Tuesday, February 12th

In lieu of a starter, please work on yesterday's journal based on the reading. Add your thoughts on the following philosophical questions as well.

JOURNAL 2.11:  Response to NOMA and the “Skeptic”:

React to the idea of “Non-overlapping Magisteria” and/or Michael Shermer’s article.  Identify a specific passage in the article and agree or disagree with it.

Philosophize:   Are religion and science compatible?  Can they work together to illuminate meaning in our lives?  Or do they contradict each other?

SHARE OUT IDEAS ABOUT "The Creation"
What claims could we make about its meaning?

The Scientific World View:  What Makes Us Human?

In pairs, make a T-chart.

Commonalities between Religion and Science

Areas where you see tension between them

SHARE OUT.

Stephen Jay Gould's "NOMA" Non-overlapping Magisteria

Read Gould's original article (linked) for more depth of information!

Non-overlapping magisteria (NOMA) is the view advocated by Stephen Jay Gould that science and religion each represent different areas of inquiry, fact vs. values, so there is a difference between the "nets" [1] over which they have "a legitimate magisterium, or domain of teaching authority," and the two domains do not overlap.[2] He suggests, with examples, that "NOMA enjoys strong and fully explicit support, even from the primary cultural stereotypes of hard-line traditionalism" and that it is "a sound position of general consensus, established by long struggle among people of goodwill in both magisteria."[1] Still, there continues to be disagreement over where the boundaries between the two magisteria should be.[3]

Quote from Gould:  "Our failure to discern a universal good does not record any lack of insight or ingenuity, but merely demonstrates that nature contains no moral messages framed in human terms. Morality is a subject for philosophers, theologians, students of the humanities, indeed for all thinking people. The answers will not be read passively from nature; they do not, and cannot, arise from the data of science. The factual state of the world does not teach us how we, with our powers for good and evil, should alter or preserve it in the most ethical manner"

Watch Rick Warren's TED Talk"A Life of Purpose"
How does his faith give him purpose?

Are his arguments convincing?
Even if you are not religious, what can we learn from his example?

Journal 2.12:  How do religion and other forms of spirituality give meaning and purpose to human life? Use evidence from Rick Warren's TED Talk and/or your personal experiences and observations.

If time is left over....here is some fun we could have.

Belief Quiz  What were the results?  Did the quiz tell you what you already knew?  Did it surprise you at all?

Monday, February 11th

Questions for this week….

• How do religion and other forms of spirituality give meaning and purpose to human life?
• How does science?
• Are religion and science compatible or at odds?

Starter 2.11: What is the difference between religion and spirituality?

In pairs:  Come up with a short list of phrases, words, sentences, quotes that you associate with each word:  RELIGION, SPIRITUALITY

Discuss Vonnegut, "Yes, We Have no Nirvanas"

a. What do you think of the idea of Transcendental Meditation?

b. What is Kurt Vonnegut's take on it?  Make an interpretive claim about the author’s intention.  

Meet the Maharishi….

"The Creation" by Eduardo Galeano

1. Illustrate the passage.

2. Make an interpretive claim about the passage

3.  Discuss:  What questions is Galeano answering?  How does this passage relate to the questions of the week?

HONORS (and anyone else!):  Check out a copy of Cat’s Cradle.  Book Club meeting will happen on March 7th

READ: The Meaning of Life in a Formula

JOURNAL 2.11:  Response to NOMA and the “Skeptic”:

React to the idea of “Non-overlapping Magisteria” and/or Michael Shermer’s article.  Identify a specific passage in the article and agree or disagree with it.

Friday, February 8th

Get stuff done and de-stress this weekend!

TO-DO LIST
1. Reflection/Synthesis assignment.  On Page 2 of this doc. DUE AT MIDNIGHT!!!
2. Read Kurt Vonnegut, "Yes, We Have no Nirvanas" (pages 28-34 of your reader)
3. Catch up all Digital Comp Book Entries
4. Write philosophical poetry and/or do art to express your philosophical self:)
5. Review project description and start brainstorming your own project.

Thursday, February 7th

Final Lit Circle Meeting:  Copy this Modified Protocol


When you finish with your group meeting, you can have time to work on the Reflection/Synthesis assignment.  On Page 2 on this doc.  
DUE AT THE END OF CLASS TOMORROW!!!

Wednesday, February 6th

Happy Wednesday, my students!  Work hard and be your best selves!  Do the following today:

1. Finish work from yesterday: Journal 2.5 and Transcendentalist Principles and Response to Walden

2. Read Into the Wild and work on pre-write for Thursday’s final literature circle.  (Guidelines)

3. Catch up on starters and journals if you have missed any.  Table of Contents)

4. Optional:  Write philosophical poetry AND/OR do art to process your thoughts.

Tuesday, February 5th

Starter (not written): Neature Walk!!!!  

Let’s GO haiku hunting! Perhaps we find a fleeting moment of transcendence? Perhaps we go salute a tree?  Mary Oliver reminds us that the TO-DO list can wait….

WORK TIME:

1. Transcendentalist Principles and Response to Walden

You can confer on parts of this, but everyone should do their own work.

2. JOURNAL 2.5: CHRIS AS TRANSCENDENTALIST?

Read Keiran Eagen’s intertextual email exchange with Nick Jans

*Note: Nick Jans is the author in Chapter 8 (p.71-72) who criticized Chris and Krakauer’s coverage of him.

Reader Response: Do you agree with Keiran or with Nick Jans?  Was Chris McCandless less competent than a boy scout?  Or was he on a transcendental path that is worthy of our study?

3. If you finish all of this, keep reading Into the Wild and getting ready for Thursday's final lit circle

Monday, February 4th

FINAL LIT CIRCLE: This Thursday, on the rest of the book

Starter 2.4: Write a haiku that attempts to capture one thought snapshot of your personal relationship with nature or another philosophical perspective.

(5 syllables, 7 syllables, 5 syllables)

Maybe next lifetime

I could be a butterfly

Who glides through this fog

Discuss: What are our takeaways from the forest bathing article and the lit circle questions? What are humans getting out of their time in nature?  How might our culture impact our personal relationships with nature? How does this play out with Chris?

Lesson:  Transcendentalism

Reading Assignment: Excerpts from Walden

JOURNAL 2.4 Thoughts on Transcendentalism:  How does transcendentalism speak to you personally?  Which pieces resonate and which do you reject? Why? Choose at least one quote from the Thoreau reading OR the Powerpoint lesson and react to it in the context of your response.