Courses
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Christianities
What does it mean to be a Christian? Why are there so many different Christian groups (including Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Protestant and dozens more)? Is every group that calls itself Christian really Christian? This course will explore various definitions of what it means to be a Christian, from the early church’s efforts to eliminate […]
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Criticizing Religion
Critics of religion have traditionally been silenced, but is there a destructive side to religion? Religion and religions have undoubtedly shaped the lives of individuals and communities around the globe for millennia for the better, but would the world be a better place if we imagined, with John Lennon, a world with no religion? Anyone […]
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East Asian Ways
Exactly what is Zen Buddhism? Through readings ancient and modern, videos, visits with a meditation instructor and independent projects, students will learn about the origins, philosophy and varied expressions of a movement that reaches back to the 5th century B.C.E. and into the 21st century. We will examine both teachings and practice of Zen Buddhism, […]
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Epistemology
Epistemology is a philosophical term meaning “the study of knowledge,” or the question of how we know what we know about the world around us and within us. Our readings include sources in the Western philosophical tradition of reason (Plato, Aristotle, Descartes and Kant), the scientific revolution (Galileo, Newton and Einstein), the multiple expressions of […]
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Ethics of the Marketplace
Does a corporation have responsibility beyond itself? Should the bottom line trump ethical considerations? Who or what protects the public interest? This course considers these questions in the world of business and management. Students debate moral aspects of institutional policies and practices, in regard to the environment, fair labor, executive compensation, globalization and international sweatshops, […]
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Existentialism
What is the meaning of life? Does life have any meaning? Is traditional religion still relevant? Is God dead, or how do we live in a world where it appears God is absent? Focusing primarily on the 19th- and 20th-century literature of that group of writers called the existentialists, this course explores philosophical and theological […]
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Faith and Doubt
This course invites students to an exploration through fiction and personal narrative of the depth and complexity of religious experience in its many forms from traditional belief through skepticism. The texts we will read range from some classics in this field to contemporary cultural selections. In the past, students have read such books as Night […]
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Hebrew Bible / Old Testament
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. . . .” So begins one of the most influential books in human history. From ancient times until the present, Jews, Christians and Muslims have grappled with the cosmic questions, universal myths, compelling laws and dramatic narratives of the Hebrew Bible, also known as the […]
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Hinduism and Buddhism
Hinduism and Buddhism are having a profound impact on 21st-century culture, through practices such as yoga and meditation; in the study of modern psychology; and in films, television and other contemporary media. This course will introduce students to the distinctive ethos of Asian philosophies and ways of life, and to historical figures such as the […]
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Imagining Your Future
One of the most popular undergraduate courses at Stanford is entitled “Designing Your Life” – which implies that life, in fact, can be designed or planned out ahead of time. More often than not, however, life is not linear, but probably not totally random either. Utilizing the methods of “design thinking” this course will assist […]
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Introduction to Philosophy
What is really real? How do I know what I know? Do I have free will? What is the good? These and other speculative questions have troubled the Western mind for millennia. This course follows a topical approach to the history of Western philosophy and focuses on such issues as metaphysics, epistemology, the problem of […]
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Islam
Islam is the religion of over one billion people and has adherents across the world from Mecca to Brooklyn. Through readings in history, scripture, theology, law, and spirituality, as well as more contemporary memoir and artistic works, this course introduces students to the diverse beliefs, practices, and cultures of people who identify as Muslims. Students […]
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Judaism
This course focuses on the development of Judaism from the biblical period to the present, exploring the historical evolution of Jewish holidays, life-cycle rituals and Jewish law. Students will read materials from the Hebrew Bible, rabbinic writings such as the Talmud and contemporary Judaic scholars. Discussion topics include American Jewry, Zionism, anti-Semitism and the Holocaust, […]
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Mysticism & Contemplative Traditions
It has been said that all religions converge in the contemplative tradition – the great world illuminated by the swamis and yogis of Hinduism, the core meditation practices of the Buddha, the Kabbalist teachers of Judaism, the Sufis of Islam and the Christian mystics. What can we learn by reflecting on their teachings and their […]
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Religion and Popular Culture
Images, ideas, stereotypes and symbol systems of religion surround us in popular culture, whether in movies, television shows, sports, fashion, the internet, music or literature. From Disney to Harry Potter, “The Simpsons” to “House, M.D.”, from rock and roll to hip-hop, the materials for this course will be drawn from a wide range of media. […]
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Religious Traditions in America
America has always been a mix of various peoples and faiths. This course examines the religious traditions that make up the American religious and cultural landscape, focusing on Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism. The distinctive ethos and practices of each are explored, along with their presence in the daily news. Extensive use of visual […]
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Silicon Valley Ethics: Case Studies
(Students paired with Exeter alumni working in the technology field) In a world where the products of technology permeate almost every aspect of our lives – the internet, smart phones, thousands of apps, cloud-based voice systems, screens in our classrooms, artificial intelligence, robotics, the gig economy, video gaming, virtual reality, and numerous other products and […]
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Social Ethics: Values in America
Look at the front page of a daily newspaper, watch the news on television or check the crawl on your computer screen, and you will see people disagreeing about how to resolve some of our society’s more basic conflicts. In this course, students examine various contemporary social issues such as changing birth technologies, abortion, genetic […]
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Soul Searching: Self Identity & Meaning
As human beings, we struggle with the existential questions of life: What should I do? How should I live? Who shall I become? Why do some people find meaning, purpose, and fulfillment in life, but others do not? Our sense of identity and belonging shifts and stretches as we move through the time and space […]
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Spring Book Club
This course reads down selectively The New York Times hard- and paperback nonfiction bestseller list, searching for books which would make for lively Harkness conversations about meaning, purpose and value in one’s life. The primary focus of the class is on these discussions, specifically, gathering a group of energized and like-minded students who are interested […]