Religious Studies Undergraduate Course Descriptions
Fall Quarter
| Dept | Course No and Title | Instructor |
|---|---|---|
| REL STD (F24) | 5C RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE | MCKENNA, J. |
| G.E. class and one of three main courses in UCI's world religions series. Two hundred students. No prerequisites. Lots of discussion on ten provocative topics in religion, a different topic for every week in the term. The course is event-oriented and requires attendance for all sessions. Absences are discouraged and penalized. Since the word ‘dialogue’ appears in the title of the class and the word ‘discussion’ is appears in discussion section—you’ll be expected to speak and to listen when others speak. Here’s the method: Every Tuesday there’ll be a detailed lecture introducing a new provocative topic. Then every Wednesday there’ll be small-group discussions on the topic with your TA. Then every Thursday there’ll be full-class discussions on the topic in the lecture hall with many student volunteers going on stage to speak and receive questions from the audience. And so it will go each week, with a new topic introduced each Tuesday. No topic is ever settled or resolved, and there is much disagreement among students. We must learn to manage permanent tensions that exist on matters of religion. Though everyone is asked to speak with absolute candor, it will be our policy to attempt civil, amicable exchanges. Course work is as follows: Tuesdays: weekly short readings from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (via links; no books to purchase) and weekly short written summaries of those readings; Wednesdays: weekly short essays on 'thought questions’ pertaining to the week’s topic; Thursdays: weekly short essays concerning some aspect of the previous Tuesday lecture. No tests. Same as HIST 16C. (GE: IV, VIII) | ||
| REL STD (F24) | 120 JAIN HIS PHIL ETHIC | DONALDSON, B. |
| Emphasis/Category: World Religious Traditions (Category 1) The Jain Tradition is a small but influential Indic tradition centered on nonharm to multiple life forms, the cultivation of multiple perspectives, and practices of non-attachment. In this class, we will rely on the methods of history, philosophy, and ethnography to explore Jainism in relation to its historic and textual development, arguments with rivals about what is “real,” and its multiple ethical practices related to food, human-animal-plant relations, war, tolerance, among others. We will also consider the Jain tradition’s relevance to current planetary and social issues. | ||
| REL STD (F24) | 150 RELIGION:LATIN AMER | DUNCAN, R. |
| No detailed description available. | ||
| REL STD (F24) | 175 MEDICAL ETHICS | DONALDSON, B. |
| Analysis of moral issues concerning health care. Topics may include just allocation of scarce medical resources, the doctor/patient relationship, genetic engineering, surrogate motherhood, abortion, euthanasia, or social policy concerning AIDS. Same as PHILOS 131C. | ||
| REL STD (F24) | 199 INDEPENDENT STUDY | STAFF |
| No detailed description available. | ||
