HONORS 110-301/ Fall 2007/ Dr. Bill McCarthy
“I Cannot Tell a Lie”: Self-knowledge and confession
This class will explore the quest for—and question of—meaningful truth and its significance in religious, judicial, psychological and public confessions throughout history and the present. Truth and honesty, and the uses of confession in religious, judiciary, psychological and popular traditions will be the focus of our reading and discussion.
office: 226 Morton; 962-3313
Course Description:
Welcome to the Honors Freshman Seminar!
In this class, you will have the chance to discuss the nature of knowledge, the life of the mind, the concept of a university, and how a university education changes individuals and affects the future. The class is designed to introduce honors students to the college experience by direct involvement in scholarship, service and leadership activities. This class will include guest speakers, workshops/ field experiences, collaborative learning and independent scholarship. There will be an emphasis on discussion and there are required student projects.
You will be spending about four years (or more if you decide to go to graduate school here) in this particular institutional setting. Like any other aspect of the social world, it is to your advantage to understand the institutional settings you are in and how they work. College is a major part of your life history and this course will help you get the most out that experience. In addition, an important component of the Honors experience is the development of community through academic, cultural, and service events. Thus, as part of this seminar, you are expected to participate in on- or off-campus experiences related to this.
Catalog Description: Introduces the honors student to the college experience by direct involvement in research, service and leadership activities. The nature of knowledge; the concept of a university; how a university education changes individuals and affects the future. Includes field experiences, collaborative learning and independent scholarship. Emphasis on discussion; required student projects.
Course Readings:
S. Bernstein, “Getting it done: notes on student fritters”
Tina Besley, “Self-denial or self-mastery?”
Rosemary DiPaolo, biography and curriculum vitae
Gunnar Fox, Kick Ass in College
Nancy Gibbs, “The Confession Procession”
Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner
Tracy Kidder, Mountains Beyond Mountains
Paul Loeb, the Soul of a Citizen
Andrea Lunsford, et. al. Everything is an Argument
James Martin, “Bless Me Father”
Daily New York Times
Jennifer Nichols, “Getting Time on Your Side”
Albert Schweitzer, On the Edge of the Primeval Forest
Jane Tompkins, A Life in School
Lynda Tredway, “Socratic Seminars”
UNCW Faculty Panel “I Cannot Tell Lie”
Web sites about confession
Additional short readings tba
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Course Calendar: (revised August 28)
Week I.
Thurs Aug 23 Meet in MO 100 Introduction to Course
Get-to-know-you.
Introduce News Survey
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Week II.
Tues Aug 28
1. Get a journal. Begin writing about your experiences this first week of college.
2. Review your instructor’s syllabus for your section. http://www.uncw.edu/honors/Honors_Courses.htm Think about the workshops you will select.
3. Review Dr. DePaolo's vita on the UNCW web page http://www.uncw.edu/chancellor/biography.html , and bring in 2 written questions to ask her.
4. Prepare a 4 slide (max!) powerpoint about yourself--- one that will introduce you to your instructor, links, and classmates. Bring in the powerpoint on a flash drive or CD. Or email the powerpoint to your instructor before class. Details. http://www.uncw.edu/honors/Honors_Courses.htm
5. Complete your New York Times subscription form at the bookstore. This is one of your "textbooks" for this class. Sit down and read the NYT...
6. Take the news survey at: http://www.uncw.edu/honors/honors110/survey.html and email your instructor when you have done it.
Thurs Aug 30 Meet in MO 100 Chancellor DePaolo
Review Chancellor’s biography and cv.
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Week III.
Tues, Sept 04 What is a seminar? Read Lunsford, et. al., “Everything is an Argument” and
Meet in CA 2005 “Fallacies of Argument”. E-reserve. Write a reaction.
Lynda Tredway, Socratic Seminars
Thurs, Sept 06 Time Management Read Fox, Kick Ass in College, ch 9: “Time Management”; E-reserve
Meet in CA 2005 J Nichols, “Get Time on Your Side”; E-reserve
S Bernstein, “Getting it Done: Notes on Student
Fritters” E-reserve
Bring in 5 typed discussion questions.
Journal entry: What is your relationship with time? Is it
your enemy? Do you procrastinate? Why or why
not? Can you think of a time when "getting it done"
really paid off? When "Putting it off" really hurt
you? What time-management strategies have
worked for you? How is your daily schedule in
college different from what you are used to? How
will you use your awareness of your own energy
cycle to set a study schedule?
Time Diary: Keep a detailed record of activities.
Begin today for ten days.
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Week IV.
Tuesday, Sept 11 Location TBA Workshops
Thursday, Sept 13 Location TBA Workshops
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Week V.
Tuesday Sept 18 History of the University Read Tompkins, “Ash Wednesday”, “the Day I Walked
Meet in CA 2005 Out of Class”, “The Cloister and the Heart”; (chs
9, 10 & 18 of A Life in School); E-reserve
Bring in 3 thoughtful questions for each reading.
Journal entry: What did you think of Tompkins’ class—
teacher, students, syllabus? Do you hope to have
a similar class in college? Why/why not?
Thursday, Sept 20 Location TBA Workshop presentations
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Week VI.
Tuesday Sept 25 Theme Day What is Truth?: The value of truth
Meet in CA 2005 "What is truth?" --UNCW faculty panel
Truth (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)
Thursday Sept 27 Meet in CA 2005 Dream Job Presentations
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Week VII.
Tuesday, Oct 02 Meet in CA 2005 Dream Job Presentations
Thursday, Oct 04 Meet in CA 2005 Dream Job Presentations
Cultural/Service reactions due
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Week VIII
Tuesday, Oct 09 Fall Break
Lyceum to Washington DC
Thursday, Oct 11 Schedule Advising Review Student handbook.
Meet in MO 100 Dream Job papers due.
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Week IX.
Tuesday, Oct 16 Theme Day Seeking truth & selfAwareness
Meet in CA 2005 Truth-seeking: science
Famous Self-Awareness Quotes - thinkarete
Daniel Goleman, Emotional Intelligence, ch 4 “Know thyself” E-reserve
Thursday, Oct 18 Hosseini discussion Read Hosseini, Kite Runner, first half .
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Week X.
Tuesday, Oct 23 Kidder discussion Read Kidder, Mountains Beyond Mountains, entire.
Meet in CA 2005 Turn in 2-page formal response to a chapter or event in the
book that affected you.
Thursday, Oct 25 Kidder discussion Large group discussion of Kidder.
Meet in MO 100
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Week XI.
Tuesday, Oct 30 Meet a professor [Meinhold]
Meet MO 100
Thursday, Nov 01 Study Abroad [DiPuccio] Bring two typed questions to pose to speaker.
Meet in MO 100
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Week XII.
Tuesday, Nov 06 Civic Engagement Read Loeb, Soul of a Citizen, chs 1 & 5. E-reserve.
Thursday, Nov 08 Civic engagement
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Week XIII.
Tuesday, Nov 13 Introduction Schweitzer Read Schweitzer, On the Edge of the Primeval Forest, 1-29.
Turn in formal response to Schweitzer text and to one
internet site about Schweitzer.
Thursday, Nov 15 MO 100 Schweitzer Award
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Week XIV.
Tuesday, Nov 20 Theme Day Confession: Religious and Judicial
Thursday, Nov 22 Holiday, Thanksgiving
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Week XV.
Tuesday, Nov 27 Theme Day PSYCHOLOGICAL CONFESSION
Read Hosseini, 2d ½
addl readings tba
Thursday, Nov 29 Theme Day Public Confession: The Confessional Age
James Martin, "Bless Me Father"
Tina Besley, "Self-Denial or Self-Mastery?"
Nancy Gibbs, "The Confession Procession"
group hug // anonymous online confessions
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Week XVI.
Tuesday, Dec 04 Theme Day/Wrap up Final paper due
Final cultural/service reactions due
Thursday, Dec 06 Final Exam Gala Attendance is required.
Madeline Suite. 9:00-11:00
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