Instructor: Dr. Daniel W. Skubik, PhD JD MDiv
Office: J266 / 5:00-6:30PM Tuesdays & by app’t
Voice: 951.343.4288 / Fax: 951.343.4520
Web: http://www.calbaptist.edu/dskubik
E-Mail: dskubik@calbaptist.edu
Honors Seminar II
Arete
(Αρετή): Men
at War
Hon 150 (Main Campus)
Tuesdays, 6:30 – 9:30pm
California Baptist University
Spring Semester, 2009
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.
The guiding theme for our cycle, and so for this seminar, is “arete” (or “excellence.”) By the end of the semester, students should grasp the fundamental associations of the term “arete” across the academic disciplines; understand the development and use of categories of thought generated by the theme of reality; and be able to demonstrate how to identify and analyze the presence or absence of reality 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 reality 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 on “men at war,” students will be introduced to and begin investigating foundational dimensions of excellence that link various literatures with key elements of our humanity/being. Particular focus will be given selected terms such as virtue, honor, life/death, and associated martial expressions.
Required Texts
Website pages for online viewing
and hardcopy handouts may be referenced throughout the term, contents of which
all students also will be responsible.
Class Readings & Discussion Schedule
|
Week #1 |
Introduction to course, requirements and
expectations |
|
Week #2 |
Discussion of The Iliad: Books 1-5 (77-194) |
|
Week #3 |
Discussion of The Iliad: Books 8-9 (231-275) & 12-13 (325-368) & 16
(412-441) |
|
Week #4 |
Discussion of The Iliad: Books 19-21 (488-540) & 23-24 (559-614) |
|
Week #5 |
Art
of War: Introduction and chapters I-VI |
|
Week #6 |
Art
of War: chapters VII-XIII |
|
Week #7 |
Bushido:
Historical Overview – Book 11 |
|
Week #8 |
No
class meeting |
|
Week # 9 |
Letters
from |
|
Week #10 |
Spring
Break |
|
Week #11 |
Lest
Innocent Blood Be Shed: Prelude – chapter 5 (1-138) |
|
Week #12 |
Lest Innocent Blood Be Shed:
chapter 6 - Postscript (139-287) |
Week #13 |
Morals
Under the Gun: chapters 1-6 (1-93) |
|
Week #14 |
Morals
Under the Gun: Interlude – Epilogue (94-169) |
|
Week #15 |
Patton
(film & discussion) |
|
Week #16 |
Final
Exam |
Assessment & Grading Scale
|
Final Exam = 45% |
90 - 100 = A range (90-94 = A-) |
|
Individual Presentations = 20% (2 x 10% each) |
80 - 89 = B range (80-83 = B- / 87-89 = B+) |
|
Journal submissions = 20% (10 x 2% each) |
70 - 79 = C range (70-73 = C- / 77-79 = C+) |
|
Discussion/Participation in Class = 15% |
60 - 69 = D range (60-63 = D- / 67-69 = D+) |
|
|
0 - 59 = F |
Individual Presentations
In consultation with the instructor, students are to select a topic or theme related to one of our evening’s readings for development into an individual presentation. The aim is to help the instructor present key concepts from the selected week’s readings to the seminar group, in order to aid group comprehension and discussion. Each student will be responsible to present during two (2) separate seminar sessions.
Final Examination
A final examination will be given on the date
noted in the syllabus. The exam is comprehensive, covering all materials and
discussions assigned during the term.
Specific
guidance as to length and specific requirements will be proffered before the test
date. Format generally will emphasize short answer and essay questions,
requiring application of generalizable concepts and
principles drawn from the key readings and discussions covered in/arising from
class. The exam is open books/open notes.
Journal
Submissions
Students
should begin compiling an electronic journal related to this class. This means
that one should be journaling (that is, preparing substantive written entries
in some digital format that can be transmitted to the instructor via email)
each designated week, irrespective of whether the student actually attended
that week’s session.
A
substantive entry is 250 words (minimum,
lengthier entries are welcome) summarizing and reacting to some key points from
a particular week’s readings and class discussions, perhaps relating to some
real world case or event, some recently read piece of academic literature, or
simply related ideas provoked by life. 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 week-by-week.
To be considered timely, any entry should be
received in the instructor’s email inbox (dskubik@calbaptist.edu) either as
plain text within the body of the email or as a Word attachment) no earlier than Tuesday at 9:30pm (end
of class) and no later than 11:59pm
of the subsequent Sunday of each class session for which credit is sought.
Thus, for example, the first journal entry due during Week 2—when we meet on
Tuesday, January 20th—should be submitted no earlier than the end of
that class period and no later than 11:59pm, Sunday, Jan 25th).
Entries for any week that are received before the class actually ends or after
that Sunday deadline will be accepted for reading as part of the overall
journaling project, but will not be marked and counted towards your final
course grade.
Discussion/Participation
Although speaking in class, publicly putting and defending a position, 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 short, you are encouraged to demonstrate your internalization of our material for application in the real world. 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, 15% of your mark for the course will be comprised of my assessment of your classroom participation
during the semester.
CBU Statement on Academic Dishonesty
Faculty in the College of Arts & Sciences
(CAS) have been asked to
include the following statement in all our syllabi. Do speak with your
instructor if at any time you have questions or concerns about this statement
and its meaning for or application in your classes.
Academic dishonesty (cheating, plagiarism, copying, and other forms)
will be reported to the Dean of Students. Judicial sanctions for offense are
handled on a case-by-case basis depending on the seriousness of the violation,
prior violations and other factors. Judicial sanctions may include, but are not
limited to, loss of a letter grade or failure in the course in which the
offense occurred, suspension, and/or dismissal from the University. A detailed
discussion of academic dishonesty is located in the Student Handbook.
Source: 2008-2009 Undergraduate University Catalog,
at p.51
Caveat
This syllabus is composed in good faith, with a schedule of readings, assignments and discussions which will guide us throughout the term. Still, the instructor reserves the right to make adjustments to this schedule as deemed necessary for the overall enterprise of the seminar. 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.