Course Syllabus

Santa Ana College

The mission of Santa Ana College is to inspire, transform, and empower a diverse community of learners

Philosophy 112: World Religions

Section Information

Fall 2019

Section Number: 71191

Meeting Times: TR 10:20am-11:45 am

Meeting Location: D-102

Instructor’s Office: D-415 

Instructor Information

Instructor: Carlos Brocatto

Email: brocatto_carlos@sac.edu

Office Hours: M 12:30-1:30pm;

T 12-2pm; W 12:30-1:30pm & 5-6pm;

Office Phone: (714) 564-6536

Course Description

A philosophical overview of the world's great religions. Includes historical origin and growth of each religion, major doctrines, and influence. Religions dealt with include Primitive, Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Course Overview

This course is designed as a basic introduction to the study of several of the world’s major religions by way of close examination of some important texts, concepts, and historical developments in their traditions. Although not designed as a comprehensive account of the religions we will survey, this course will focus on developing the necessary skills required for understanding common thematic elements in the religions explored. That said, we will also learn to reject tendencies toward oversimplification and recognize complexity as an invitation to thoughtful and creative exploration. This calls for careful analysis of the elements and structure of our subject matter by way of research through close engagement with course materials.

This course requires students to: 1) read, and reread as needed; 2) engage in focused, informed, and respectful in-class discussion founded on information gained through our reading; and 3) write analytical term papers and online discussion essays informed by our reading and in-class discussions.

Course Materials (C) = Available on Canvas

1. Robert E. Van Voorst, Anthology of World Scriptures 6^th (C) or 9^th Boston: Cengage, 2016.
2. Reza Aslan, No god but god: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam, New York: Random House, 2010. 
3. Karen Armstrong, The Case for God, New York: Anchor Press. 2010.

Additional course materials will be available on Canvas.

Short Films: Scenes from Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2010); Islam and the future of Tolerance (2018); Footprint of the Buddha (1977); Sacred Trances of Java and Bali (1976); The Burning Times (1990)

Student Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:

• Identify concepts, traditions, and historical developments pertaining to several major world religions.
• Analyze differences and similarities, including cases of interconnectedness and exclusivity, amongst the world’s major religions.
• Synthesize course-related material to evaluate the historical development of contemporary issues various religious communities face.
• Write effective essays that demonstrate knowledge of the course material related to the essay thesis and that analyze the material in a clear, systematic, original, thoughtful, and well-developed manner.

Grades, Assignments, and Policies

Course Points 

Exams (2)                                             40                   

Course Project                                 10                   

Homework (6)                                   30

Participation/Reading Notes   20

Possible Course Points               100

Grading Scale

A         90 - 100 points

B         80 - 89   points

C         70 - 79   points

D         60 - 69   points

F          0 - 59     points

Exams

There will be two exams, a Midterm Exam and a Final Exam. Each exam is in-class, consists entirely of short answer and essay questions, and covers all material worked through by the time of that exam. Comprehensive study questions are given out for each exam and we review extensively in class.

Homework

Homework (HW) consists of six Discussion Board Essay Assignments. All HW is to be typed and in MLA Format. Each post must exceed seven hundred words (not including citation or works cited). Topics will be provided at least one week prior to due dates. Topics cover the reading and lectures and call for a combination of exposition, analysis, coherence, clarity (including grammar/spelling), structure, argumentative strength, and originality. Detailed instruction for these assignments will be provided in class.

Participation, Reading Notes, & Extra Credit

Class participation will be determined by class attendance, discussion raised through careful reading of the material, and by demonstrating careful consideration and respect of various in-class positions and ideas whenever communicating your own. Students may also be asked to submit reading notes for participation credit. All electronic devices are to be off or silenced during class unless otherwise instructed—no exceptions. If in-class quizzes are assigned, they will count toward participation. Up to three classes are excused without penalty. This is meant to eliminate the need for “(un)excused absences” as you will not need to explain to anyone why you have to miss class. This also means you will never be excused for absences for any reason, you are simply asked to plan ahead. Students absent for more than three classes will be ineligible for any extra credit that may be offered and will automatically forfeit all participation points. Students who miss more than four classes may be dropped from the course. Please be on time—two late arrivals or early departures from class sessions will count as a class absence.

Reading Notes should be dated and include topic headings along with page references. They should include notes for all three required texts and include at least two discussion questions per course topics (see the “Reading and Assignment Schedule”). Reading notes for the first half of the course will be due on the day of the Midterm Examination. Reading notes for the second half of the course will be due on the day of the Final Project Presentations. Reading notes are worth 10 points total.

Extra Credit assignments that may be completed throughout the semester officially count toward the final grade once all course assignments listed on the syllabus have been successfully attempted. Work is considered “successfully attempted” when completed and submitted on time.

Late Essays and Make-up Exams

No assignment will be accepted past the due date. No make-up exams will be made available for this class.

Plagiarism and Cheating

Plagiarizing or cheating on any assignment will result in a “0” for that assignment, and possible failure of the course. Anyone caught plagiarizing or cheating may also be subject to college disciplinary sanctions. Further guidelines on plagiarism will be provided in class. See also: https://sac.edu/Library/Pages/Plagiarism.aspx

Students with Disabilities

Your success in this course is important to me. Santa Ana College and I are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all individuals with disabilities. If you have a disability that may have some impact on your ability to do well in this course, I encourage you to speak with me as soon as possible. Also, please contact Disabled Students Programs & Services so that we can all collaborate on your classroom observations in a timely manner. DSP&S is located in VL-203, and their phone number is 714-564-6264. The DSP&S office requires documentation of your disability in order to receive reasonable accommodations. If you do not have documentation, they will work with you to acquire it. I look forward to supporting you to meet your learning goals. It is the disabled student’s responsibility to contact the course instructor at the beginning of the semester to discuss potential plans when classroom evacuations are necessary.

Course Adds and Drops

The deadline to turn in all documents needed to add the course to the Admissions Office is Sunday, 9/8; you cannot enroll in this course for any reason if you miss this deadline. The deadline to drop this course without a “W” on your transcript is Sunday, 9/8; the deadline to drop this course with a “W” on your transcript is Sunday, 11/17. If you miss four or more classes, the instructor has the right to drop you from the course. It is not, however, the instructor’s responsibility to drop you from the course; if you wish to drop, it is your responsibility to do so.

Reading and Assignment Schedule

Weekly topics are in italics while important dates and assignments are indicated in bold type. All assigned reading should be completed prior to the day indicated. Students are also directed to read ahead especially in the case of the Armstrong and Aslan texts which supplement class lectures.

Week 1: Introductions & Vocabulary

Tues., 8/27 – Introductions, Class Syllabus, Religion & Philosophy

Thurs., 8/29 – Voorst Map 1, pp. 1-18; Sacred Trances of Java and Bali (1976)

Week 2: Studying Religions Past and Present

Tues., 9/3 – Armstrong Introduction & pp. 369-77; Levi-Strauss pp. 3-24 (C) – HW1 Available (C)

Thurs., 9/5 – Scenes from Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2010); Armstrong pp. 3-48

Note: Sun., 9/8 is the last day to drop the course with no grade

Week 3: Judaism

Tues., 9/10 – Voorst Maps 6 & 7, pp. 216-25

Thurs., 9/12 – Voorst pp. 229-39 – HW1 Available (C)

Week 4: Judaism & Christianity

Tues., 9/17 – Voorst Map 8, pp. 265-72, 282-92

Thurs., 9/19 – Voorst pp. 296-7, 305-6 – HW1 Due (C)

Week 5: Judaism, Christianity & Islam

Tues., 9/24 – Voorst Maps 9 & 10, pp. 216-25 – HW2 Available (C)

Thurs., 9/26 – Aslan pp. 3-74

Week 6: Islam

Tues., 10/1 – Voorst pp. 309-20, 322, 325-33, Aslan pp. 75-106

Thurs., 10/3 –Voorst pp. 336-51; Aslan pp. 107-39 – HW2 Due (C) 

Week 7: Islam today

Tues., 10/8 – Aslan pp. 140-70 – HW3 Available (C)

Thurs., 10/10 – Aslan pp. 171-219; Islam and the future of Tolerance (2018)

Week 8: Midterm Examination!

Tues., 10/15 – Aslan pp. 220-66; Midterm Exam Review

Thurs., 10/17 – Midterm Exam; Reading Notes Due – HW3 Due (C)

Week 9: Hinduism

Tues., 10/22 – Voorst Map 3, pp. 23-32, 35 – HW4 Available (C)

Thurs., 10/24 – Voorst pp. 37-46, 53-63

Week 10: Jainism

Tues., 10/29 – Voorst pp. 112-22 – Course Project Assigned

Thurs., 10/31 – Hindu Cast System (C)

Week 11: Buddhism

Tues., 11/5 – Voorst Map 2, pp. 68-82; Footprint of the Buddha (1977)  

Thurs., 11/7 – Voorst pp. 82-91, 103-4 – HW4 Due (C)

Week 12: Taoism

Tues., 11/12 – Voorst Map 4, pp. 169-77 – HW5 Available (C)

Thurs., 11/14 – Voorst Map 4, pp. 178-88

Note: Sun., 11/17 is the last day to drop the course with a “W”

Week 13: Confucianism

Tues., 11/19 – Voorst pp. 143-54

Thurs., 11/21 – Voorst pp. 156-60 – HW5 Due (C)

Week 14: Wicca

Tues., 11/26 – The Burning Times (1990) – HW6 Available (C)

Thurs., 11/28 – No Class (Thanksgiving)

Week 15: Reason, Faith and Atheism

Tues., 12/3 – Armstrong pp. 130-58, 235-61Armstrong pp. 262-88

Thurs., 12/5 – Armstrong pp. 289-317 – Projects Due

Week 16: Final Examination!

Tues., 12/10 – Armstrong Epilogue; Final Exam Review

Thurs., 12/12 – Final Exam; Reading Notes Due – HW6 Due (C)

Note: This schedule is tentative and subject to change if classroom circumstances warrant.