HUMAN 105H, Spring, 2015
Dr. Harnett
Week 4 (Thursday) Class Notes, page 1
March 12, 2015
Announcements:
 Oral and Outside Reports for Unit 1 are due today. Discuss the
development of an effective report, and share highlights from your report
if you are handing in one today.
 I will have Exam 1.1 graded ASAP. I’m sorry for the delay.
 Exam 1.2 is next time.
 Upcoming Outings:
o Hsi-Lai Temple visit.
o Mt. Wilson hike with Scholars.
1. Oral and Outside Reports, Continued. The construction of a sample report.
Outside Report.
a. Intro and thesis.
b. Summary of the movie (or overview of the temple or site visit, including 5
examples from it).
c. Connections (comparisons and/or contrasts) to current unit readings.
Emphasis of the report’s development.
d. A relevant outside source. Concise but meaningful connection to the
thesis.
e. Conclusion.
Oral Report.
a. Intro and thesis.
b. Information on the topic from the best possible sources. Explain concepts
and examples very clearly.
c. Connections to current unit.
d. Fabulous activity to demonstrate the thesis and/or information on the
topic: Video clip (no more than 2-3 minutes), Quiz (with prizes), Other
game, Activity to enact and in which to participate as a class, other
demonstration of the topic. Note: c and d may be in a different order
and/or combined in a logical way.
e. Conclusion.
2. Confucius (K'ung-fu-tzu), lit. "Master Kung), "Perfect Virtue" from the
Analects (Lun Yu) at http://www.confucius.org/lunyu/lange12.htm Note on
Confucius’ name: Confucius is an English adaptation (corruption) of
Kung-fu tzu. Information about this from Answers.com: In short, 功夫 (gōngfu)
means "achievement through great effort" or simply virtue. It combines 功
(gōng) meaning achievement or merit, and 夫 (fū) which translates into man. In
Mandarin, when two "first tone" words such as gōng and fū are combined, the
second word often takes a neutral tone, in this case forming gōngfu.
Count off from 1-24 until everyone in class has an assigned number, and thus an
assigned verse from Chapter 12 of the Lun Yu. Interpret that verse and be ready to
explain the particular meaning you are deriving from it. What in the verse can you cite as
support for your interpretation? Take notes of your own assigned verse, as well as those
of others that you hear in our discussion.
a. Verse 1
b. Verse 2
c. Verse 3
HUMAN 105H, Spring, 2015
Dr. Harnett
Week 4 (Thursday) Class Notes, page 2
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
l.
m.
n.
o.
p.
q.
r.
s.
t.
u.
v.
w.
x.
y.
Verse 4
Verse 5
Verse 6
Verse 7
Verse 8
Verse 9
Verse 10
Verse 11
Verse 12
Verse 13
Verse 14
Verse 15
Verse 16
Verse 17
Verse 18
Verse 19
Verse 20
Verse 21
Verse 22
Verse 23
Verse 24
Overview: What are some examples of advice to individuals about being
a good person?
z. What is the top priority for being a good person, as far as you can tell?
Explain.
aa. What are some examples of advice about government or organizing and
leading people? Which seems most important? Explain.
Overview of Unit 1.2 Readings: What does each reading say about the
foundation of a country?
Readings
Ideas/Founda
tions of
Government
 Confucius, "Perfect Virtue" (Chapter 12) from the
 Morality,
Analects at
Patience
http://www.confucius.org/lunyu/lange12.htm
 Truth vs. Lying
 Immanuel Kant, “On a Supposed Right to Lie on
Altruistic Motives”
http://www.unc.edu/courses/2009spring/plcy/2
40/001/Kant.pdf [note: This reading is available
on the website in COURSE MATERIALS.]
 St. Augustine, “On Lying”
http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/1312.htm
 Lao-tzu, the Tao-te Ching: Chapters 3, 17, 19, 26,
 Moderation,
29-31, 37-38, 46, 53, 57-61, 65-67, 75, 80 at
Wisdom
http://classics.mit.edu/Lao/taote.html
 Equality
 Locke, Chapter 2 from Of Civil Government at
 Freedom
HUMAN 105H, Spring, 2015
Dr. Harnett


Week 4 (Thursday) Class Notes, page 3
http://www.constitution.org/jl/2ndtr02.htm
Rousseau, The Social Contract, Book I at
http://www.constitution.org/jjr/socon_01.htm
Frost, "Mending Wall” at
http://www.writing.upenn.edu/~afilreis/88/fros
t-mending.html


Justice
Cooperation vs.
Independence
Possible Foundations for a Society:
Justice
Freedom
Force
Equality
Of opportunity
Of outcome
Matriarchy
Meritocracy
Castes (ranks of class)
Capitalism (profit)
Religion
Morality
Education
Stoicism
Altruism
Austerity/Simplicity
Required Readings for the Exam (at least 4):
 Locke
 At least 3 others from Society segment of Unit 1
Note that this exam essay will involve your argumentative thesis as you propose
and explain an efficient way of organizing and leading society, using the readings
as your basis. Details of governmental operation are not as important for the
purposes of this essay as are the principle of government that you advocate. Your
careful, efficient development and explanation of insights, examples, and
explanations will provide for a highly successful essay.
Fun Facts: We are considering ideal governments and ideal countries, which is
the imagining of utopia. The origin of the word utopia is a combination of Greek
words translating to “not a place” or “nowhere.” If we use the homophone
eutopia, that translates to “good place.” Samuel Butler wrote a satire of Victorian
society in his book Erewhon (almost exactly the word nowhere backwards) in
1872.
Exam 1.2 is next time. Open readings, open notes, as long as you prepared
them.