Course Description: An interdisciplinary course examining the worldviews, trends, and problems of twentieth-century Western humankind. A Christian worldview and secular thought will be contrasted in several areas, including science and modern literature.
Course Schedule
| Date | topic | Due: |
| 1.10 | Why Take this Class?: Loving Wisdom | |
| 1.12 | Getting to Know One Another | |
| 1.15 | OFF: MLK Day | |
| 1.17 | Syllabus and Worldview Intro | Ferry, Ch.1 |
| 1.19 | Pre-Modern and Greek Philosophy | Ferry, Ch.2 |
| 1.22 | The Triumph of the Christian | Ferry, Ch. 3 |
| 1.24 | Christian Art: Grace and Nature | |
| 1.26 | Hard Times: Modernism and Humanism | Ferry, Ch. 4 |
| 1.29 | Modernism: Primary Sources | John Stuart Mill, Liberty and Utilitarianism Immanuel Kant, What is Enlightenment? |
| 1.31 | Changes | Wilson, Ch. 1-2 |
| 2.2 | Western | Wilson, Ch. 3 |
| 2.5 | Educated | Wilson, Ch. 5 |
| 2.7 | Industrialized | Wilson, Ch. 7 |
| 2.9 | OFF: Honors Day | |
| 2.12 | Rich | Wilson, Ch. 9 |
| 2.14 | Modern Art | |
| 2.16 | OFF: Jubilee | |
| 2.19 | Postmodernity | Ferry, Ch. 5 |
| 2.21 | Postmodernity: Primary Sources | Nietzche: Turning Values Upside Down Jean-Paul Satre Existentialism and Humanism |
| 2.23 | Democratic | Wilson, Ch. 4 |
| 2.26 | Liberalism and It’s Discontents | Harpers, “Is Liberalism Worth Saving?” |
| 2.28 | Ex-Christian | Wilson, Ch. 6 |
| 3.1 | Romantic | Wilson, Ch. 8 |
| 3.4 | Expressivist | Taylor, Ethics of Authenticity, Ch. 2-4 |
| 3.6 | The Therapeutic | Lasch-Quinn, Ancient Response |
| 3.8 | Postmodern Art | |
| 3.11-15 | OFF: Spring Break | |
| 3.18 | After Deconstruction | Ferry, Ch. 6 |
| 3.20 | Review | |
| 3.22 | Responses | Wilson, Ch. 10 |
| 3.25 | Opportunities | Wilson, Ch. 11 |
| 3.27 | Wednesday Reflection: Cultural Artifact | |
| 3.29 | OFF: Good Friday | |
| 4.1 | OFF: Easter Monday | |
| 4.3 | Individualism and Narcissism | Noble, You are Not Your Own |
| 4.5 | Friday Philosopher: Humanity | West, What It Means to be Human |
| 4.8 | A Secular Age | Smith, Introduction |
| 4.10 | A Secular Age | Smith, Ch. 1 |
| 4.12 | A Secular Age | Smith, Ch. 2 |
| 4.15 | A Secular Age | Smith, Ch. 3 |
| 4.17 | A Secular Age | Smith, Ch. 4 |
| 4.19 | A Secular Age | Smith, Ch. 5 |
| 4.22 | Review | Smith, Conclusion |
| 4.24 | Wednesday Reflection: Cultural Artifact | |
| 4.26 | Friday Philosopher: Purpose of Life | Jennifer Frey. Watch here. |
| 4.29 | LadyBird | Due: Academic Journal |
| 5.1 | LadyBird | |
| 5.3 | Celebration | |
