Augustine and Culture Villanova Seminar
(ACS 1001-37069 [022] and 37072 [25])
Modernity and Its Discontents: The Idea of Work
SEMINAR INSTRUCTOR: Richard M. Jacobs, O.S.A., Ph.D., Professor
Office: St. Augustine Liberal Arts Center #365
(610) 519-4641 —or— richard.jacobs@villanova.edu
homepage: www.homepage.villanova.edu/richard.jacobs
SEMINAR DESCRIPTION:
Characterized by the passionate pursuit of wisdom understood through the metaphor of
“one heart and one mind,” the Augustine and Culture Villanova Seminar strives to inspire
a student’s quest for knowledge and understanding in open, intelligent, responsible, and
mutually respectful interaction among varying points of view. Modernity and Its
Discontents focuses upon contested themes discussed in texts and readings drawn from
primary sources 1650 to the present which represent five historical eras—Early Modern,
Enlightenment, Romantic, Modernist, and Contemporary. Different genres and
disciplines are included. Extensive written work, seminar discussions, and an
Augustinian critique of Modernity characterize this seminar.
SEMINAR RATIONALE:
The topic of this seminar, The Idea of Work, introduces students to one aspect of human
existence that, following graduation from Villanova University, will consume more than
one third of their adult lives. The very idea of work—what work is, what constitutes
work, and why must people work—has provoked much discontent over the centuries,
especially with the rise of the Industrial era and now into the post-Industrial era called the
“Information Age.” Human beings oftentimes take the idea of work for granted—after
all, who doesn’t have to work except perhaps for the rich, those who have inherited
wealth, or the slovenly? Yet, there is much about the idea of work that human beings
ought to consider carefully and critically, that is, if their lifetime of work is to become
something greater and more meaningful than the wages of sin, boring drudgery, a means
to an end, or even “droning on” as one awaits retirement, and preferably, sooner rather
than later.
SEMINAR OBJECTIVES:
1. To identify the idea of work from a variety of disciplines and genres.
2. To clarify why and how it has been and continues to be argued that human beings
ought to and must work.
3. To investigate and assess critically various ideas about work.
4. To state with precision, clarity, and conviction a holistic vision describing one’s
life’s work.
ACS 1001 Modernity and Its Discontents
(Jacobs, Spring 2011)
P age |2
REQUIRED SEMINAR TEXTS:
Arendt, H. (1998). The human condition. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago
Press. (ISBN: 0226025985)
Camus, A. The myth of Sisyphus and other essays (J. O’Brien, Trans.)
New York: Random House. (ISBN: 9780679733737)
Herzberg, F., Mausner, B., & Snyderman, B. (1993). The motivation to work.
New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers. (ISBN: 15600634X)
John Paul II. (1981). On human labor (Laborem exercens). Available online:
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/encyclicals/documents/hf_jpii_enc_14091981_laborem-exercens_en.html
Tönnies, F. (2004). Community and society (Gemeinschaft und Gesellschaft).
New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publications. (ISBN: 0887387500)
Weber, M. (2001). The Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism (T. Parsons,
Trans.) New York, NY: Routledge. (ISBN: 041525406X)
CONCEPTUAL OUTLINE:
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
Work as the “Implementing God’s Image and Likeness” or the “Wages of Sin”?
The Book of Genesis and Augustine’s Commentary (Genesi ad litteram)
(written 410-415)
Work as “Making a Meaningful Contribution”
Frederich Tönnies: Community and Society (originally published in 1887)
Work as “Salvific Love of God”
Max Weber: The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
(originally published in 1904)
Work as “Consciousness of the Absurd”
Albert Camus: The Myth of Sisyphus (originally published in 1942)
Work as the“Action of Self-Expression”
Hanna Arendt: The Human Condition (originally published in 1958)
Work as “Meaningful”
Frederick Herzberg: The Motivation to Work (originally published in 1959)
Work as a “Personal Vocation”
Pope John Paul II: On Human Labor (Laborem exercens) (promulgated in
1981)
ACS 1001 Modernity and Its Discontents
(Jacobs, Spring 2011)
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CLASS MEETINGS (dates/topics are tentative):
Class:
Day:
Date:
Tentative Readings/Class Topics:
1
2
3
Mon.
Wed.
Mon.
Wed.
01/10
01/12
01/17
01/19
4
5
6
Mon.
Wed.
Mon.
01/24
01/26
01/31
Introduction and Overview
Augustine on Genesis #1
ML KING, JR. DAY: No Class
Augustine on Genesis #2
Due: Reflective Analysis #1 (3 pages)
Tönnies #1—Part 1
Tönnies #2—Part 2
Tönnies #3—Part 3-4
Due: Revision—Reflective Analysis #1
7
Wed.
02/02
8
9
Mon.
Wed.
02/07
02/09
10
11
12
13
Mon.
Wed.
Mon.
Wed.
02/14
02/16
02/21
02/23
14
15
16
Mon.
Wed.
Mon.
Wed.
Mon.
03/01
03/03
03/07
03/09
03/14
17
18
Wed.
Mon.
03/16
03/21
19
20
21
Wed.
Mon.
Wed.
03/23
03/28
03/30
22
Mon.
04/04
23
Wed.
04/06
24
Mon.
04/11
25
26
Wed.
Mon.
04/13
04/18
Tönnies #4—Part 5
Due: Cultural Event #1
Weber #1—Part 1
Weber #2—Part 2
Due: Reflective Analysis #2 (3 pages)
Weber #3
Summary/Synthesis
Camus #1—The Myth; Absurd Man
Camus #2—Absurd Reasoning; Absurd Creation
Due: Revision—Reflective Analysis #2
SPRING BREAK: No Class
SPRING BREAK: No Class
Arendt #1—Parts 1-2
Arendt #2—Parts 3-4
Arendt #3—Parts 5-6
Due: Reflective Analysis #3 (3 pages)
Summary/Synthesis
Herzberg #1—Part 1
Due: Cultural Event #2
Herzberg #2—Part 2
Herzberg #3—Part 3
Summary/Synthesis
Due: Reflective Analysis #4 (3 pages)
“Wurst Case Scenario”—Summary/Synthesis of the
Idea of Work; Preparing for the Final Essay
John Paul II #1—Introduction; Work and Man
Due: Cultural Event #3
John Paul II #2—The Conflict between Labor and Capital I
Due: Reflective Analysis #5 (3 pages)
John Paul II #3—The Conflict between Labor and Capital II
John Paul II #4—Elements for a Spirituality of Work
ACS 1001 Modernity and Its Discontents
(Jacobs, Spring 2011)
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27
Wed.
04/20
Summary/Synthesis: Producing the Final Essay
Due: All Additional Cultural Events due
27
Mon.
Wed.
04/25
04/27
EASTER BREAK: No Class
Due: Final Essay (8 pages)
SEMINAR REPORTER:
Students will be assigned to report on individual sections of each text. The responsibility
of each seminar reporter will be to discuss the section(s) assigned, not in intricate detail
but what the section contributes to discourse about the idea of work. Generally speaking,
the reporter will identify a key idea from each section and discuss how it relates to the
author’s overall argument.
STUDENT REQUIREMENTS:
In order to complete this Augustine and Culture Villanova Seminar successfully, each
student is required to fulfill the following requirements:
a. to meet the University’s attendance policy;
b. to fulfill one’s responsibilities as a member of a Socratic seminar (reading,
analysis, questioning, active participation; seminar scribe);
c. to attend and report on three cultural events;
d. to write five reflective essays; and,
e. to complete and submit the final essay.
Students are not permitted to use cell phones during the seminar sessions. Please turn off
all cell phones upon entering the seminar room. In addition, students are not permitted to
use laptop computers for this seminar. The purpose for this prohibition is two-fold: 1) for
students to avoid the temptation to use their laptops for activities unrelated to the seminar
(the negative purpose); 2) for students to focus their attention upon the texts and seminar
discourse (the positive purpose).
It is the policy of Villanova University to make reasonable academic accommodations
for qualified individuals with disabilities. If any student has a disability and wishes to
request accommodations to complete the course requirements, please make an
appointment with Fr. Jacobs as soon as possible to discuss the request. Since there
are documentation requirements, students with disabilities should contact the Office of
Learning Support Services (610-519-5636) or visit the Office in Geraghty Hall
prior to scheduling a meeting with Fr. Jacobs.
REFLECTIVE ANALYSES:
The five, three-page reflective analyses and final essay to be completed for this Augustine
and Culture Villanova Seminar, The Idea of Work, are detailed on the seminar webpage.
Details concerning the reflective essays can be found at:
http://www83.homepage.villanova.edu/richard.jacobs/ACS%201001/analyses.html
ACS 1001 Modernity and Its Discontents
(Jacobs, Spring 2011)
P age |5
CULTURAL EVENTS:
All ACS students are required to attend three cultural events during the course of the
semester. This requirement is intended to benefit students by exposing them to the
purpose of the University as an intellectual community whose members are united in its
values of truth, unity, and charity. The term “cultural” is used in the widest sense,
meaning events that serve to broaden, expand, and challenge students to think about a
variety of matters from diverse perspectives.
At a minimum, during the course of the semester and before the final date specified on
the syllabus, students will submit three (3) cultural event reports. Each report will be
evaluated in terms of its content as well as how the content is related to the course.
Reports exceeding the minimum requirements (e.g., relating the event not only to seminar
topics but to the texts used in the seminar itself with illustrative quotes, etc.) will be
assigned extra credit points which, in turn, will be added to the student’s class
participation grade at the end of the semester.
Further details concerning the required cultural events, go to:
http://www83.homepage.villanova.edu/richard.jacobs/ACS%201001/cultural%20events.h
tml
STUDENT EVALUATION:
(5)
(1)
(27)
Reflective Analyses:
Final Essay:
Seminar Discourse:
FINAL GRADE:
50%
30%
20%
100%
GRADE:
“A” = 90%
“B” = 80%
“C” = 70%
“D” = 60%
“F” = < 60%
POINTS:
top 10%
top 20%
top 30%
top 40%