make sure to refresh this page every time you access it
updated: 2/4/14
web version: http://www.earthlings.com/
2-4 -20 for not attending or leaving early; bring the anthology for emotion words and if you want to follow the screenplay as you watch
TODAY'S GOALS:
CONCERNING EARTHLINGS
[2B] DIGITAL LITERACY: “students will be better able to deal with the technological revolution” by being able to
[2B1] recognize the value of multimedia for access to right brain, the whole person
[2B2] recognize the power of multimedia to change society, prime example Earthlings
[2A2] CONCERNING ETHICS
[2A2] The second goal of the required leadership/ethics flag courses -- learn to make real-life ethical choices -- is closely related to the core purpose of the University of Texas, to transform lives for the benefit of society. It is also one of the basic education requirements of U.T.: “have experience in thinking about moral and ethical problems.” Our ethics goals are
[2A2a] To experience by analogy a little of ethical dilemma presented by Anti-Semitism, especially the Holocaust.
[2A2b] To experience by analogy a little of ethical dilemma presented by racism, especially slavery.
[2A2c] To experience more directly the ethical dilemmas presented by speciesism, especially cruelty to animals.
[2A2d] To become aware of real-life ethical choices made daily by all of us involving animals.
[2A2e] To return to the traditional college goals of developing character and conscience.
[2A2f] To practice replacing fear and greed with compassion and empathy.
[X] developing emotional self-awareness and social self-awareness by watching the documentary
CONCERNING FEELINGS
Compassion is a feeling, and widening the circle of compassion is our ultimate goal as an ethics class.
EMOTIONAL EXPRESSIVENESS, or EMOTIONAL LITERACY is the first step.
The alternative is the Man Without Feelings Review pp.458 etc. Lack of empathy is a feature of sociopaths, child molesters, etc.
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE is the next step. The four domains of leadership emotional intelligence are self-awareness, self-management, social-awareness, and relationship management.
EARTHLINGS: A CHANCE TO DEVELOP OUR EMOTIONAL SELF-AWARENESS (Take notes? perhaps preparing for your blog?)
Like Gloucester, we want to expand our circle of compassion. On the heath, King Lear asked Gloucester: “How do you see the world?”And Gloucester, who is blind, answered: " I see it feelingly."
EARTHLINGS: A CHANCE TO DEVELOP OUR SOCIAL AWARENESS: “Empathy, which includes listening and taking other people’s perspectives, allows leaders to tune in to the emotional channels between people that create resonance.”
One of the goals of this course is to extend empathy to other cultures and even other species.
GLOBAL CULTURES FLAG: TRYING OUT DIFFERENT WORLD VIEWS
EXPERIENTIAL METHOD: ACTING AS IF MEMBER OF THAT CULTURE FOR A DAY OR MORE,.... Recall role of acting in course description:"We are trying to learn ethics experientially. In this case, your assignment is to become an actor, acting as if . . . This "willing suspension of disbelief," as Coleridge put it, is essential to the effectiveness of all novels, plays, movies, etc. In this case, We temporarily relinguish our scepticism and disbelief in order to experience a little of" what, say, a Jain might have thought and felt about suffering
In this case, we are acting out a different Weltanchauung (worldview) of suffering, that of Jainism. It's eight basic principles are
- Do not kill. Do not let others kill. Find whatever means possible to protect life;
- Always speak truthfully and constructively. Resist injustice even if it may threaten your own safety.
- Make every effort to reconcile and resolve all conflicts, big or small, peacefully and by consensus.
- Do not make accumulation of wealth the aim of your life. Life simply and share time, energy, and material resources with those who are in need.
- There is no absolute truth. No doctrine, theory, or ideology is perfect.
- Practice nonattachment to views. Remain open to receive others’ viewpoints. Do not force others to adopt your views.
- Do not lose awareness of the existence of suffering in the world. Find ways to be with those who are suffering.
- Do not maintain anger and hatred. As soon as they arise, concentrate on your breathing to see their nature.
OUR ULTIMATE GOAL IS FREEDOM, LIBERATION: BUT FIRST YOU MUST FACE THE TRUTH
TODAY'S TOPICS: the relationship between homo sapiens and the other animals
TODAY'S ACTIVITIES:
[1] Ponder Einstein statement
"A human being is a part of the whole, called by us "Universe," a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. Nobody is able to achieve this completely, but the striving for such achievement is in itself a part of the liberation and a foundation for inner security." Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955) Source: Mathematical Circles
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[2] Dass Guided Imagery focused on sending light and love
[3] keep your focus on sending light and love to suffering beings as you watch the documentary.
THIS IS THE FINAL EXAM ON COMPASSION:
When, at what scenes, are you able to do so?
When, at what scenes, are you not able to do so?
Why? What blocks your compassion (ability to be with suffering)? What thoughts and emotions come up, to prevent you from being with, or sending light or love, to the suffering being?
your notes can be cited or discussed in your Earthlings blogs. Most of the points will be awarded on the basis of your answer to these questions.
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REQUIRED READING:
Monson, Earthlings screenplay.................................... 352-382
- Definition of Human and Humane……………………………389-392
- Definition of Animal……………………………………………………393-394
- Definition of Speciesism …………………………………………….395-397
- Definition of Anthropocentrism…………………………………..398
- Definition of Anthropomorphize…………………………………..398
- Definition of Ethnocentrism…………………………………………399
- Definition of Egoism…………………………………………………….. 399
- Definition of Hubris………………………………………………………400
REQUIRED: AT LEAST ONE OF THE TWO BLOGS ON EARTHLINGS OR -10.
YOU CAN EARN UP TO 12 POINTS PER BLOG.
After viewing the first half of Earthlings go to courses.utexas.edu Select our course. Go to "Blackboard Tools" and select "Blogs." Then go to "Earthlings 1," read the instructions, and then select "Create Blog Entry."
"Put your reactions to the first half of Earthlings here. Your grade will be higher if you include emotional reactions as well as thoughts. Most of the points will be awarded for emotional literacy and your answers to the questions. You will also earn more points by citing from the screenplay text in your anthology and by adding multimedia. You will earn double points by citing from the definitions or quotations and triple points by citing from Sztybel. All citations must include anthology page nos."
DUE NO LATER THAN MIDNIGHT WEDNESDAY, FEB. 5
REVIEW, CONNECT, HAMMER INTO UNITY: your self and the animal kingdom, your experiences of the relationship between animals and us, your relationship to the term "Earthling"
LOOKING AHEAD: EARTHLINGS 1 BLOG DUE MIDNIGHT 2-3; EARTHLINGS 2 BLOG DUE by 8 PM SUNDAY 2-9
YOU MUST DO AT LEAST ONE OF THESE BLOGS, meeting the minimum requirements of two unique images and two unique quotes
LOOKING FURTHER AHEAD: P1: New Age Guided Meditation to Retrieve Your Power Animal -- need to put aside scepticism and disbelief temporarily and ACT AS IF you are willing to try this approach
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