Death & Dying (3 s.h.) Writing-Intensive
Religion 2096 Section 011, CRN 272
Location: Tuttleman Learning Center 209
Time: M, T, W, Th 12:55 - 2:25 PM
Instructor: Ermine L. Algaier IV
Main Campus Office: 646 Anderson Hall
Office Hours: Tuesday 2:45- 4:00, or by appointment
Cellular: (330)559-5579
Email: ermine.algaier@temple.edu
Email is the best means of communication. Please email your questions, concerns, problems, etc. as soon as they
surface. Typically, I will respond to your email within twenty-four hours; however, with more difficult situations, it
may take longer to get a response.
Communication of special circumstances: Unfortunately, students encounter a variety of problems while in
school. If an emergency surfaces that prevents you from attending class or submitting an assignment, please inform
me of your situation as soon as possible. If you inform me in advance or at the time of the emergency, I can work
with you to accommodate you and your needs.
Course Description: The purpose of this course is to explore a wide array of concepts and attitudes associated with
death, dying, and the meaning of life. Throughout the course of the semester we will investigate a diverse range of
worldviews as inspired by philosophy, psychology, science, and religion. Within each perspective, we will direct
our attention to the arguments, definitions, and concepts which embody that standpoint with the intention of
deepening our understanding and appreciation of the meaning of death, dying, and life.
Course Summary: In this course we will be exploring several major fields of study: journalism, psychology,
philosophy, and religion. While approaching these various diverse fields, our primary focus will revolve around an
investigation of death, dying, and the meaning of life as it pertains to a wide selection of religious worldviews.
Through the journalism readings we will explore themes which focus on death, dying, and what is done to/with
human cadavers. From the psychological standpoint, we will address Dr. Elizabeth Kübler-Ross’s Stage Theory as
well as more recent scholarship which seeks to further contextualize the particularities of the Stage Theory. Then we
will read and contrast the opinions of William James and Sigmund Freud on the topics of psychology of religious
belief and immortality. Next, we will philosophically investigate a number of different themes, ideas, and
implications with respect to the meaning of death (and life) as depicted by famous death scenes extracted from the
works of Plato and Jean Paul Sartre. Embarking in a different direction, we will look into the work of Albert
Camus as a means of philosophically addressing the question of suicide and how it relates to death and the meaning
of life. In the last section of this course we will explore a diverse range of religious standpoints (e.g. Buddhist,
Christian, Confucian, Judaic, etc.) for the purpose of surveying particular aspects of each system and its relevance
to our own contemporary understanding of death, dying, and the meaning of life.
Blackboard (BB): This course relies on students accessing blackboard. All official documents (syllabus, forms,
and guidelines) and some required readings are accessible only through your blackboard account. All class
announcements and communications will be posted on Blackboard. Therefore it is imperative that a student visit
Blackboard on a regular basis. Finally, in accordance with the Submission Policy (see below), all assignments must
be submitted through blackboard in addition to submitting a hard-copy in-class on the assigned due date.
A Cautionary Note: A course such as this may touch upon sensitive, personal issues. If problems arise, I suggest
that you seek assistance at the University’s Tuttleman Counseling Center
http://www.temple.edu/studenptaffairs/counseling/ . If you feel that you are not capable of handling this type of
material on an academic level, I recommend that you do not take this course.
Required and Recommended Texts: The Temple University Bookstore has copies available, but you might
consider ordering books from used on-line book dealers.
(REQUIRED)
Camus, Albert. The Myth of Sisyphus & Other Essays. (New York: Vintage International Books, 1991)**
Freud, Sigmund. The Future of an Illusion. Trans and Ed. by James Strachey (New York: W.W. Norton &
Co.,1961)**
Mitchell, Stephen. The Book of Job (New York: Harper Perennial, 1992)**
Roach, Mary. Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers (New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 2003)**
(RECOMMENDED)
Bregman, Lucy, ed. Death and Dying in the World Religions (either edition)
Camus, Albert. The Stranger. Translated by M. Ward (New York: Vintage, 1989).**
Fingarette, Herbert. Death: Philosophical Soundings. (Chicago: Open Court, 1996)**
Hanh, Thich Nhat. No Death, No Fear: Comforting Wisdom for Life. (New York: Riverhead Books, 2002)
James, William. The Will to Believe and other essays in popular philosophy/Human Immortality (New York: Dover
Publications, Inc., 1956)**
Kramer, Kenneth Paul. The Sacred Art of Dying: How World Religions Understand Death. (New York: Paulist
Press, 1988)**
Kübler-Ross, Elisabeth. On Death and Dying. (New York: MacMillan Publishing Co., 1969)**
** These books have changed very little with each printing; therefore it is more than acceptable to acquire any
edition of this title. In order to save money, you might want to consider ordering an older edition from a used book
dealer on-line.
Course Format: The format of the course is a combination of lecture and discussion. In general, our approach will
be philosophically, or conceptually, oriented. The primary purpose of lecture is to help familiarize students with the
“concepts, attitudes, and practices associated with death and dying in the major religious traditions and in literature,
philosophy, and psychology” (Temple Undergraduate Bulletin). The goal of discussion is to allow students room to
collectively engage in the critical thinking process and explore the topics of the course. This presupposes that each
student will actively prepare for class (i.e. reading, taking notes, thinking about the material, and bringing questions
to class). In addition, occasionally students will have the opportunity to further express their opinion through inclass writing assignments. The in-class writing assignments function as a means of assessing students’
understanding of the material discussed in that particular session.
Course Assignments:
**********For all assignments see BB for instructions/guidelines and sample papers*****************
Presentation (of assigned reading): Each student will select one reading from the course reading list. Each student is
required to give a five to ten minute presentation on the reading, on the day of the assigned reading. Additionally,
the student is responsible for bringing in a one page summary of the selected reading. This paper will be disturbed
amongst all students, so please make sure that you bring enough copies for everyone. The purpose of the
presentation and one page summary is to highlight the essential parts of the text, address important terminology, and
to articulate the central purpose of the article. For more information, see BB guide to the assignment.
Death Intellectually Considered: In one way or another, all of us have been touched by death. The purpose of this
assignment is to reflect upon our own experiences with death. What does death mean to you? How has it shaped
and affected your life? What is the relationship between death and the meaning of life? Can we ever conquer
death? Each student will be asked to compose a 300-400 word essay which intellectually addresses the concept of
death. While this paper is intended to be a personal reflection, please note that you are not being asked to describe
or talk about your direct experience of death, i.e. please do not write about your experience of a particular person
dying. Instead, the purpose of this assignment is to conceptually analysis the meaning of death as you understand
it. For more information, see BB guide to the assignment.
Movie Character Analysis: This assignment requires each student to analyze how/why a character from the movie
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close deals with death. Each paper will be 700-900 words, and should consist of 1) a
summary of the character within the context of the film and 2) and analysis of the themes discussed by Kübler-Ross
and Hayslip et al.
Critical Response Papers: These assignments, each being a 700-900 word critical essay, is geared toward deepening
your understanding and appreciation of various religious, philosophical and psychological perspectives. The
purpose of the response paper is to express your understanding of the material, while also exploring your own ideas
as to the meaning of death/dying/living within a given worldview. Students are open to explore any
idea/theme/problem/etc. as it pertains to the assigned readings. This entails that each student analyze and
summarize the ideas and arguments prior to evaluating the position discussed, i.e. make sure you fully grasp the idea
before you begin writing about it. Please note that this is a critical response paper, not a personal response paper:
this distinction will be thoroughly discussed in class, prior to the assignment. For further instructions please read the
guidelines posted on BB.
Death Reconsidered: As your last assignment, you are asked to go back and reread your Death Intellectually
Considered paper and to rewrite it from the beginning. In other words, you are not merely editing and rewriting the
original paper, but instead are composing an entirely new essay, between 700-900 words, which reflects your current
understanding. The purpose of the assignment is to take note of the difference between your intellectual
understanding of death upon first entering this class and what you know understand of death, dying, and the
meaning of life having completed this course. For more information, see BB guide to the assignment.
Assignment
Due Date
1. Attendance (and Participation)
2. Presentation and summary of Assigned Reading
Varies
3. Death Intellectually Considered
May 24th
4. Movie Analysis*
June 4th
5. Critical Response: Psychology or Philosophy*
June 18th
6. Critical Response: Religion
June 28th
7. Death Reconsidered
July 2nd
*These assignments are re-writeable. Please follow the rewrite policy described below
Point Value
10%
10%
10%
15%
20%
20%
15%
Grading Policies: Your final grade will be out of 100 points. It is important to understand that completing all
assignments on time does not result in an A for this course. Please observe the following grade breakdown:
A: 95-100 Exceptional, Near perfect—this grade is rare and awarded as a result of the original and creative
work, beyond mastery of the material.
A-: 90-94 Excellent work—Work of this caliber displays the student’s ability to provide insightful, thoughtful,
and clear reflections of the material. “A” work signifies mastery of the material, yet it neglects originality and/or
creativity.
B+: 87-89 Very good, near excellent work
B: 83-86 Good, above standard work
B-: 80-82 Above satisfactory work
Work of “B” caliber displays a solid understanding of the material, yet lacks mastery, originality and/or
creativity. The writing and arguments are acceptable, but require improvement with respect to clarity,
detail, and/or persuasion.
C+: 77-79 Satisfactory, near good work
C: 73-76 Satisfactory, standard work
C-: 70-72 Below satisfactory work
Work of “C” caliber represent adequate understanding of the material; work of this type typically expresses
the most basic understanding, yet neglects attention to detail. The writing and arguments lack organization
and clarity; “C” work requires significant improvement with respect to clarity, detail, and presentation.
D+: 67-69 Poorly executed, near satisfactory
D: 63-66 Very Unsatisfactory, needs significant improvement
D-: 60-62 Barely passing
Work of “D” caliber proves insufficient understanding of the material, inability to address the topic and/or
express ideas. Any essay that receives a grade of D- to D+ is required to get assistance from the writing
center (see Writing Center Assistance Form).
F: 0-59
Failure
Course Policies
1.
Writing Assistance: I reserve the right to require that a student make an appointment with a member
of the writing center. In particular, any student receiving a D+ or below on a writing assignment must
go to the writing center. In this situation, the student must formally request that the writing tutor email
the professor confirmation that the student is actively attending a writing session: without the required
documentation, I will not accept an essay. To make an appointment with the writing center, please
inquire into the following website: http://www.temple.edu/writingctr/
2.
Submission Policy: In addition to submitting a hard-copy at the beginning of the assigned due date,
students must submit all formal assignments to blackboard via the appropriate assignment folder.
3.
Late papers: Unless accompanied by a doctor’s excuse, late papers will not be accepted.
4.
Re-write Policy: Any student that receives a D+ or below on a writing assignment must go to the
writing center for assistance on all future assignments (until his/her grade rises above a D+). In
addition, all students that have submitted a paper on time have the opportunity to re-write his/her
assignments with the intention of submitting a better paper and therefore achieving a higher mark. In
order for a re-write to be accepted, you must substantially change your paper—at least 50% of
the content must be changed. Only modifying the grammar does not constitute a re-write and thus
will not be accepted. All re-writes will be due one week after I return the graded assignment. If you
do a re-write, you must submit the previous version (with my comments) stapled to the re-write.
5.
Plagiarism: Any student caught plagiarizing will automatically fail this course.
Disability Policy: This course is open to all students who meet the academic requirements for participation. Any
student who has a need for accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the instructor privately
to discuss the specific situation within the first two weeks of class. Contact Disability Resources and Services at
215-204-1280 in 100 Ritter Annex to coordinate reasonable accommodations for students with documented
disabilities.
Academic Freedom Policy: Freedom to teach and freedom to learn are inseparable facets of academic freedom.
The University has adopted a policy on Student and Faculty Academic Rights and Responsibilities (Policy #
03.70.02) which can be accessed through the following link:
http://policies.temple.edu/getdoc.asp?policy_no=03.70.02 .
Writing Center (WC): If you have questions or concerns with regard to your writing, please make an appointment
with a member of the Writing Center: http://www.temple.edu/writingctr/. If you have questions regarding
plagiarism, please visit the above website and/or make an appointment with a WC member. REMEMBER: IT IS
YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AS A STUDENT TO KNOW WHAT PLAGIARISM IS—IGNORANCE IS NOT AN
EXCUSE.
Policy on Academic Dishonesty:
********************Due to the writing intensive nature of this course*******************************
************any student caught plagiarizing will automatically fail this course.**************************
“Temple University believes strongly in academic honesty and integrity. Plagiarism and academic cheating are,
therefore, prohibited. Essential to intellectual growth is the development of independent thought and a respect for
the thoughts of others. The prohibition against plagiarism and cheating is intended to foster this independence and
respect.
Plagiarism is the unacknowledged use of another person's labor, another person's ideas, another person's words,
another person's assistance. Normally, all work done for courses -- papers, examinations, homework exercises,
laboratory reports, oral presentations -- is expected to be the individual effort of the student presenting the work.
Any assistance must be reported to the instructor. If the work has entailed consulting other resources -- journals,
books, or other media -- these resources must be cited in a manner appropriate to the course. It is the instructor's
responsibility to indicate the appropriate manner of citation. Everything used from other sources -- suggestions for
organization of ideas, ideas themselves, or actual language -- must be cited. Failure to cite borrowed material
constitutes plagiarism. Undocumented use of materials from the World Wide Web is plagiarism.
Academic cheating is, generally, the thwarting or breaking of the general rules of academic work or the specific
rules of the individual courses. It includes falsifying data; submitting, without the instructor's approval, work in one
course which was done for another; helping others to plagiarize or cheat from one's own or another's work; or
actually doing the work of another person.
Students must assume that all graded assignments, quizzes, and tests are to be completed individually unless
otherwise noted in writing in this syllabus. I reserve the right to refer any cases of suspected plagiarism or cheating
to the University Disciplinary Committee.”
[Temple University Bulletin]
Reading Schedule
May
Journalism
21st: Introduction, syllabus, Death/Life Mental Mapping Exercise
22nd: Stiff : “A Head is a Terrible Thing to Waste” & “Dead Man Driving”
23rd: Stiff: “Out of the Fire and into the Compost Bin” & “Life After Death”
24th: Movie: A Certain Kind of Death [69 minutes]
28th: Memorial Day [no class]
29th: Kübler-Ross and the Stages of Grief BB
[Guest Lecturers: Jessica and Elizabeth]
30th: Movie: Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close [129 minutes]
Death, Psychological Perspectives BB
31st: Movie continued
June
Psychology
4th: Sigmund Freud The Future of an Illusion
5th: The Future of an Illusion continued
6th: William James “The Will to Believe” BB
7th: William James “Human Immortality” BB
[last day to drop]
Philosophy
11th: selections from Plato’s Phaedo BB
12th: Jean-Paul Sartre’s “The Wall”
13th: Albert Camus’ The Myth of Sisyphus
14th: The Myth of Sisyphus continued.
Religion
18th: Movie: Flight From Death [85 minutes]
[last day to withdraw]
19th: Buddhism: selections from Thich Nhat Hanh’s No Death, No Fear
20th: Taoism: selections from Chuang Tzu BB
21st: Confucianism: “The Ceremony of Life” & TBA BB
25th: Christianity: Meister Eckhart “52nd Sermon” BB
26th: Judaism: Stephen Mitchell (trans.) The Book of Job
27th: The Book of Job & Movie: A Serious Man [106 minutes]
28th: Movie continued: A Serious Man
July
2nd: Evaluations, Wrap Up, Closing Remarks
[last day of classes]