more/utopia-contents.html

  Week #7
  (Feb 22)

  Self-determination as liberty in ethics and politics (con’t)
  Damasio, excerpt from Descartes’ Error (pp.3-53)
  Second Essay due on 22nd

  Week #8
  (Mar 1/3)

  Freedom of choice / Libertarianism vs Determinism in philosophy and
  theology – Augustine, excerpt from The City of God, Book V, chapters 8-10
  (pp.212-216 in the Great Books edition, vol. 18)
  Any edition will suffice, including a very readable online version at
  http://ccel.org/fathers/NPNF1-02/Augustine/cog/t27.htm#t27.htm.3

  Week #9
  (Mar 8/10)

  Freedom of choice / Libertarianism vs Determinism in philosophy and
  theology (con’t) – Velasquez, excerpt from Philosophy, “Is Freedom Real”
  (pp231-240); and Morris, excerpt from Philosophy for Dummies, “Are We
  Ever Really Free?” (Part IV, chapters 10-12, pp.125-148)

  Week #10
  (Mar 15/17)

  Freedom of choice / Libertarianism vs Determinism in politics and
  economics – Declaration of Independence; Preamble of the U.S. Constitution;
  Federalist Papers #10 and #31 (pp.1-3, 11, 49-52 and 103-105 in the Great
  Books edition, vol. 43) Any editions will suffice, including online links at

  http://www.constitution.org/cs_found.htm

  Week #11
  (Mar 29/31)

  Freedom of choice / Libertarianism vs Determinism  in politics and
  economics (con’t) – Hayek, excerpt from Road to Serfdom (pp. 63-147);
  Hospers, “What Libertarianism Is” excerpt in Velasquez, at 676-678; and
  Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (online) entry for libertarianism at
  http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/libertarianism/
  Third Essay due on 29th

  Week # 12
  (Apr 5/7)

  Catch-up days / Open discussion
  Outline of research paper due on 5th

  Week #13
  (Apr 12/14)

  Catch-up day / Open discussion
  Discussion of research papers begins on 14th

  Week #14
  (Apr 19/21)

  Discussion of research papers
  Research paper due to Turnitin no later than midnight, Friday, 22nd

  Week #15
  (Apr 26/28)

  Review of key concepts for oral final exam

  Week #16
  (Apr 29)

  Final Exam period: scheduled per University catalog, 8:00 – 10:00AM
  Oral Exam

 


Caveat

This syllabus is composed in good faith, with a schedule of readings, assignments and discussions that will guide us throughout the term. Still, the instructor reserves the right to make adjustments to this schedule as necessary for the overall enterprise of the course. Any changes will be communicated as far in advance as feasible, and you are responsible for knowing if and when any changes have been made.

 

 

Assessment & Grading Scale

 

Journal Entries = 20%

90 - 100 = A range (90-94 = A-)

Short Essays = 30% (3 @ 10% each)

80 - 89 = B range (80-83 = B- / 87-89 = B+)

Participation = 10%

70 - 79 = C range (70-73 = C- / 77-79 = C+)

Research Paper = 30%

60 - 69 = D range (60-63 = D- / 67-69 = D+)

Oral Final Exam = 10%

0 - 59 = F

 

 

Journaling Project

Students should begin compiling an electronic journal related to this class. This means that one should be journaling (that is, preparing written entries in some digital format that can be transmitted to the instructor via email) for each week—beginning with Week 3 and concluding Week 13, inclusive—irrespective of whether the student actually attended that week’s sessions. A minimum of eight (8) substantive entries timely-submitted are required for a student to be eligible for a passing mark on this assessment item.

 

A substantive entry is ~150-200 words (minimum, lengthier entries are welcome) summarizing some key points from a particular week’s readings and class discussions, perhaps relating to some real world circumstance or event, some recently read piece of literature in another class, or simply ideas provoked. These entries can form a series of reflections, so linking entries along the way one to another like an intellectual diary, or can be independent musings.

 

To be considered timely, any entry should be sent to the instructor’s email account (dskubik@calbaptist.edu either as plain text within the body of the email or as a Word attachment) no later than midnight on the Saturday after each week’s seminar sessions for which credit is sought. Thus, for example, a journal entry for Week 3 — when we meet on January 25th and 27th — is due no earlier than the first class meeting itself and no later than midnight (local time) on Saturday, January 29th. Entries for Week 3 that are received before the first class actually convenes or after that Saturday will be accepted as part of the overall journaling project, but that entry will not be counted towards the minimum number of entries noted above.

 

 

Short Essays

There will be three (3) short essays due per the syllabus schedule during the semester. Each essay is worth 10%, for a total of 30% towards your final grade. The first essay is a brief (1-2 page) terminological and bibliographical investigation of one of the terms associated with “liberty” and is due at the beginning of class on the 20th. The second essay is a somewhat longer (3-4 page) terminological and bibliographical analysis of selected key concepts. This essay is due at the beginning of class on Feb 22nd, Week 7. The third essay is a comparable (3-4 page) terminological and bibliographical analysis of additional selected key concepts. This essay is due at the beginning of class on Mar 29th, Week 11. Details required to complete these writing assignments will be provided at least one week prior to due dates.

 

 

Research Paper

Each student will prepare a research paper, running ~3500 words (~10 pages) in length, following MLA format guidelines. This paper is worth 30% of the final course grade, and is due as an electronic submission no later than midnight, Friday, April 22nd. The specific topic for the paper should be chosen in consultation with the instructor. An outline of your research paper is due to me via hard copy or email no later than beginning of class, Apr 5th, Week 12. We will also take time to discuss each of your papers as they are being drafted/finalized during Apr 14th-21st, Weeks 13-14. Papers must then be submitted through Turnitin.com for my review and marking. [The Turnitin Account ID for this course is 1233084 and the join password is *****. Students are strongly encouraged to take the Turnitin tutorial before creating an account and submitting a paper for this class. Go to http://www.turnitin.com for details.]

 

 

Final Exam

 

The comprehensive final exam will be conducted per the University schedule on Friday, Apr 29th, from 8:00-10:00AM. It will be an oral exam, in nature, worth 10% of the final course grade. Details about format will be provided closer to the date.

 

 

Participation

 

Although speaking in class, publicly putting and defending a position or interpretation, can be daunting, you are strongly encouraged to learn to think through your own and others’ experiences and insights within the context of our discussions. In this context, you are not being evaluated for reaching “right” conclusions, but for demonstrating your facility in forming arguments for any conclusions put, given the material we will cover in class.

 

To give direct incentive to so engage, 10% of your mark for the course will be comprised of my assessment of your classroom participation during the semester. Participation is to include in-class discussions during the semester, and does not include attendance.

Because of the nature of the course and its content, attendance is expected, with a simple threshold requirement: we have 29 scheduled class sessions, and you are required to attend at least 22 class sessions (~75%). Should you miss more than 7 class sessions, you must speak with me before you will be permitted to complete the course.

 

Make-Ups

Short Essays – essays can be submitted up to one week late, but they can earn no more than half-credit maximum (or 5% towards the final grade).

Research Paper – papers will be accepted through the Turnitin service only until midnight, Friday, Apr 22nd. Late papers cannot be submitted for credit.