Dear Ph 103 N,
Just in case you wish to know, I received your research papers from Dr. Principe. He made good his promise to grade them before handing them over to me. Therefore, all the work you put in for this course found its way into the computation of your grade.
For those who wish to claim their research papers and book reports, please look for me at the Department of Philosophy. I will be around during office hours starting January 6.
Thank you for sticking around until the final leg of the course. Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays to all of you!
Thursday, December 19, 2019
Monday, December 9, 2019
Schedule of exams today
The schedule of oral exams will be posted today outside Faura AVR.
Please be guided accordingly.
Please be guided accordingly.
Thursday, December 5, 2019
Venue of Final Oral examinations
Please note that Faura AVR will be the venue of the final oral examinations for Ph 103 N on Monday, 9 December.
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Some business matters.
Hello Ph103 N
Due to some commitments I already made before taking the class, I will not be able to meet you on the following days:
Friday 29 November
Wednesday 4 December.
Please make good use of your free time.
Today (Wednesday 20 November) we begin Marcel's Metaphysic of Hope. Thus we give ourselves 5 class sessions for this text. This count includes today minus the above dates. Since Friday 6 December is a study day, our session on 2 December will be our final class.
Please start informing yourselves of the schedule of final exams in all of your other courses. Since it is your right as students to have this information weeks before the exam, please vex your other teachers to cough out those schedules so that we could also arrange our final oral exams. In our class on Wednesday 27 November, we shall decide the day of our final exam by a vote. So please know your other exams by then. Sign ups for the exams will take place in class on Monday 2 December.
Please see my earlier post regarding our final oral exams.
Please be guided accordingly. Thank you for your attention.
Due to some commitments I already made before taking the class, I will not be able to meet you on the following days:
Friday 29 November
Wednesday 4 December.
Please make good use of your free time.
Today (Wednesday 20 November) we begin Marcel's Metaphysic of Hope. Thus we give ourselves 5 class sessions for this text. This count includes today minus the above dates. Since Friday 6 December is a study day, our session on 2 December will be our final class.
Please start informing yourselves of the schedule of final exams in all of your other courses. Since it is your right as students to have this information weeks before the exam, please vex your other teachers to cough out those schedules so that we could also arrange our final oral exams. In our class on Wednesday 27 November, we shall decide the day of our final exam by a vote. So please know your other exams by then. Sign ups for the exams will take place in class on Monday 2 December.
Please see my earlier post regarding our final oral exams.
Please be guided accordingly. Thank you for your attention.
Final Oral Exam Guidelines
Preparations for the exam:
1. Revisit the God/Religion question you expressed on your class card at the beginning of the course. You will be allowed to view your class card. Jut approach me about this in the coming days.
2. Construct a mind/concept map with the above question as centerpiece or starting point. The map should be a visual representation of how the course was helpful in facing the question. If the question itself changed as the course unfolded, your map could be a visual representation of that itinerary. Every course content/reading/video/article relevant to your question must also be represented with its proper place of significance on the map.
3. The map could be a hand-made poster. It must be as wide as a regular projector screen. You may use cartolina, manila paper, illustration board, and other materials for the poster. Just bring your poster when you appear for your exam.
4. The map could be digitally made. Please save it under the format *.jpg, *.jpeg, or *.png. DO NOT SAVE THE FILE AS PDF. Use your nickname as filename. Make sure the entire map is intelligible, with words legible when the poster is shown in full screen mode. You will not be allowed to zoom the image in or out during your presentation. Email your digital poster to me before 6am of the day of the exam.
Guidelines for taking the exam itself:
On exam days, a copy of the exam schedule will be posted outside Faura AVR for your reference. If you took a photo of the sign up sheet please do not send it to anyone or post it anywhere. You were allowed to take these snapshots for your own reference only.
Before the start of the exams, all digital posters for the day will have already been downloaded into a dedicated laptop for use for the entire day. Students taking the exams need not bring their laptops or other devices.
Aside from your physical poster, you don't need to bring anything else to the exam. If you made a digital poster, you don't need to bring anything at all. Index cards, outlines, idiot boards, and the like are prohibited.
Students sign up in pairs but will take the exam individually. Every student is expected to stay at the venue for at least 30 minutes. Each one needs 15 minutes to take the exam and must stay for another 15 minutes to witness another student take the exam. This will keep the exam venue a safe place. People who wish to witness the exam will be allowed to do so on condition that they will not disrupt the examinations. The teacher will require any member of the audience to leave the room if their behavior is distracting or disruptive to the exam. A student who wishes to have no audience around during the exam due to the possible confidential nature of his/her God/religion question may politely ask the audience to leave at the beginning of his//her presentation. The audience is requested to comply with the student's request.
Let us be mindful of the time. Your time begins exactly when the timer rings. (NOT after the person before you leaves; NOT when you begin your presentation). Please do not be surprised that the timer is already running as you begin your presentation. This is to make sure that we will have no delays and the last person to take the exam for the day will be able to take it on schedule. If you are next in line, be ready to follow. For those bringing actual posters, feel free to post your work on the board with the tape provided even if someone else is still making a presentation. Just do it as silently and discreetly as possible. You may immediately pull down your physical poster as soon as you are done with the exam.
Begin the presentation by introducing your question then proceed with a walk-through of the map. Make the necessary explanations along the way. I will be asking you questions when the need arises. Since note cards, idiot boards, gadgets, etc are prohibited, use the map itself as your outline or reference.
We will use a tablet timer app to track your time. The screen will be visible to you so you can pace yourself according to the time you have. Please let me know if you would rather not see your remaining time.
If the teacher asks a question, it is to clarify what you have already said or to bring attention to an aspect of your question or topic that you may have neglected.
Sometimes difficult questions are asked to measure whether or not you really deserve a high mark.
Please be at the designated venue and be ready to take the exam 15-20 minutes prior to your time.
If someone does not make it on time, the student next in line is asked to take the exam. It will just be as if the tardy student switches time slots with the next person in line.
1. Revisit the God/Religion question you expressed on your class card at the beginning of the course. You will be allowed to view your class card. Jut approach me about this in the coming days.
2. Construct a mind/concept map with the above question as centerpiece or starting point. The map should be a visual representation of how the course was helpful in facing the question. If the question itself changed as the course unfolded, your map could be a visual representation of that itinerary. Every course content/reading/video/article relevant to your question must also be represented with its proper place of significance on the map.
3. The map could be a hand-made poster. It must be as wide as a regular projector screen. You may use cartolina, manila paper, illustration board, and other materials for the poster. Just bring your poster when you appear for your exam.
4. The map could be digitally made. Please save it under the format *.jpg, *.jpeg, or *.png. DO NOT SAVE THE FILE AS PDF. Use your nickname as filename. Make sure the entire map is intelligible, with words legible when the poster is shown in full screen mode. You will not be allowed to zoom the image in or out during your presentation. Email your digital poster to me before 6am of the day of the exam.
Guidelines for taking the exam itself:
On exam days, a copy of the exam schedule will be posted outside Faura AVR for your reference. If you took a photo of the sign up sheet please do not send it to anyone or post it anywhere. You were allowed to take these snapshots for your own reference only.
Before the start of the exams, all digital posters for the day will have already been downloaded into a dedicated laptop for use for the entire day. Students taking the exams need not bring their laptops or other devices.
Aside from your physical poster, you don't need to bring anything else to the exam. If you made a digital poster, you don't need to bring anything at all. Index cards, outlines, idiot boards, and the like are prohibited.
Students sign up in pairs but will take the exam individually. Every student is expected to stay at the venue for at least 30 minutes. Each one needs 15 minutes to take the exam and must stay for another 15 minutes to witness another student take the exam. This will keep the exam venue a safe place. People who wish to witness the exam will be allowed to do so on condition that they will not disrupt the examinations. The teacher will require any member of the audience to leave the room if their behavior is distracting or disruptive to the exam. A student who wishes to have no audience around during the exam due to the possible confidential nature of his/her God/religion question may politely ask the audience to leave at the beginning of his//her presentation. The audience is requested to comply with the student's request.
Let us be mindful of the time. Your time begins exactly when the timer rings. (NOT after the person before you leaves; NOT when you begin your presentation). Please do not be surprised that the timer is already running as you begin your presentation. This is to make sure that we will have no delays and the last person to take the exam for the day will be able to take it on schedule. If you are next in line, be ready to follow. For those bringing actual posters, feel free to post your work on the board with the tape provided even if someone else is still making a presentation. Just do it as silently and discreetly as possible. You may immediately pull down your physical poster as soon as you are done with the exam.
Begin the presentation by introducing your question then proceed with a walk-through of the map. Make the necessary explanations along the way. I will be asking you questions when the need arises. Since note cards, idiot boards, gadgets, etc are prohibited, use the map itself as your outline or reference.
We will use a tablet timer app to track your time. The screen will be visible to you so you can pace yourself according to the time you have. Please let me know if you would rather not see your remaining time.
If the teacher asks a question, it is to clarify what you have already said or to bring attention to an aspect of your question or topic that you may have neglected.
Sometimes difficult questions are asked to measure whether or not you really deserve a high mark.
Please be at the designated venue and be ready to take the exam 15-20 minutes prior to your time.
If someone does not make it on time, the student next in line is asked to take the exam. It will just be as if the tardy student switches time slots with the next person in line.
You may switch time slots but be sure you have a clear understanding with one another. Telling the teacher about the switch will be appreciated but not necessary.
Friday, October 25, 2019
Guidelines for the book report
For Ph 103 N (1st sem, 2019-2020):
The report must revolve around a question or theme that you found relevant to the novel and to our course. It has to be one question or theme and therefore no subquestions nor subthemes.
The topic may revolve around one particular scene or one particular character or one symbolism or one plot device, etc. In other words, do not give a laundry list of topics you found interesting. Commit to only one topic and focus on that for the whole essay.
Do not give any introductions nor synopses, reviews and others. Assume that your reader is familiar with the novel (I am that reader anyway). Research will not be necessary since it would either distract you with additional information or bombard you with what other people think or saw. Just declare your question or topic and jump into it immediately. The task is best expressed by the Jesuit dictum: Non multum sed multa (Not many but much / Not breadth but depth). Remember, this is not a reaction paper, not a research paper, not a review, but a book report. What is important is what you saw and what you think. Imagine cows chewing the cud: ruminate!
It would be helpful for the sake of clarity to express your main point in the form of a thesis statement. This allows you to focus on your chosen topic and it makes it clear to the reader what your goals and intentions are.
There are three tasks in the report:
1. Identify the problem/ question/ topic and discuss how the novel developed and resolved it.
2. Show how this resonates with the problems or themes we encounter in our Philosophy of Religion class (By way of class discussions and readings)
3. Reflect on how the novel has helped you understand/ face/ resolve the said problem or theme.
Physical Attributes of the Paper:
paper size:A4
margins: 1 inch from every edge
font: times new roman
font size: 12 points
spacing: double spaced throughout
length: three (3) to five (5) pages
printing: one side printing
Begin the paper on the first line of the first page. Titles are not required but if you plan to have one, it must be at the first line of the first page to be followed immediately by the essay.
No dates, sections, names or any marks must be found on the first page. Place your name as author immediately after the last line at the end of your essay.
Regarding the double spaces, the distance between paragraphs must be the same distance between lines in the paragraph. Make sure to reduce to zero the automatic spaces that your word processor may place before or after each paragraph.
The deadline for the book report is Friday, 6 December. Since this is a study day, please drop your report in my mailbox found on the landing of the 2nd floor of Dela Costa Hall. It is one of the higher mailboxes (This has nothing to do with rank. I was given a high mailbox because they said I am taller than most other people in the department. Apologies to those disadvantaged by this.). The deadline only has a date but no time. You may submit so long as the building is open and you can freely walk through the lobby to the second floor.
If you wish to see your work graded before you take the final exams, please submit your work on or before Friday, 29 November.
The report must revolve around a question or theme that you found relevant to the novel and to our course. It has to be one question or theme and therefore no subquestions nor subthemes.
The topic may revolve around one particular scene or one particular character or one symbolism or one plot device, etc. In other words, do not give a laundry list of topics you found interesting. Commit to only one topic and focus on that for the whole essay.
Do not give any introductions nor synopses, reviews and others. Assume that your reader is familiar with the novel (I am that reader anyway). Research will not be necessary since it would either distract you with additional information or bombard you with what other people think or saw. Just declare your question or topic and jump into it immediately. The task is best expressed by the Jesuit dictum: Non multum sed multa (Not many but much / Not breadth but depth). Remember, this is not a reaction paper, not a research paper, not a review, but a book report. What is important is what you saw and what you think. Imagine cows chewing the cud: ruminate!
It would be helpful for the sake of clarity to express your main point in the form of a thesis statement. This allows you to focus on your chosen topic and it makes it clear to the reader what your goals and intentions are.
There are three tasks in the report:
1. Identify the problem/ question/ topic and discuss how the novel developed and resolved it.
2. Show how this resonates with the problems or themes we encounter in our Philosophy of Religion class (By way of class discussions and readings)
3. Reflect on how the novel has helped you understand/ face/ resolve the said problem or theme.
Physical Attributes of the Paper:
paper size:A4
margins: 1 inch from every edge
font: times new roman
font size: 12 points
spacing: double spaced throughout
length: three (3) to five (5) pages
printing: one side printing
Begin the paper on the first line of the first page. Titles are not required but if you plan to have one, it must be at the first line of the first page to be followed immediately by the essay.
No dates, sections, names or any marks must be found on the first page. Place your name as author immediately after the last line at the end of your essay.
Regarding the double spaces, the distance between paragraphs must be the same distance between lines in the paragraph. Make sure to reduce to zero the automatic spaces that your word processor may place before or after each paragraph.
The deadline for the book report is Friday, 6 December. Since this is a study day, please drop your report in my mailbox found on the landing of the 2nd floor of Dela Costa Hall. It is one of the higher mailboxes (This has nothing to do with rank. I was given a high mailbox because they said I am taller than most other people in the department. Apologies to those disadvantaged by this.). The deadline only has a date but no time. You may submit so long as the building is open and you can freely walk through the lobby to the second floor.
If you wish to see your work graded before you take the final exams, please submit your work on or before Friday, 29 November.
Thursday, April 25, 2019
Claiming reflection papers
I apologize to those who have been kept waiting.
Your reflection papers may be claimed at the exam venue any time exams are in session. You need not wait for your turn to take the exam to claim your paper. Just discreetly approach the table in between presentations to ask for your paper.
Thank you for your patience.
See schedule below for your reference:
Thursday 25 April: CTC108 13h00-16h00
Friday 26 April: Faura AVR 08h00-11h00, 13h00-16h00
Monday 29 April: CTC 108 08h00-11h00, 13h00-16h00
Tuesday 30 April: Faber 310 08h00-11h00, 13h00-16h00
Your reflection papers may be claimed at the exam venue any time exams are in session. You need not wait for your turn to take the exam to claim your paper. Just discreetly approach the table in between presentations to ask for your paper.
Thank you for your patience.
See schedule below for your reference:
Thursday 25 April: CTC108 13h00-16h00
Friday 26 April: Faura AVR 08h00-11h00, 13h00-16h00
Monday 29 April: CTC 108 08h00-11h00, 13h00-16h00
Tuesday 30 April: Faber 310 08h00-11h00, 13h00-16h00
Monday, April 8, 2019
Schedule of Finals and sign-ups
Here is the schedule of our final oral examinations:
24 April Wednesday 08h00-11h00 & 13h00-16h00
25 April Thursday 13h00-16h00
26 April Friday 08h00-11h00 & 13h00-16h00
29 April Monday 08h00-11h00 & 13h00-16h00
30 April Tuesday 08h00-11h00 & 13h00-16h00
Based on the schedules you passed, we shall follow the following priority list for signing up.
The following may sign up beginning Wednesday 10 April
(07h30-10h00, 11h00-13h00 at the designated classrooms or 10h00-11h00 at the department)
Sydney, Mavi, Arielle, Kathleen, NicoleM, Antonio, Janine, Reba, Martie, Jeth, Kim, John, Cidy, Tmae, Mark, NicoleG, Martina, Danielle, Mika, Iggy, Lino, SeanC, JP, Katsuya, Patkay, Tisha, Selwyn, Zannz, Johanna.
The following may sign up beginning Thursday 11 April
(08h00-13h00 at the department)
Fm, Nikki, Sherwin, Louise, Poch, Luisa, Nelson, Bea, Marielle, Dianne, Kyle, Angela, Anela, D, Moniq, Won, Alyssa, Marion, Tristan, Nadine, Tif, Gaby, Amber, Kate, Kaira, Oli, Justine.
The following may sign up beginning Friday 12 April
(07h30-10h00, 11h00-13h00 at the designated classrooms or 10h00-11h00 at the department)
Erin, Anna, Gacs, Dylan, Renzo, Luis, Gero, Saab, Joppy, Zach, Rigs, Carms, Tyler, Bianne-tha, Dainty, Andie, Marco, SeanM, Rich, Liane, Nate, K-an, Kristine, Lucas, FrancisDP, Renson, Gus, Rafa, Benz, Raya, Fifi, Emman, James.
Those who did not pass their schedules will also sign up on Friday 12 April.
Please be advised that proxy sign-ups will not be allowed. you will have to sign up for yourself and yourself alone.
Please be guided accordingly.
24 April Wednesday 08h00-11h00 & 13h00-16h00
25 April Thursday 13h00-16h00
26 April Friday 08h00-11h00 & 13h00-16h00
29 April Monday 08h00-11h00 & 13h00-16h00
30 April Tuesday 08h00-11h00 & 13h00-16h00
Based on the schedules you passed, we shall follow the following priority list for signing up.
The following may sign up beginning Wednesday 10 April
(07h30-10h00, 11h00-13h00 at the designated classrooms or 10h00-11h00 at the department)
Sydney, Mavi, Arielle, Kathleen, NicoleM, Antonio, Janine, Reba, Martie, Jeth, Kim, John, Cidy, Tmae, Mark, NicoleG, Martina, Danielle, Mika, Iggy, Lino, SeanC, JP, Katsuya, Patkay, Tisha, Selwyn, Zannz, Johanna.
The following may sign up beginning Thursday 11 April
(08h00-13h00 at the department)
Fm, Nikki, Sherwin, Louise, Poch, Luisa, Nelson, Bea, Marielle, Dianne, Kyle, Angela, Anela, D, Moniq, Won, Alyssa, Marion, Tristan, Nadine, Tif, Gaby, Amber, Kate, Kaira, Oli, Justine.
The following may sign up beginning Friday 12 April
(07h30-10h00, 11h00-13h00 at the designated classrooms or 10h00-11h00 at the department)
Erin, Anna, Gacs, Dylan, Renzo, Luis, Gero, Saab, Joppy, Zach, Rigs, Carms, Tyler, Bianne-tha, Dainty, Andie, Marco, SeanM, Rich, Liane, Nate, K-an, Kristine, Lucas, FrancisDP, Renson, Gus, Rafa, Benz, Raya, Fifi, Emman, James.
Those who did not pass their schedules will also sign up on Friday 12 April.
Please be advised that proxy sign-ups will not be allowed. you will have to sign up for yourself and yourself alone.
Please be guided accordingly.
Monday, April 1, 2019
Questions on LT2 & Consultations today
REGARDING LT2:
Since a few students have asked a question regarding the assigned reading, I believe I should post my answer to those questions here.
Please note that the Second Long Test (LT2) covers all readings and all discussions in class since the First Long Test (LT1). That includes Marcel, Lauer, St. Thomas, and St. Anselm.
The question that will be asked in LT2 will focus on the above while assuming the student's knowledge of the assigned reading. Please see my March 11 post for a list of the assigned readings for each class. If the assigned reading is helpful in tackling the question but the student does not use it, that would be a point against the student. You are not required to run through everything the assigned reading says. Always focus on the question and lift anything useful to tackling it from any reading or class discussion.
Recalling your essays for LT1, here are a few comments to help improve your performance for LT2. Fr. Costan and I noticed that most essays had the necessary details and points for tackling the question. Most essays lack the needed organization of points or clear flow of ideas. Some essays move on too quickly from one point to the next without taking the time to dig deeper and ruminate further on the current point.
REGARDING CONSULTATIONS TODAY:
I regret to inform you that it is report card day today at Ateneo Grade School (AGS) and thus I need to claim my son's report card at 10am today. Those who wish to catch me for consultations today may take either of the following possibilities:
1. Look for me at the second floor of SOM when the bell rings at 09h50 then walk with me to AGS while having the consultation.
2. Look for me at the second floor of Kostka when the bell rings at 12h50 then walk with me to the department while having the consultation.
Please be guided accordingly.
Since a few students have asked a question regarding the assigned reading, I believe I should post my answer to those questions here.
Please note that the Second Long Test (LT2) covers all readings and all discussions in class since the First Long Test (LT1). That includes Marcel, Lauer, St. Thomas, and St. Anselm.
The question that will be asked in LT2 will focus on the above while assuming the student's knowledge of the assigned reading. Please see my March 11 post for a list of the assigned readings for each class. If the assigned reading is helpful in tackling the question but the student does not use it, that would be a point against the student. You are not required to run through everything the assigned reading says. Always focus on the question and lift anything useful to tackling it from any reading or class discussion.
Recalling your essays for LT1, here are a few comments to help improve your performance for LT2. Fr. Costan and I noticed that most essays had the necessary details and points for tackling the question. Most essays lack the needed organization of points or clear flow of ideas. Some essays move on too quickly from one point to the next without taking the time to dig deeper and ruminate further on the current point.
REGARDING CONSULTATIONS TODAY:
I regret to inform you that it is report card day today at Ateneo Grade School (AGS) and thus I need to claim my son's report card at 10am today. Those who wish to catch me for consultations today may take either of the following possibilities:
1. Look for me at the second floor of SOM when the bell rings at 09h50 then walk with me to AGS while having the consultation.
2. Look for me at the second floor of Kostka when the bell rings at 12h50 then walk with me to the department while having the consultation.
Please be guided accordingly.
Friday, March 29, 2019
LT2 at SOM 111
Please be advised that our second long test (LT2) will take place on
Wednesday
3 April 2019
SOM 111 (Ching Tan Room)
08h00-10h20 first batch
10h30-12h50 second batch
The same instructions, rules and regulations apply as the first long test
Please be guided accordingly.
Wednesday
3 April 2019
SOM 111 (Ching Tan Room)
08h00-10h20 first batch
10h30-12h50 second batch
The same instructions, rules and regulations apply as the first long test
Please be guided accordingly.
Introduction to Anselm's Proslogion Part 1 of 3
Let us look at the Preface of the Proslogion to create an outline of the text and to set its expected outcomes.
For one thing, Anselm is a very clear writer in that he tells us what he plans to do and then he goes on to do it.
He begins by telling us about a previous work. This is his Monologion, i.e. a soliloquy. It is composed of a series of arguments to prove God's existence. In the present text (Proslogion) he proffers an attempt to use a single consideration (Latin: unum argumentum) to prove God's existence.
He confidently asserts he could hit not only two, but three birds with one stone. His unum argumentum stands by itself. It needs no preliminary support for it to stand. and this unum argumentum will be enough to prove three things:
1. God truly (i.e. really) exists (Latin: Deus est). This is his concern for chapters 1-4. Much like St. Thomas Aquinas 200 years later, he begins with the most fundamental question: the question of God's existence.
2. God is the Supreme Good (Latin: Summum Bonum), needing no one else, yet needed by all else in order to fare well. This is his concern for chapters 5-14. Here he talks about how God is the source of all other things, reflecting on the relationship between God as Summum Bonum and creatures as participants in God's goodness and existence.
3. God is whatever else we believe about the Divina Substantia. This is his concern for chapters 15 to 26. Another way of stating this objective is, he wants to make sure that we are not deceived by what we think we know about God. In other words, what we know about God points to what God really is.
These three expected outcomes express a progression. First we will tackle whether God exists, then we investigate God's relationship to creatures and finally to what God really is qua God.
For one thing, Anselm is a very clear writer in that he tells us what he plans to do and then he goes on to do it.
He begins by telling us about a previous work. This is his Monologion, i.e. a soliloquy. It is composed of a series of arguments to prove God's existence. In the present text (Proslogion) he proffers an attempt to use a single consideration (Latin: unum argumentum) to prove God's existence.
He confidently asserts he could hit not only two, but three birds with one stone. His unum argumentum stands by itself. It needs no preliminary support for it to stand. and this unum argumentum will be enough to prove three things:
1. God truly (i.e. really) exists (Latin: Deus est). This is his concern for chapters 1-4. Much like St. Thomas Aquinas 200 years later, he begins with the most fundamental question: the question of God's existence.
2. God is the Supreme Good (Latin: Summum Bonum), needing no one else, yet needed by all else in order to fare well. This is his concern for chapters 5-14. Here he talks about how God is the source of all other things, reflecting on the relationship between God as Summum Bonum and creatures as participants in God's goodness and existence.
3. God is whatever else we believe about the Divina Substantia. This is his concern for chapters 15 to 26. Another way of stating this objective is, he wants to make sure that we are not deceived by what we think we know about God. In other words, what we know about God points to what God really is.
These three expected outcomes express a progression. First we will tackle whether God exists, then we investigate God's relationship to creatures and finally to what God really is qua God.
Thursday, March 28, 2019
Introduction to Anselm's Proslogion Part 2 of 3
Regarding Chapter 1
In the first chapter, Anselm paints a very bleak and wretched human condition. Humanity exists in darkness and sin. This state of great supplication leads humanity to seek for God. But God seems nowhere to be found especially since God seems to exist in glory and inaccessible light. This search for God seems futile.
Anselm uses images familiar to medieval western Christendom, like the idea of exile from God's presence expressed in Genesis as the fall of humanity through the sin of Adam and Eve. And it seems that the human condition is also worsened by this knowledge of exile and fall from grace.
Be that as it may, chapter 1 is still relevant to a secular 21st century global society. We still live in a bleak and wretched condition tainted by war, violence, division, forced migration, economic instability, broken relationships, broken societies, and so on. Where lies the hope of the human race? We may have emerged out of the middle ages but things have not changed much.
Within the darkness and the seeming silence, Anselm still utters his prayer: "Speak now, my whole heart; speak now to God: I seek your countenance; your countenance, O lord, do I seek." Where does his confidence come from?
Implicit in the text is an intuition. Let us try to bring that intuition out by reflecting on the act of searching.
When I am on a quest, at the very least, I have an idea about what I am looking for and where I may perchance find it. Negatively stated, I would never look for something I am totally ignorant of (thus the saying: "we never know what we miss"). Neither would I look for it in random places nor in the least likely places where it could be.
The same could be said about questions (Ever wonder why "quest" and "question" have the same Latin root word?): we never ask from total ignorance. Fr. Ferriols wrote somewhere: If you ask a question, you have a known and an unknown and you know that you do not know. For example, when I ask someone what time a bus will leave, I know that there is such a thing as time, there is a bus that has a schedule, the bus leaves the terminal at a particular time, the person I ask may know the answer to my question, I trust that that person will not deceive me, and so on and so forth. I will be totally bewildered if i get responses like: "There is no such thing as time," or "What bus?", or "Who said anything about leaving? That bus is permanently parked there!"
Now let us express Anselm's intuition. He intuits that if I am searching for God, then I must have a hidden knowledge of God. Where is that hidden knowledge from? Most probably from the fact that God has revealed or is revealing God to me but I don't see it completely or I don't see it at all. But it must be there. This insight somehow completes the circle. If I am questing for God, then maybe it is because God is revealing God to me. This intuition gives Anselm the confidence to utter his prayer of supplication.
Now someone might ask: If he already has an intuition of God's existence, why must he still set out to prove God's existence? Doesn't that make all this at least redundant and at most superfluous?
My answer: intuition is different from reason. Thus Anselm sees the necessity of the task. He seems to ask himself whether or not he could rationally prove what he mysteriously intuits.
This then brings us to chapter two of the Proslogion.
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
Introduction to Anselm's Proslogion Part 3 of 3
On the names of God
Anselm employs many different names for God in the text. It is important to be conscious of the distinctions among them. First let us group them according to type.
I. Common names
e.g. Deus (God) and Dominus (Lord)
II. Philosophical names.
There are three. Each shall be revealed as we read along the text.
III. Theological names.
e.g. Father, Son, Holy Spirit (Christian), YHWH (Jewish), Allah (Muslim).
The common name comes from the language of everyday expressions, sacred scripture, liturgy etc. It does not refer to any religious tradition. Regardless of religion, this is the name a believer uses to refer to the object of belief. Even non-believers use this name to refer to that, which as far as they are concerned, does not exist. To use pharmaceutical language, it is a generic name.
The theological name comes from how God is revealed to humanity. In a way, it is a name with a face. It already expresses a particular relationship with God and refers back to a particular religious tradition.
The philosophical name comes from how human rationality contemplates God. It is not found in any religious text and believers do not utter it in prayer. The three names we shall hear are all original to Anselm. Take note that the basis of the name is human reason because that is the playing field of philosophy.
In his proof, Anselm cannot use the common names because we may not have the same thing in mind when we say "Lord" or " God." Neither can he use theological names in the proof because philosophy cannot and must not base its assertions on divine revelation.
A final note on names: obviously, and everybody knows that names refer to the named. But what we often take for granted is the fact that the names also refer back to the dubber of the name. The name expresses a particular relationship between the dubber and the named. Different names may refer to the same object of naming but each name demonstrates a particular relationship or context. Take Pope Francis for example. Francis is his official name as bishop of Rome and pontifex maximus of the catholic Church. This is the name history will remember him by. The title "His holiness" is used in deference to his holy office. Jorge Mario Bergoglio is his name as an original citizen of Argentina. This name refers to him in official records of the government, the school he went to, and so on. Wouldn't it be funny if his Argentine passport names him as Pope Francis? The registrars of the schools he went to need not go into the trouble of changing his name in the records. And finally, to his close friends and family he could be Jorge, Mario, or some nickname we may never know.
In Anselm's Proslogion, it is important to be conscious of the name he uses for God in particular sections of the text as a key to understanding what he is trying to do in these particular sections.
And so thanks for taking the time to read these notes. Have fun reading chapter two and three of the Proslogion. I assure you, it will be challenging.
Anselm employs many different names for God in the text. It is important to be conscious of the distinctions among them. First let us group them according to type.
I. Common names
e.g. Deus (God) and Dominus (Lord)
II. Philosophical names.
There are three. Each shall be revealed as we read along the text.
III. Theological names.
e.g. Father, Son, Holy Spirit (Christian), YHWH (Jewish), Allah (Muslim).
The common name comes from the language of everyday expressions, sacred scripture, liturgy etc. It does not refer to any religious tradition. Regardless of religion, this is the name a believer uses to refer to the object of belief. Even non-believers use this name to refer to that, which as far as they are concerned, does not exist. To use pharmaceutical language, it is a generic name.
The theological name comes from how God is revealed to humanity. In a way, it is a name with a face. It already expresses a particular relationship with God and refers back to a particular religious tradition.
The philosophical name comes from how human rationality contemplates God. It is not found in any religious text and believers do not utter it in prayer. The three names we shall hear are all original to Anselm. Take note that the basis of the name is human reason because that is the playing field of philosophy.
In his proof, Anselm cannot use the common names because we may not have the same thing in mind when we say "Lord" or " God." Neither can he use theological names in the proof because philosophy cannot and must not base its assertions on divine revelation.
A final note on names: obviously, and everybody knows that names refer to the named. But what we often take for granted is the fact that the names also refer back to the dubber of the name. The name expresses a particular relationship between the dubber and the named. Different names may refer to the same object of naming but each name demonstrates a particular relationship or context. Take Pope Francis for example. Francis is his official name as bishop of Rome and pontifex maximus of the catholic Church. This is the name history will remember him by. The title "His holiness" is used in deference to his holy office. Jorge Mario Bergoglio is his name as an original citizen of Argentina. This name refers to him in official records of the government, the school he went to, and so on. Wouldn't it be funny if his Argentine passport names him as Pope Francis? The registrars of the schools he went to need not go into the trouble of changing his name in the records. And finally, to his close friends and family he could be Jorge, Mario, or some nickname we may never know.
In Anselm's Proslogion, it is important to be conscious of the name he uses for God in particular sections of the text as a key to understanding what he is trying to do in these particular sections.
And so thanks for taking the time to read these notes. Have fun reading chapter two and three of the Proslogion. I assure you, it will be challenging.
Monday, March 11, 2019
Class on Wednesday at FAVR
Please note that our class session on Wednesday, 13 March will take place at FAVR.
Reading Assignments for the Second Long Test
As part of our preparation for the Second Long Test on 3 April, I would like to announce the reading assignments for each section. The texts are identified in the syllabus as related material for the second long test. Each student is required to read the assigned text to her section. The beadles have drawn lots to arrive at the following assignments:
Ph 103 T (8-9am) McCloskey: God And Evil
Ph 103 R (9-10am) Dawkins: Why There Almost Certainly Is No God
Ph 103 S (11am-12pm) Manoussakis: God in the Mind?
The question that will be asked for each class during the exam will assume knowledge of the text assigned to the class. This is our way of practicing student centered learning. Thus we shall not discuss any of these materials in class or during consultations. However, you may discuss the text as a group if you study together.
Copies of the texts are available at ISO Blessings.
Please be guided accordingly.
Ph 103 T (8-9am) McCloskey: God And Evil
Ph 103 R (9-10am) Dawkins: Why There Almost Certainly Is No God
Ph 103 S (11am-12pm) Manoussakis: God in the Mind?
Ph 103 EE (12-1pm) Ferriols: Isip, Malay, at Kaloobang Tao
The question that will be asked for each class during the exam will assume knowledge of the text assigned to the class. This is our way of practicing student centered learning. Thus we shall not discuss any of these materials in class or during consultations. However, you may discuss the text as a group if you study together.
Copies of the texts are available at ISO Blessings.
Please be guided accordingly.
Monday, February 11, 2019
First Long Test at Escaler Hall
Please note the venue and time of our first long test:
Escaler Hall
08h00-10h20
10h30-12h50
Monday
February 18, 2019
Each student has the option to take the exam on any of the two stipulated time slots. You may come in at any time within any of the given time slots but please note that all students taking the first session must submit their bluebook before or at 10h20 and the students in the second session must submit theirs before or at 12h50. Please make sure to attend to your washroom requirements before entering the hall. You will only be permitted to enter the hall once, take the exam and submit your bluebook before you exit
To keep the hall conducive to the exam, the first ones to arrive at the hall will be required to take the frontmost seats so that students arriving later will take the seats behind them and so on. This will minimize disturbances.
Since you are submitting bluebooks on the week before the exam, you need not bring anything to the venue save for your writing implements. All bags including gadgets, laptops, cellphones and the like will be deposited at the front of the hall.
You will be given one question and will be required to write one essay in response to the question. The limit of the essay would be the length of one blue book. Please stand by for more instructions in the coming days.
Thank you for your attention.
Escaler Hall
08h00-10h20
10h30-12h50
Monday
February 18, 2019
Each student has the option to take the exam on any of the two stipulated time slots. You may come in at any time within any of the given time slots but please note that all students taking the first session must submit their bluebook before or at 10h20 and the students in the second session must submit theirs before or at 12h50. Please make sure to attend to your washroom requirements before entering the hall. You will only be permitted to enter the hall once, take the exam and submit your bluebook before you exit
To keep the hall conducive to the exam, the first ones to arrive at the hall will be required to take the frontmost seats so that students arriving later will take the seats behind them and so on. This will minimize disturbances.
Since you are submitting bluebooks on the week before the exam, you need not bring anything to the venue save for your writing implements. All bags including gadgets, laptops, cellphones and the like will be deposited at the front of the hall.
You will be given one question and will be required to write one essay in response to the question. The limit of the essay would be the length of one blue book. Please stand by for more instructions in the coming days.
Thank you for your attention.
Thursday, February 7, 2019
Revised Syllabus and submission of blue books
A revised version of our syllabus is now available on AISIS. Please download this version to be updated with the following new information:
1. Fr. Costan's email address. Students making digital posters for the finals must attach them in jpeg format in an email to Fr. Costan and to me (see details in the section on class policies).
2. The list of suggested readings is now in table form containing information as to which of these readings are related to which class requirement.
3. Added new suggested reading (The Idea of the Holy) with an entry in the bibliography.
The suggested readings are already available at Blessings in ISO.
All students are required to submit two (2) blue books from Monday to Friday, 11-15 February. Please write your name on the space provided at the front page of each blue book. As usual, you may submit as you attend class on that week or drop them in the mailbox. Please comply promptly since our first long test will be on Monday, 18 February.
Thank you and see you on our next class.
1. Fr. Costan's email address. Students making digital posters for the finals must attach them in jpeg format in an email to Fr. Costan and to me (see details in the section on class policies).
2. The list of suggested readings is now in table form containing information as to which of these readings are related to which class requirement.
3. Added new suggested reading (The Idea of the Holy) with an entry in the bibliography.
The suggested readings are already available at Blessings in ISO.
All students are required to submit two (2) blue books from Monday to Friday, 11-15 February. Please write your name on the space provided at the front page of each blue book. As usual, you may submit as you attend class on that week or drop them in the mailbox. Please comply promptly since our first long test will be on Monday, 18 February.
Thank you and see you on our next class.
Monday, January 21, 2019
On the God/Religion Essay
First of all, welcome to Philosophy of Religion.
It is a pleasure meeting you today. Thank you for asking the questions, making the classcards and signing the conforme slip.
Let me elaborate here on your assignment for Monday, 28 January: the My God/Religion Question essay.
Format: The essay may be handwritten on size one paper (intermediate pad) or electronically encoded (do people still say typewritten these days?) and printed on A4 paper. The essay must fit the front side of the paper. The size of the handwriting or font and the measurement of the margins will be up to you.
The essay is a short exposition of your God/Religion question. So you are now attending Philosophy of Religion. What question or concern are you bringing into the class? Identify and try to give that question a name. Express that in the essay and give explanations and descriptions as to how, or why it has become relevant to you.
If you are not sure if your topic is a viable topic, refer to the course description and the expected outcomes on our syllabus. That could give you a fair idea as to what the course is about and where it plans to lead you. See if your topic resonates with what is expressed there.
As I said in class, the essay could take a personal tone (philosophy, God, or religion almost cannot not be personal). I give you the assurance that your privacy will be respected and protected. No third party will have access to your essay. It could also be intellectual in that it springs from a curiosity or interest. It could also be related to your field of study be it sociology, psychology or physics. All I ask is for you to be honest: what is your concern or question? The course might be most fruitful if you are willing to admit/identify it and face it this semester.
If it helps, let me use terms familiar to scientific journals: you could think of the essay as a statement of the problem. Thus you are not asked to give a resolution or answer. The task is to identify the problem and show why it is relevant and worthy of philosophical rumination.
Please email me if you have other concerns and clarifications. Happy writing and see you on our next class.
It is a pleasure meeting you today. Thank you for asking the questions, making the classcards and signing the conforme slip.
Let me elaborate here on your assignment for Monday, 28 January: the My God/Religion Question essay.
Format: The essay may be handwritten on size one paper (intermediate pad) or electronically encoded (do people still say typewritten these days?) and printed on A4 paper. The essay must fit the front side of the paper. The size of the handwriting or font and the measurement of the margins will be up to you.
The essay is a short exposition of your God/Religion question. So you are now attending Philosophy of Religion. What question or concern are you bringing into the class? Identify and try to give that question a name. Express that in the essay and give explanations and descriptions as to how, or why it has become relevant to you.
If you are not sure if your topic is a viable topic, refer to the course description and the expected outcomes on our syllabus. That could give you a fair idea as to what the course is about and where it plans to lead you. See if your topic resonates with what is expressed there.
As I said in class, the essay could take a personal tone (philosophy, God, or religion almost cannot not be personal). I give you the assurance that your privacy will be respected and protected. No third party will have access to your essay. It could also be intellectual in that it springs from a curiosity or interest. It could also be related to your field of study be it sociology, psychology or physics. All I ask is for you to be honest: what is your concern or question? The course might be most fruitful if you are willing to admit/identify it and face it this semester.
If it helps, let me use terms familiar to scientific journals: you could think of the essay as a statement of the problem. Thus you are not asked to give a resolution or answer. The task is to identify the problem and show why it is relevant and worthy of philosophical rumination.
Please email me if you have other concerns and clarifications. Happy writing and see you on our next class.
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