Dr. T. David Gordon Fall, 2014, HUMA 201 G and I,
CIVILIZATION AND THE SPECULATIVE MIND
Fall, 2014 T/Th, 10:02-11:20, 11:30-12:45 (HAL 302)
Office (HAL 303F): 458-2205 Home: 450-0636
Office Hours: MWF 10:30-11:30, 4:00-5:00, TTH 1:00-2:30
tdgordon@gcc.edu [n.b. I delete emails that have nothing in the subject line]
www.tdgordon.net
Rationale:
This course continues in the required series of the Humanities Core curriculum, surveying those
enduring worldviews and thinkers that have influenced civilization, and introducing the
foundational concepts of theology, ethics, philosophy, science, and political thought. The course
is predicated on the assumption that an educated individual is familiar with those determinative
ideas and values that influence cultures, causing them to be as they are, and that an educated
individual can discern those ideas and values even where they are only implicit. The course will
examine the necessity, nature, and structure of world views and compare a Christian worldview
with other competing contemporary world views, including scientific naturalism, humanism,
nihilism, existentialism, Eastern pantheistic monism, the new age, pragmatism, and
postmodernism.
Goals and Objectives:
In addition to aiding the student in becoming familiar with those ideas and values that have
shaped civilization, the course aims to make the student adept at perceiving those ideas and
values when they are only implicitly expressed. The course is designed to facilitate the student’s
raising and answering questions such as these:
•What is real, and how can we know what is real?
•What is human nature, and what is humanity’s purpose, both individually and
corporately considered?
•What happens to people when they die?
•What can we know, and with what kinds and degrees of certainty?
•Can we distinguish right from wrong, by any standard external to our own prejudices and
biases?
•Can we distinguish the beautiful from the ugly (and from the banal), by any standard
external to our own prejudices and biases?
•Are labor and leisure things we happen to experience, or is there a theoretical foundation
for each? Are there purposes for each, and is leisure more or less important than labor?
•Does human history have meaning?
•Does human society have meaning or purpose?
•How does Christian theism address these questions differently than other theologies and
philosophies?
•In what ways do we and others communicate implicit answers to these questions in
everyday life and activity?
HUMA 201 seeks to promote the following general educational and personal goals:
1
To aid students in the development of a Christian worldview that integrates knowledge in
religion, philosophy, ethics, history, economics, sociology, and political science.
To help them apply this knowledge to their work and life in contemporary society.
To help them live lives that honor and glorify God and advance His kingdom in the
world.
To present a biblical worldview that can direct their lives.
To provide an apologetic for the Christian faith and the basis for believing Christianity is true.
OUTCOMES
Through the course, students will:
Examine what they believe about God, the universe, and social and ethical issues
(quizzes, exam, class discussion).
Examine different ways of raising ethical questions (quizzes, exam, class discussion).
Examine contemporary worldviews that compete with Christianity including scientific
naturalism, humanism, scientism, nihilism, existentialism, Eastern pantheistic monism, the New
Age, pragmatism, consumerism, and postmodernism (quizzes, exam, class discussion).
Analyze biblical presuppositions for social life and various Christian approaches toward
society (quizzes, exam, class discussion).
Investigate ancient and contemporary views of society such as socialism, Islam, and
democratic capitalism (quizzes, exam, class discussion).
Develop the research and analytical skills used in the humanities or social sciences and
improve their writing ability by receiving instruction in information literacy and library research
as well as significant evaluation of the mechanics, style, and substance of a 10 page term paper
they write.
Texts
Gary Scott Smith and Paul C. Kemeny, eds., Confronting Life’s Challenges: Worldview,
Societal Perspectives, and Ethical Issues (2012), (CLC); James W. Sire, The Universe Next
Door: A Basic Worldview Catalog, 3rd edition (UND); C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity.
Course Requirements
1. Reading assignments: each section includes a reading that is to be completed prior to the
lectures and discussions of that topic.
2
2. Quizzes: The dates of quizzes are specified in the syllabus. Quizzes will focus on the required
reading (15% of final grade)
3. Tests: Two tests, and a comprehensive final examination are designated in the schedule (each
test 20% of final grade)
4. Research Paper (Prior, First and Second Draft, 5%, 10%, and 15%):
Each student will write an 8-10 page paper (double-spaced--also, I am more a stickler on the
maximum length than the minimum. If you have what you regard as an excellent 7-page paper,
don’t botch it up by adding a page of junk; just realize you are “competing,” as it were, with
those who may write 12 pages. But do not go over the limit; almost all publications place limits
on their contributors, and you must stay within them), analyzing a metaphysical, epistemological,
social, political (only in the sense of political systems; ask the instructor if you have questions) or
axiological (ethical or aesthetic) issue. The analysis must demonstrate a correct understanding of
the matter at hand, a comparison of proposed alternatives and their rationales, and a theistic
evaluation. Some examples of questions papers might address would be:
-Is chance the governing principle in the universe, or is the universe purposeful?
-Do people reincarnate?
-At death, do people simply disappear?
-Does a given political theory imply a worldview?
-Does a given artist (or work of art, literature, or music) imply a worldview or view of
human nature?
-Is social progress more or less valuable, as a political value, than individual liberty?
-Can an unbeliever be a better worker, artist or human than a believer?
-Is human nature distinct from other forms of life?
-Does a given educational theory (e.g., Plato’s or John Dewey’s) imply a worldview or a
view of human nature?
-How does one’s answer to a specific ethical question reflect a worldview?
-How does one’s view of the arts (are they important, unimportant; are there objective
standards of beauty, etc.) reflect a worldview or an ethical system?
-Is the use of leisure time a matter of ethical consideration?
In addition, more-specific questions about ethics, political theory, or human life may be proposed
(e.g., whether the system of arranged marriages is superior or inferior to the system of choosing
one’s mate; whether compulsory education is a good or bad idea). If you have any question
regarding whether the topic you are considering is either permissible or wise, feel free to contact
the instructor in person or by email. WARNING: DO NOT VENT; this is a formal academic
paper, not an opportunity to gripe about your roommate, the college, the fact that your laptop is
not a Mac, the food in Hicks, etc. If you have life-issues you wish to discuss, please see me in
my office, but do not jeopardize your paper by discussing such issues there. You may wish to
consult, for general direction, my “Ten Commandments of Paper Writing,” on the network (it’s
only a page and a half, and it could save you several letter grades).
WHAT THE PAPER IS NOT:
A research paper is not an essay (one’s own reflections upon life), an editorial (one’s own
opinion about some public matter), or a work of creative philosophy (one’s own, constructive
3
solution to some matter previously unsolved). It is a paper in which we learn from others
something about something, and then disclose, in an organized manner, what we have learned
(including why we think some proposed solutions were better than others) and, perhaps, why that
is important for others to consider.
INTERNET CITATIONS. Ordinarily, web sites are not acceptable sources. If a website is cited,
the student must demonstrate the credentials that make it reliable (e.g., the author of the web-site
has an earned academic doctorate in the field; the web-site is administered by a prominent public
organization such as the ACLU, the ABA, etc.).
OTHER CITATIONS. For regular citations of published works, you may use either Turabian or
Chicago Manual of Style. You may not use MLA parenthetical citations. Citations must be
footnoted (not end-noted, and not parenthetical), and in such a manner that the reader can check
the citation. A formal paper is an argument, in which you attempt to persuade the reader that
your viewpoint is correct. You must assume that the reader accepts nothing at face value, but
requires that you demonstrate your point. Therefore, when you refer to sources (either to prove
that your view is not idiosyncratic, or to give credit to your source), you must cite the specific
location (page number) from which you derive your information, so that the reader can check to
see if your reference is correct. Even if your citation otherwise agrees with some stylesheet,
this requirement is non-negotiable.
-“Ibid.” (abbreviation of the Latin ibidem) means “in the same place,” and may only be used to
refer back to the previous note on the same page of your work. It cannot be used to “jump”
over several other references.
-“Op. cit.” (abbreviation of the Latin opus citatum or opere citato) means “work (or works)
cited,” and is employed to refer to a note that has already included the full bibliographic
information. Unless the author is expressly mentioned in the text of your paper, the note
should read: “Smith, op. cit., p. 12.” If you mention “Smith” in the text, and have already cited
his work earlier on that page, you may say: “Op. cit., p. 12.”
-Double-space between each footnote.
-Use the same 12-point font in the footnotes that you use in the text of the paper.
A brief, one-page summary of the Turabian format for citations can be found at:
http://www.libs.uga.edu/ref/turabian.html
GENERAL FORMAL REQUIREMENTS: All questions about formal matters of grammar,
style, etc., are addressed in Pocket Reference for Writers (Prentice Hall 2005). Formal papers
must be paginated, without exception. They must be single-sided, and double-spaced, in
Times New Roman 12-point font (non-sarifed fonts are difficult to read). They must have a title
page that includes your name and box number; they must have a bibliography attached at the end
of the paper. They must not justify the right margin (which creates un-natural spaces in the
words, making them harder to read. They must not have end-notes or parenthetical
references; I only accept footnotes (why make the reader work, by riffing through pages, back
and forth, from where he is reading to the back of the paper to look at end notes?), and every
footnote must cite the page from which the citation is. The first footnote on a page may not be
“Ibid.” or “Op. cit.”; these abbreviations may only be used for works already cited on a particular
page of the paper. “Ibid.” (Ibidem, meaning “in the same place”) may not be used
interchangeably with “Op. cit.” (Opus citatum, meaning “work cited”). If, and only if, the second
4
citation is in the same place (same page), can one use “Ibid.”; if the second citation of the work is
to a different page, the proper abbreviation, is “Op. cit., p. x”. For this reason, “Ibid.” should
never be followed by a page number, since, by definition, it means “in the same place.” If second
or subsequent citations are interrupted by references to another work, then the author’s last name,
with or without part of the title, must be placed before the “Ibid.” or “Op. cit.,” e.g., “Smith,
American Presidency op. cit., p. 12.”
If the first draft fails any of the “musts” above, or if I find it difficult to read, I will return
it without reading any further.
It is to your advantage for me to read and carefully mark the first draft, so that you can
make changes and improve your grade on the second draft. But if the first draft is so
vague, unclear, undefined, or imprecise that I cannot make sense of it after a page or two, I
will simply put a horizontal line across the paper at that point and return it without further
correction. It simply is not possible to edit a paper that one cannot understand; I cannot
assess whether subsequent paragraphs support the thesis paragraph (for instance) if I
cannot undrestand the thesis paragraph.
This paper will be written in both a first draft and a second draft. The first draft will count for
10% of the final grade; the second draft for 15%. You must select your topic, and submit the
topic to me in writing on Thursday, Sept. 11. With the paper topic, you must include at least
five sources that you have found on the topic (though you may later decide to use other
sources). The prior first draft is due on Thursday, Oct. 9, the first draft of the paper is due on
Tuesday, Oct. 21. The final draft is due on Thursday, Nov. 20.
Each person in the class must edit one other student’s paper, and this constitutes 5% of the
course grade. I will then compare the “first draft” to this “previous first draft,” noting whether
you have followed the recommendations of the editor (if they are legitimate). While this prior
first draft only constitutes 5% of the grade, I will not read your “first draft” without this prior first
draft; and therefore you will lose 15% of the course grade if this assignment is not completed,
and completed on time. Note: This requirement reflects the reality that almost all good writing
requires good editing. If you cannot edit another’s work, you cannot edit your own work.
Learning to look for mistakes in the writing of another helps you to see them in your own
writing. Especially look for sentences that are simply awkward, and/or hard to understand,
even if you do not know the precise grammatical reason for its awkwardness or unclarity. One of
the fundamental differences between formal writing and informal writing (email, texting, IMing,
etc.) is that formal writing is always edited carefully.
Ordinarily, there should be several stages of editing after you write something:
1. You yourself proof-read it, looking for errors or difficulties.
2. You yourself read it aloud, noting wherever you find it difficult to articulate orally.
3. Someone else proof-reads it, looking for errors or difficulties.
4. Someone else reads it aloud to you, and you make note of where the reader gets stuck.
Note one very obvious reality: None of these things can possibly be done if you do not finish
your paper until the night before it is due. All good writing actually consists of good editing. If
5
you follow the above four steps for a long period of time, you may eventually reach the stage
where only steps 1., 2., and 3. are necessary. Until you reach that point (you will know you’ve
reached it when those who perform step 4. no longer get stuck), step 4. is the most revealing
stage. Even an individual who knows little about grammar or spelling (therefore not much help
on step 3.), or who knows nothing about your topic, will get stuck when attempting to read aloud
a poorly-written paper.
Writing is profoundly more difficult than conversation, because the other party cannot ask
questions of you. As Walter Ong put it:
“To make yourself clear without gesture, without facial expression, without intonation,
without a real hearer,you have to foresee circumspectly all possible meanings a statement
may have for any possible reader in any possible situation, and you have to make your
language work so as to come clear all by itself, with no existential context. The need for
this exquisite circumspection makes writing the agonizing work it commonly is.” (Orality
and Literacy, p. 104)
Writing is always, as Ong said, “agonizing work,” and the only question is whether the writer or
the reader will agonize. Writers who do not agonize make agony for their readers, who
ordinarily respond by not reading them. DO NOT MAKE YOUR READER AGONIZE.
All HUMA 201 papers will be evaluated in accordance with the HUMA 201 Grading Rubric,
which is sent with the syllabus.
SOURCES FOR YOUR PAPERS
Our library is too small to contain every book ever written; and it is limited especially
in the arena of religion and theology (compared to what is actually in print). However, interlibrary loan works fairly well, provided that you do not wait until the last minute. Select your
paper topic early, and begin to gather your sources early; do not come to me the week before
your paper is due and say you couldn’t find this or that book in the library. It’s too late by
then.
5. Comprehensive final examination (15% of final grade). Consult the exam schedule now, and
make appropriate travel preparations in light of the exam schedule published by the registrar’s
office. I cannot be expected to offer special sections of the final exam to accomodate your
various travel plans.
6. Attendance: Attendance is expected of students except where there is serious illness, death in
the family, or some other legitimate excuse (such as those approved by the Provost). I do not
measure your participation by how frequently you speak (sometimes, thinking is a better response
to a lecture than babbling). I do, however, welcome your candid questions about the material, or
your questions or observations about its significance.
7. Academic Integrity/Honesty in Learning: College policies regarding academic integrity are
matters of the institution’s integrity, as well as of the individual’s integrity, and can be found on
pp. 53-56 of the GCC Bulletin 2014-2015. Therefore, this course will adhere to those standards,
as they are found in the most recent college bulletin. The use (or possession) of former
6
examinations from this course in preparing for tests is considered a violation of the Grove City
College Honesty in Learning Policy, as stated in the college bulletin.
8. Computer usage in the classroom:
My lecture outlines are available on the network prior to class, and you may make your
own notes on these outlines, including any comments that will aid you in understanding
and processing the material.
Computers in a wireless environment are distracting. People check their email or
Facebook, shop online, Google a search, etc., interrupting their attention to the task at
hand. Attention-span is a cultivated neurological reality that can only be increased (like
muscle) by small increments. Many top-flight law schools have been banning laptops for
nearly a decade, because there was a direct correlation between laptop use and lower
scores on bar exams. Your attention-span should be cultivated during your four years of
college; it should be greater when you leave than when you enter. But all ETs (electronic
technologies) tend to be distracting. You may be psychologically comfortable with
“multi-tasking,” but this psychological comfort does not mean that you perform better
when you multi-task. You do not; it is a neurological fact, now empirically proven. No
one performs any task better when distracted by anything else. Those interested in
studying (or writing about?) this topic are advised to consult Maggie Jackson and Bill
McKibben. Distracted: The Erosion of Attention and the Coming Dark Age
(Prometheus Books, 2008), Mark Bauerlein, The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital
Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes our Future (Tarcher Press, 2008),
Winifred Gallagher, Rapt: Attention and the Focused Life (New York: Penguin, 2009),
or Nicholas Carr, “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” The Atlantic, vol. 302, number 1
(July/August, 2008), pp. 56-63, and The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our
Brains (New York: Norton, 2010). For their use in the classroom, cf. Kevin Yamamoto,
“Banning Laptops in the Classroom: Is it Worth the Hassles?” Journal of Legal
Education, Volume 57, no. 4 (December, 2007), pp. 1-44. Among schools that have
banned their classroom use entirely are: Babson College (Wellesley, MA), Bentley
College (Waltham, MA), Catholic University’s Colombus School of Law, Cornell Law
School, Ferris State University, Florida International School of Law, Georgetown
University Law Center, Harvard Law School, Louisiana State University, New England
School of Law, Seattle Pacific University, Suffolk University Law School, UCLA School
of Law, University of Chicago School of Law, University of Florida, University of Iowa,
University of Memphis School of Law, University of Michigan School of Law,
University of Wisconsin School of Law, Western New England College School of Law.
Here are links to two recent (and non-technical) articles that demonstrate that digital notetaking injures both recall and analytic understanding (and it distracts those around you):
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/elements/2014/06/the-casefor-banning-laptops-in-the-classroom.html
7
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-learning-secret-dont-take-notes-with-a-laptop/
Therefore, do not use your digital devices in my class (leave them in a backpack, purse,
etc.). If you have a specific or peculiar learning difficulty or pedagogical strategy that
requires their use, we can discuss that and I may make an exception in your case.
9. Late work. All work is due when it is due. If you learn nothing else while in college, learn
that the world does not revolve around you and/or your schedule. At home, if you are
preparing dinner for your family for Tuesday night, you cannot prepare it on Wednesday. At
work, if your supervisor assigns a task to be done by Thursday at noon, it must be done by
Thursday at noon. If your bills are due on the first of the month, you must pay them on the first
of the month. If you become a Christian minister, your sermon must be prepared by Sunday
morning; not by Tuesday morning. Do not ask for exceptions for late work; I accept no
excuses except Provost excuses. Without a Provost excuse, late work is assigned whatever
grade I wish, including a zero if I desire.
Schedule of Topics and Assignments
Introduction Aug. 26-28
Writing-Intensive HUMA 201 Aug. 26
Reading: T. David Gordon, “Major Forms of BS” (from network)
Quiz on reading, 28 (also read the “Introduction” to CLC, pp. ix-xviii, but you will not be
quizzed on this).
I. Foundations for a Christian mind: What should we believe?
World views: inevitability, nature, contemporary alternatives, the components of a Christian
world view Sept. 2-4
Reading: UND 1; CLC, Introduction. T. David Gordon, “The Insufficiency of Scripture,” CLC
216-223.
Quiz on readings: Sep. 2
Major issues:
Is it possible to be “objective” or neutral? Does everyone have a world view?
What basic questions do world views address?
What are the most influential contemporary world views?
What are the major aspects of a biblical world view?
Defending the Faith: An apology for a Christian world view Sept. 9-11
Reading: UND 2; Kreeft and Tacelli, “The Resurrection” CLC 10-24; C. S. Lewis, Mere
Christianity, Books I and II;
Quiz on readings: Sept. 9
Paper topic due on Sept. 11.
8
Major issues:
Is the Christian world view plausible? Upon what grounds is it believed?
What are the major objections against the Christian world view?
How can the Christian world view best be defended?
An analysis of competing world views--Naturalism, Humanism, Nihilism, Existentialism Sept.
16-18
Reading: UND 4-6; Sam Harris, “An Atheist Manifesto,” CLC 25-34; Sam Harris, “The Myth of
Secular Moral Chaos,” CLC 35-38; Paul Kurtz, “Secular Humanist Declaration, CLC, 46-53;
Jean Paul Sartre, “from Existentialism”, CLC, 68-73.
Quiz on readings: Sept. 16.
Major issues:
What are the basic components of the naturalist, humanist, nihilist, and existentialist
world views?
Why have these world views been so influential?
What are their strengths and weaknesses?
An analysis of competing worldviews--Eastern Pantheism, the New Age, Postmodernism,
Pragmatism, Consumerism Sept. 23-25
Reading: UND 7-10; Rodney Clapp, “Why the Devil Takes Visa: A Christian Response to the
Triumph of Consumerism”, CLC, 82-107.
Quiz on reading Sept. 23.
Major issues:
What are the basic components of the pantheist, New Age, Postmodern, and pragmatist
world views?
Why have these world views been so influential?
What are their strengths and weaknesses?
First Exam Sept. 25
II. Christianity and Society: How should the world be?
Biblical presuppositions for society; an overview of Christian approaches toward society Sept.
30-Oct. 2
Reading: Genesis 1; Genesis 11; Exodus chapters 20-24; Matthew 22:15-22; Romans 13
(Gordon handout on Romans 13 on the network)
Major issues:
Are there biblical ideals or blueprints for society? If so, what are they?
Is it possible to create a Christian society?
Is a believer’s obedience to the civil magistrate absolute?
In what ways can believers engage unbelievers in the role of culture-building?
What positions have been developed on the relationship of Christianity to culture?
9
Medieval and Reformational views of society Oct. 7-9
Reading: Thomas Aquinas, “On Kingship or The Governance of Rulers,” and “The Treatise on
Law,” questions 91-94, CLC, 108-120; Gary Scott Smith, “Calvinism”, CLC, 121-128.
Quiz on reading: Oct. 7
Prior first draft due Oct. 9
Major issues:
What were the basic features and contours of Medieval society? What were the strengths
and weaknesses of this society?
What did Augustine, Aquinas, Calvin, and Luther teach about the nature, structure, and
operation of society? What did they consider to be the proper relationship between
church and state?
What kind of social order did Calvin design for and implement in Geneva? Was Calvin’s
Geneva theocratic? Was Calvin’s Geneva theonomic?
American society: ordered liberty Oct. 16
Reading: Robert N. Bellah, “Civil Religion in America,” CLC 129-142; Thomas Jefferson,
“A Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom in Virginia”, CLC, 142-143; George Washington,
“Farewell Address”, CLC 144-148.
Major issues:
Upon what presuppositions is American society based?
What are the historical and philosophical roots of American society?
To what extent was Colonial or Revolutionary America based upon biblical ideals and
principles?
To what extent are contemporary American institutions and practices based upon biblical
ideals and principles?
How can American political, social, and culture life be improved?
Contemporary views of society Oct. 21-23
Reading: Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, The Communist Manifesto
(http://csf.colorado/psn/marx/Archive/1848-CM/cm.html) websites change routinely; you can
find this many places.
Major issues:
What are the major competing perspectives on society today? How do these perspectives
view the nature, structure, and purpose of society?
What are the major cultural battles taking place in the world today?
First Draft of Paper Due Oct. 21
Second Exam: Oct. 23
III. Christianity and Ethics: How should we live?
Presuppositions for ethics; making ethical decisions Oct. 28-30
Reading: Lewis, Mere Christianity, Book III, 1-4, 7-12; Norman Geisler, “Graded Absolutism”,
CLC, 224-230; Proverbs 3:1-8; T. David Gordon, “Models of Ethics” (handout, available on
GCC network)
10
Quiz on readings: Oct. 28
Major issues:
What principal assumptions have historically directed moral decision making?
What are the major schools of thought on ethics? What are their strengths and
weaknesses?
How should Christians make moral decisions?
Applying Christian ethics: marriage, family, media, work and leisure Nov. 4-6
Reading: Everett Worthington, Jr., “A Positive Vision of Marriage,” Kaye Cook, “Successfully
Negotiating the Dating Game,” (on the network as “Cook.Doc”) Bill Romanowski, Pop
Culture Wars: Religion and the Role of Entertainment in American Society, (on network);
Romanowski, “from Eyes Wide Open: Looking for God in Popular Culture,” CLC 283-296;
Quentin Schultze, “from Habits of the High-Tech Heart, CLC 297-307; Leland Ryken, “The
Heart of the Matter: Work and Play as a Christian Calling,” CLC 265-282; Lewis, Mere
Christianity, Book III, 5-6.
Quiz on readings: Nov. 4
Major issues:
What principles does the Bible provide for marriage and family?
What is the difference between dating and courtship?
What factors contribute to strong marriages and families?
What principles and values direct contemporary American media?
How much influence does the contemporary media have on values and behavior?
Should Christians try to create movies, TV shows, radio programs, plays, magazines, and
newspapers that present biblical values and themes and analyze topics and issues from a
biblical perspective?
Why and how should Christians work?
Is there such a thing as a Christian aesthetic, and is it a duty to pursue what is beautiful?
Should all Christians have a sense of call to their vocations?
How should Christians use their leisure time?
Applying Christian ethics: abortion, euthanasia, homosexuality Nov. 11-13
Reading: Glen H. Stassen and David P. Gushee, “Valuing Life at Its Beginnings” CLC, 308-329;
Mary Anne Warren, “On the Moral and Legal Status of Abortion” CLC, 330-345; Glen H.
Stassen and David P. Gushee, “Valuing Life at its End,” CLC, 346-360; Derek Humphry,
“Voluntary Euthanasia Is Ethical,” CLC, 361-365; Robert A. Gagnon, “How Bad is Homosexual
Practice According to Scripture 380 and Does Scripture’s Indictment Apply to
Committed
Homosexual Unions?” CLC, 380-392.
.Quiz on readings: Nov. 11
Major issues:
Do women have a right to control their own bodies?
Is abortion morally justifiable under any circumstances?
How can abortions be prevented?
What is the difference between passive and active euthanasia? Is either one morally
justifiable?
11
What does the Bible teach about homosexuality?
Should homosexuals have full civil rights, including the right to marry?
Should homosexuals be allowed/encouraged to be church members and/or ministers?
How should Christians treat homosexuals?
Applying Christian ethics: politics, education, and the marketplace Nov. 18-20
Reading: James W. Skillen, “Christian Faith And Public Policy: A Reformed Perspective,” CLC
401-410; Ronald Nash, “from Economics,” CLC 411-418.
Quiz on readings: Nov. 18
Final Draft of Paper, Nov. 20.
Major issues:
In what ways are Christian colleges different from secular colleges?
What can be done to improve contemporary primary and secondary education in
America?
Is school choice a good policy?
Do politics and religion mix?
Should Christians seek to promote policies they favor through legislation?
How can I determine who to vote for in elections?
What does the Bible teach about economic life?
Can businesses be founded upon biblical principles? If so, how would they be organized
and operate?
Should Christian faith direct our economic choices such as what companies we do
business with?
Conclusions: Facing the Postmodern world after college Dec. 2-4, 9
Lewis, Mere Christianity, Book IV, 8-11.
Major issues:
How should Christians live in the world?
What is our calling?
Can we change the world?
How do we prioritize our responsibilities to change ourselves, our families, our churches,
and our culture?
If you have an excused absence for a particular class, please inform the instructor.
Unexcused absences may be penalized up to one half point per day towards the final grade.
12
Appendix
What We Learn From Due-Dates
T. David Gordon
At college, we expend four years (and innumerable dollars) in an attempt to learn. We
learn some methodologies, we learn some information, we learn which disciplines study which
things, we learn how to inquire, we learn how to express ourselves clearly, we learn, above all
else, how to continue learning. Any valid thing that is part of a college curriculum should,
therefore, have a pedagogical rationale, whether proximate or distant. So why do colleges have
due-dates?
Distantly, I suppose, the answer is something like this: Most students desire not only to
learn, but to have a degree testifying that they have, in fact, done so. This requires that the
Registrar’s office keep a record of grades. Since students make decisions about registration
based on their grades from previous classes, the Registrar gives deadlines to faculty members,
requiring that their grading be done at a certain time. Thus, if significant numbers of students
turned in late work, faculty would not get their grading done on time, students could not register
for the appropriate courses, and some would fail to graduate on time. This is the distant
rationale. And, although it is distant, it is not for this reason insignificant.
The proximate rationale is this: There are few things in life more important than duedates, because we learn the following (among other things) from them:
1. That we are better (more efficient) at some tasks than others. Sometimes, the way we
learn what we are less efficient at is by missing a deadline and paying the consequences.
Better to do so in college than in a business where you might get fired for the same.
2. That we ordinarily are working on several things at once, and must learn how to
apportion an appropriate amount of time to each, to assure that we will complete each at
its proper time. Ask any housewife, any businessperson, any teacher, any physician, etc.,
and you will find each has several “irons in the fire” at any given moment. Part of life is
learning how much time to give to which duties.
3. That some of us are “type A” personalities, who believe we must do our theoretical
“best” job on everything we do (an utter myth, with no more basis in reality than the
existence of unicorns). In a fallen world, almost none of us ever does his or her best, we
merely do the best we can under the circumstances, which is good enough for God, for
government work, and for most other work. I have written reviews, articles, essays,
chapters, and books for well over twenty years; and there is not a single one I have written
that I could not improve if I had more time. I have preached hundreds of sermons, none
of which I am satisfied with, none of which would not be better if I spent more time
crafting it. I have also given hundreds of lectures, about which my students will
unanimously testify that there is plenty of room for improvement. In most circumstances
where others are expecting us to complete a project on time, they do not and will not
expect perfection (even when they say they do); but they do expect timeliness. You will
13
not get fired for an imperfect presentation; you may get fired if you do not make yours at
the assigned time.
4. That some of us work better under pressure and some of us do not (though most who
think they do are kidding themselves; neurologically, almost no one does better at
anything when anxious); that some of us work better for some professors/bosses than we
do for others. Self-knowledge (knowing the self, γνῶθι σεαυτόν) is a very good thing,
commended by the Delphic Oracle in the days of Socrates as one of the two most
important things to learn (also: moderation in all things). Maybe, by failing or barely
passing an assignment due to poor self-knowledge, your self-knowledge will increase.
You owe me one!
5. That the humorist David Barry was right: Most projects encounter “the hidden
bummer factor,” such as the computer network going down the day we planned to do
research; or the printer not spooling when we run to print our paper (a half-hour before
it’s due); or someone else checking out from the Library the book we needed to complete
our project; or our room-mate, who promised to proof-read our paper, being sick as the
proverbial dog with intestinal flu (or the car breaking down, the computer crashing,
getting a sore throat, or a hundred other things that routinely happen in real life). This
“hidden bummer factor,” according to David Barry, accounts for about 30-40% of most
projects, and we need to schedule for it. If a certain project ordinarily should take ten
hours, schedule 13-14.
6. That Murphy knew as much as Moses. When it comes to projects, the laws of Moses
are nothing. Murphy’s Law is the only law one needs to know when working on a
project: Anything that can go wrong will go wrong (Gordon’s corollary: “Some things
that cannot go wrong also go wrong”). What does the curse of Genesis 3 mean, if not
that every endeavor, even every worthy endeavor, is now freighted with obstacles,
difficulty, and unanticipated logjams (the military refer to such as “SNAFUs,” but we
cannot use that acronymn at Grove City, because some clever sophomore might figure out
what it means). This is the way the “real (fallen) world” is. I know your car has never
broken down before, but it eventually will. I know your car’s battery has never failed to
hold a charge before, but it eventually will. I know your hard drive has never crashed
before, but it eventually will. I realize you have played basketball hundreds of times
without breaking an ankle, but you eventually will. I know your room-mate has never
spent the entire night puking in the room, but he/she eventually will. We must account
for the holy prophet Murphy when making our plans.
7. That “due-date” sometimes means “due-date.” If your business firm schedules a
meeting for May 2 in Seattle, to meet with Acme Conglomerates to discuss a business
proposal, and if you are expected to be at that meeting with a presentation, you simply
must be there and must make the presentation, at that place and at that time, because the
good people from Acme Conglomerates (with offices in Spokane, Chicago, and Denver)
are not going to come back tomorrow. You’re fired.
When I pastored for nine years (or preach 20-30 times annually now, filling
pulpits), I could not tell my congregation at 11:00 am on Sunday morning to go home and
come back Tuesday, when the sermon would be finished. I worked another full-time job
14
during those years (teaching at Gordon-Conwell, my total hours were 82/week on
average), but still no excuses would have been acceptable. The church of Jesus Christ
gathers on the first day of the week, and the service and sermon must go on at that
moment.
So, what does all this mean to me, as an educator? What does this mean to me, as
someone who is responsible to help you learn? It means that if I were to accept late work, I
would be robbing you of the opportunity to learn all these good things (and, perhaps, some
others). So there would have to be a very good reason for an educator to rob you of this part of
your education. If you choose not to learn, that is your business; but you cannot properly expect
me to be complicit in the project.
BOTTOMLINE:
Therefore, do not bother emailing me, calling me, or asking me to my face if you can
turn your work in an hour, a day, or a week late. If, for whatever reason, you do not complete
the assignment on time, turn it in when you can (with or without an explanation), and I will be
the sole arbiter of whether to accept the work at all, and/or what penalty to attach to it (an “F” is
better than a zero). The obvious exception to this is the Provost Excuse. Any excuse approved
by the Provost’s Office is entirely acceptable.
Dr. T. David Gordon
Exam Schedule, Fall, 2014
Below is my exam schedule for the Fall semester, 2014. You may take your exam at any of the
scheduled times; your only “risk” is that those whose exam is scheduled have the first
opportunity for chairs. Others may have to sit on the floor. Otherwise, it makes no difference to
me.
Monday, Dec. 8
Friday, Dec. 12
Monday, Dec. 15
Tuesday, Dec. 16
6:30 PM RELI 450 HAL 304
2:00 PM HUMA 201I HAL 206
7:00 PM GREK 201 HAL 111
2:00 PM HUMA 201G HAL 206
15