RELIGION AND THE BODY*

概要

This course examines the role of the body across religions and philosophical traditions. Within that broad purview, we might explore the mind/body problem in western and eastern philosophies, the relationship of religious thought and healing systems, or the ways in which religion and philosophy have shaped somatic experience in various cultures. We will also address the question of why the body has become a focus of scholarly interest in recent years. Among the other topics that might be examined include philosophical approaches to sensation, asceticism and ritual practice, philosophies of cultivation, religious approaches to sex and sexuality, the influence of religion on the construction of gender roles, and how religious values have influenced bio-ethical thought in the contemporary world. The course will be discussion driven. Students will attend each session with a printed copy of comments or discussion questions for each of the readings assigned for that day, to be handed in at the end of class. Students will also need to present a least one optional reading to the class.

目標

By the end of the term, students will have acquired a deeper understanding of the ways in which the body has been conceived in various religious and philosophical traditions and the broader impact these understandings have had in culture and politics.

授業外の学習

●Preparation of class materials and reading assignments (70 minutes). ●Work on class assignments, preparing comments/discussion questions (60 minutes) ●Review, research, preparation for final project (60 minutes)

所要時間: 190 minutes per class