Students will be introduced to the varieties of Jewish life in today’s world and in history, grounded in an understanding of the foundational texts, beliefs, and practices of Ancient Judaism. They will also become familiar with the divisions within Judaism and what is at stake for Jewish identity – and the future of Judaism itself – in these conflicts.
PHRE 315 Yoga Traditions as taught by Lloyd Pflueger
"Yoga is the settling down of the waves of the mind." Examining the spiritual disciplines of India known as the Yoga Tradition, we survey various practices and theories of the endeavor to attain freedom from the limitations, suffering, and frustrations inherent in ordinary life by cultivating extraordinary states of mind. Although our central focus is the classical tradition of Patañjali, we extend our empathetic appreciation and intellectual understanding to a wide range of yoga practice in Indian religions including shamanism, Vedanta, and Tantra. Students use a creative project to learn more deeply about a particular aspect of Yoga, express this knowledge concretely, and share it with others. Mystical practices come down to earth. The earth will never look the same.
PHRE 336 History of Philosophy I: Ancient Philosophy as taught by Patricia Burton
This course will study the doctrines and arguments of the Pre-socratics, Plato, and Aristotle with emphasis on their various views regarding the following questions: What is the nature of the universe? Is knowledge possible and, if so, what are the proper objects of knowledge? What is the good and how may persons attain it?
PHRE 351 Feminist Social Philosophy as taught by Natalie Alexander
As social and political movement, a variety of feminisms have brought new perspectives and issues to political philosophy. In this course we explore together issues of equality, liberation, integrity, and diversity; we analyze such institutions and concepts as language, gender, differences, the public/private split; we investigate multicultural feminist debates about human nature, personhood, knowledge, and political theory. Active student discussions should characterize most class sessions; evaluation is based on class membership, papers, presentations, and other smaller projects.
PHRE 355 Truth and Dialog as taught by Natalie Alexander
In this course, we explore the role of dialog as a form of communication in the acquisition of knowledge. Does dialog produce or only uncover truth; can a hermeneutic view of truth negotiate between absolutism and relativism; and what are the necessary conditions for good- that is, truth-producing dialog? The course will explore these epistemological issues centered around the crucial concept of dialog. Classroom practice emphasizes informal and formal presentations and open dialog (discussion).
PHRE 363 Women in Chinese Religions as taught by Ding-hwa Hsieh
The course examines the images, roles, and experiences of women in Chinese religions (primarily Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism). It aims to provide a good understanding of the following themes/issues: gender norms and roles defined in each religion, views of women and the feminine (female spiritual capacity and sexuality) reflected through religious doctrine and practice, women’s religious experiences and achievements, popular worship of certain female deities, and biographies of exemplary women in Confucian, Taoist, and Buddhist literature. Readings include primary texts in translation and secondary sources on women in Chinese religious traditions.
PHRE 382 Philosophy of Mathematics as taught by Stephen Pollard
What are mathematical objects (functions, sets, algebraic structures, etc.)? Are mathematical objects products of human mental activity, or do they exist independently of us? Under what conditions are mathematical statements true? Might mathematical statements be neither true nor false? Is mathematics merely a branch of logic? Can any of these questions be answered in a course on the philosophy of mathematics?
Students will be introduced to the varieties of Jewish life in today’s world and in history, grounded in an understanding of the foundational texts, beliefs, and practices of Ancient Judaism. They will also become familiar with the divisions within Judaism and what is at stake for Jewish identity – and the future of Judaism itself – in these conflicts.
PHRE 315 Yoga Traditions as taught by Lloyd Pflueger
"Yoga is the settling down of the waves of the mind." Examining the spiritual disciplines of India known as the Yoga Tradition, we survey various practices and theories of the endeavor to attain freedom from the limitations, suffering, and frustrations inherent in ordinary life by cultivating extraordinary states of mind. Although our central focus is the classical tradition of Patañjali, we extend our empathetic appreciation and intellectual understanding to a wide range of yoga practice in Indian religions including shamanism, Vedanta, and Tantra. Students use a creative project to learn more deeply about a particular aspect of Yoga, express this knowledge concretely, and share it with others. Mystical practices come down to earth. The earth will never look the same.
PHRE 336 History of Philosophy I: Ancient Philosophy as taught by Patricia Burton
This course will study the doctrines and arguments of the Pre-socratics, Plato, and Aristotle with emphasis on their various views regarding the following questions: What is the nature of the universe? Is knowledge possible and, if so, what are the proper objects of knowledge? What is the good and how may persons attain it?
PHRE 348 Jesus of Nazareth as taught by Mark Appold
Dimensions of both the pre-Easter and the post-Easter Jesus are examined in the light of the primary N.T. texts against the background of their respective historical, situational, and cultural contexts. Also studied are the pertinent non-canonical and apocryphal texts that help illuminate historical Jesus research. Recent and past scholarship in the interdisciplinary quest for the historical Jesus will be addressed as well as the transcendent yet incarnational place of Jesus in the story of the Church and in the history of culture and society.
PHRE 351 Feminist Social Philosophy as taught by Natalie Alexander
As social and political movement, a variety of feminisms have brought new perspectives and issues to political philosophy. In this course we explore together issues of equality, liberation, integrity, and diversity; we analyze such institutions and concepts as language, gender, differences, the public/private split; we investigate multicultural feminist debates about human nature, personhood, knowledge, and political theory. Active student discussions should characterize most class sessions; evaluation is based on class membership, papers, presentations, and other smaller projects.
PHRE 355 Truth and Dialog as taught by Natalie Alexander
In this course, we explore the role of dialog as a form of communication in the acquisition of knowledge. Does dialog produce or only uncover truth; can a hermeneutic view of truth negotiate between absolutism and relativism; and what are the necessary conditions for good- that is, truth-producing dialog? The course will explore these epistemological issues centered around the crucial concept of dialog. Classroom practice emphasizes informal and formal presentations and open dialog (discussion).
PHRE 363 Women in Chinese Religions as taught by Ding-hwa Hsieh
The course examines the images, roles, and experiences of women in Chinese religions (primarily Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism). It aims to provide a good understanding of the following themes/issues: gender norms and roles defined in each religion, views of women and the feminine (female spiritual capacity and sexuality) reflected through religious doctrine and practice, women’s religious experiences and achievements, popular worship of certain female deities, and biographies of exemplary women in Confucian, Taoist, and Buddhist literature. Readings include primary texts in translation and secondary sources on women in Chinese religious traditions.
PHRE 365 Method and Theory in Religious Studies as taught by Mike Ashcraft
In this course we will survey several theoretical approaches to the study of religion to understand religious belief, community, and practice. Designed for students with previous coursework in philosophy or religion. Especially helpful for majors planning to write about religion in the senior seminar.
What do you know, and what is it reasonable to believe? Can we reasonably believe certain things in the absence of evidence? What exactly is knowledge and reasonable belief, and how do we acquire either of them? In addition to addressing these questions, we will see what kinds of responses we can give to the skeptic who challenges the reasonableness of our beliefs. We will also investigate the character and epistemological standing of perceptual beliefs, beliefs about the future, and belief in certain “self-evident” truths.
PHRE 374 Faith and Reason in Christian Thought as taught by Jennifer Jesse
Is faith in God reasonable? Do Christian beliefs “make sense”? Are they supposed to? Are faith and reason mutually exclusive? How, for example, can we believe in a divine creator who is wholly good and all-powerful when there is so much suffering and evil in our experience of creation? What do we do when the truths of our traditional faith seem incompatible with those of contemporary scientific fact? This course explores the various ways in which major thinkers have resolved the problems reason has posed to Christian belief-systems, particularly in modern and contemporary times. After a brief historical survey of the faith and reason problematic in the history of Christian thought, we will engage the works of selected modern and contemporary thinkers on this topic.
PHRE 382 Philosophy of Mathematics as taught by Stephen Pollard
What are mathematical objects (functions, sets, algebraic structures, etc.)? Are mathematical objects products of human mental activity, or do they exist independently of us? Under what conditions are mathematical statements true? Might mathematical statements be neither true nor false? Is mathematics merely a branch of logic? Can any of these questions be answered in a course on the philosophy of mathematics?
PHRE 386 Studies in Philosophy and Religion: Consciousness as taught by David Murphy
Even defining consciousness is a contentious issue, although some see no grave problem. What connections are there between contemporary debates concerning consciousness and historical (and continuing) debates— e.g., concerning the soul and the self? How much can cross-cultural dialogue contribute concerning consciousness? Is consciousness unified or plural?
David Chalmers asserts that the “hard” problem of consciousness is distinct from “easy” problems. After identifying the hard problem, we shall discuss whether it is as intractable as some contend. This issue should serve as a useful point of entry to contemporary discussions of consciousness.
PHRE 441 The Hebrew Scriptures: Story and Faith as taught by Mark Appold
The study of the theological, historical, and archeological dimensions of the texts of the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) provides a comprehensive entry into the story of ancient Israel from primal history, the exodus and the confederacy through the period of the monarchies, the captivity and the return. The complex web of traditions and conflicts intertwined with the religious, political, and social conditions of the day is traced in the light of the interaction between faith and history, the underlying meaning of the texts, and the critique of contemporary as well as earlier biblical scholarship.
ES 214 Elementary Ballet as taught by Patricia Burton
This traditional ballet technique course is designed for all fitness levels and requires no background in dance. Special attention will be paid to alignment, appropriate adult flexibility, core strength, balanced leg strength, and foot articulation while moving to music from Purcell to Prokofiev. In addition to learning ballet terminology and basic Cecchetti technique, students will be given the opportunity to study, analyze, or create choreography.
