Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Discussion Questions

In our course, it will likely be very difficult for those with strong beliefs on either side of the dialectic to avoid intense feelings, even emotional reaction. Such is the nature of the God question.

Use this post -- accesible from a link in Pertinent & Impertinent -- as an outlet for these emotions by leaving responses or queries arising from lecture. Add them in the comments section, & I will keep a running subject heading here in the post body.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

To Prof Ogden,

I was reading a few lines out of the Amber Spyglass and well i came across this line, "The Authority of God the Almighty Father created the earth." and then following this there is the word the "Great COnvulsion came" does this mean the Flood that God created in the Bible? and why is he talking about the Almight Father in a positive Biblical sense?

Thanks

and well

Dr. Stephen Ogden said...

Dear Rick: consider the character who is speaking those words and then revisit your question ....

Anonymous said...

Dr.Ogden,

What would the final exam be like? Would it be close book or open book? Would the question(s)/topic(s) be similar to that of the midterm topics?

Anonymous said...

I was just wondering why you decided to have the term paper written so early in the semester? I remember last semester in 101 we had the oppertunity to read half of the texts before writing, and plus I would have loved to be able to write on Coupland's novel.

Dr. Stephen Ogden said...

Fair question. The topics were released only one week earlier than last term, on the rationale that the Writing Intensive requirments demand a spread of weeks that must still have the graded final version back to the student in sufficient time to use it as guide for the Final Examination requirements.

You are welcome to include the Coupland text in your revision: simply find a way to fit it as support for your selected topic. Perhaps drop by a TA's Office Hour to discuss.

Dr. Stephen Ogden said...

Dear "Anonymous":
We'll have some specific Final Examination prep. closer to the date. It will be open text book, and there will be the type of anlysis represented by the mid-term topics.

Anonymous said...

For today's lecture on Ida, I am wondering if it would be wrong for me to draw references between Ida and Samson from the Bible. Samson was a man of physical pleasure that he drank and enjoy other physical pleasures like Ida. However, he still carried out actions for God. On Ida's part, even though she doesn't believe in eternity, but she believes in a supernatural power, the Board (would it be okay to say that she does believe in God? ) and follow the clues given by the Board, she saved Rose from death.

I am just wondering if this reference between Samson and Ida is wrong...

Dr. Stephen Ogden said...

Dear "Anonymous":

The question is invalid or valid, rather than wrong or right, in a literary context. I would say from my interpretation, as lectured, that Ida believes "nothing" (Pinkie) or "fun" (Ida herself), & the Oiuji board is just another empty secular simulacrum of eternity: form no substance.

But please so make your argument as prep. for the essay component of the Final Exam.