SEPT 23

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7: SEP 23

Assigned

  • McMahon C3, “From Heaven to Earth” (140-164) Happiness in the Reformation

In Class

  • Norming scores & Giving Peer Criticism

Reminder on Norming Scores

  • We'll take a look at the numbers associated with the two rubric areas you are evaluating.
  • In each rubric area, start reading the essay by thinking of a “5” as “pretty good, no obvious problems”. As you encounter difficulties in writing or content, start to lower your numeric assessment. If you start to be impressed by the writing or content, raise your estimate.
  • There may not be any 1s or 2s (though it is possible - look at the semantic cues in the rubric). Maybe some 3s and definitely 4s. Likewise, 7s should be pretty scarce (let yourself be really impressed before giving a 7).

Giving Peer Criticism

  • The Goal: Giving criticism someone would want to consider.
  • You are only asked to write two or three sentences of comments, so choose wisely!
  • Give gentle criticisms that focus on your experience as a reader:
  • "I'm having trouble understanding this sentence" vs. "This sentence makes no sense!"
  • "I think more attention could have been paid to X vs. "You totally ignored the prompt!
  • Wrap a criticism with an affirmation or positive comment
  • "You cover the prompt pretty well, but you might have said more about x (or, I found y a bit of a digression)"
  • "Some interesting discussion here, esp about x, but you didn't address the prompt very completely ...."
  • General and specific -- Ok to identify general problem with the writing, but giving examples of the problem or potential solutions.
  • I found some of your sentences hard to follow. E.g. "I think that the main ...." was a bit redundant.
  • I thought the flow was generally good, but in paragraph 2 the second and third sentence seem to go in different directions.
  • Also avoid: Great Work! Score 4.


McMahon, Chapter 3: From Heaven to Earth (Renaissance & Reformation)

  • Background of emerging wealth: The Great Divergence [1] - not really significant until 19th century.
  • Contemptus Mundi: 13th-15th century: characteristics. Life in the European Middle Ages. But don’t think of transition as from “dark ages” to renaissance opulence. The theme of contemptus mundi continues into the 15th/16th centuries. Arguably the plague is a good reference point for loss of confidence in earthly happiness. Metaphysics and psychology of “original sin”.
  • Contrast with Renaissance Humanism:
  • studia humanitis -- 141 - rebirth of faith in human potential and knowledge.
  • Pico: 1463. Oration on Dignity of Man. key ideas: protean character of man. read quote on 144. 146: still traditional model (in line with Aquinas' dist.) — note the flirtation with heresy by focusing on our ability to change. True happiness still beyond this world for Renaissance Christianity.
  • Renaissance Neo-platonism 151: vertical path to happiness.
  • Felicitas p. 153
  • Bronzino's Allegory of Happiness -- connection to earthly happiness evident.[2] "This complex allegory represents Happiness (in the centre) with Cupid, flanked by Justice and Prudence. At her feet are Time and Fortune, with the wheel of destiny and the enemies of peace lying humiliated on the ground. Above the head of Happiness is Fame sounding a trumpet, and Glory holding a laurel garland. This Happiness, with the cornucopia, is a triumph of pink and blue; the naked bodies of the figures are smooth, almost stroked by the colour as if they were precious stones - round and well-defined those of the young women, haggard and leaden that of the old man."
  • Lorenzo Valla's On Pleasure -- represents after life as pleasurable; connecting epicureanism to a Christian life. Note biographical detail. Valla also unmasks claims about Dionysius the Areopagite from Acts, with it, undermining authority of mystical otherworldly current of thought. 161
  • Smiles -- also, Mona Lisa, early 1500's
  • Melancholy as disease: expressed in theory of humours; Note how classical tradition, which is not bound to a doctrine of original sin, enters the cultural conversation with the theory of humors to give diagnosis.
  • Thomas More and the concept of "utopia" - new idea. "eu" from "eudaimonia" (flourishing, happiness for Aristotle); in his good Christians devote themselves also to enjoyment of this world.
  • For Next Class:
  • Reformation - The reformation can be seen as a huge step toward bringing personal faith life and spiritual happiness together.
  • Martin Luther and happiness: 1534 letter, ok to be happy
  • Problem: How can we be justified before God? Luther’s solution involves not denying our corruption, but also focusing on faith as a gift from God. Faith can be a cause of our happiness. “Killing the old Adam”.
  • Priesthood of all believers - Taylor: Sanctification of the ordinary.
  • Practices: conjugal life, no more hair shirts. “All sadness is from Satan.”
  • English Civil War -- opens up wide range of alternative views p. 175-176. (Side note on cultural evolution.). McMahon’s point: this radical speculation was heavily themed on the problem of happiness. English Dissenters [3]
  • Locke, late 17th century. Two treatises and Essay Concerning Human Understanding: radical ideas, quick celebrity. Mind is a tabula rasa, nb. 180. Mind is impressed upon by experience and nature. Has its own imperatives. Note what is left out: original sin. Note the confidence in mind here. We are not born broken.
  • Locke: Reassertion of happiness as driver of desire. Epicurean influence on Locke 181.
  • Note enlightenment model of reasonableness of christianity here. Roughly: God made us to desire our happiness. Trick is to discern true happiness. This should lead us to Christian virtues. Happiness found in pursuit of everlasting life. Locke’s version of Christianity is controversial. Seems secularized to many, and very individualized. But then, Locke’s experience of the Wars of Religion. We need liberty to choose our own paths. Government shouldn’t legislate salvation. Hence, the “pursuit of Happiness”
  • Locke also important to history of happiness for political thought, which supports democratic republicanism over monarchy
  • McMahon cites Allestree’s Art of Contentment as an example of a happiness self-help book that seems consistent with Locke’s view. Earthly and divine happiness are found in Christian values. Conservative. But others examples: Purcell’s Ode, “Welcome to All the Pleasures” Point: Focus is turning to earthly happiness.
  • Read 195.”Nor were such…”. And last sentence of the chapter: Why not dispense with divine guidance all together? (Implication that we can know about our happiness by studying our natural state.)

Small group discussion

  • Let's start by taking a look at the prompt together to see strategies for addressing it.
  • Then we'll get into small groups to discuss the approaches we are taking.
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