[gha] Re: My personal curriculum + Its development
- From: Leo Semashko <leo.semashko@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: Harry Gensler <harrygensler@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 29 Apr 2013 20:11:19 +0400
Dear Harry,
Thank you very much for your detailed, in-depth, thorough and accurate letter I
was glad to read.
I agree with your change of the title of your course.
Re its tabular form. It is secondary and should express its most pragmatic,
i.e. concise and clear to use.
If you know a more pragmatic form, I will be thank you for it. I see you do not
like the length of your course,
which I offered. This is not a problem. It will be the same as what you want,
please offer.
You write: “I'll offer an alternative tabular version at the end.” But
unfortunately I have not found your version.
Please send it me. Thank you. As soon as you send it to me, so I immediately
will publish it on our website in the CIHE curriculum.
You also promised the short (to 1 page) review of the ABC of Harmony
(www.peacefromharmony.org/?cat=en_c&key=478). Please, let us know: when we will
be to read it? We will be happy to publish it together with other review on the
GHA Website "Peace from Harmony":
www.peacefromharmony.org/?cat=en_c&key=506
Further you show deep in every sense the CIHE development program in the U.S.
educational
standards. I fully agree with your program and invite to its discussion Bruce,
Kurt, Nina, Norman
and other members of the GHA-USA interested in CIHE.
I also admire your rich pedagogical experience of teaching and use of the GR
in various fields of human activity that proves its
universal harmonious role in human society. This wonderful experience that is
highly demand in CIHE.
We are all happy and proud of your participation in it.
With love, best harmony wishes,
Leo
Dr Leo Semashko:
State Councillor of St. Petersburg,
Philosopher, Sociologist and Peacemaker from Harmony;
Director: Tetrasociology Public Institute, Russia;
Founding President, Global Harmony Association (GHA);
Director, GHA Website "Peace from Harmony": www.peacefromharmony.org
World Interfaith Harmony Project on the ABC of Harmony Base:
www.peacefromharmony.org/?cat=en_c&key=541;
GHA Program Book, The ABC of Harmony:
www.peacefromharmony.org/?cat=en_c&key=478;
P/Web page: www.peacefromharmony.org/?cat=en_c&key=253;
Address: 7/4-42 Ho-Shi-Min Street, St. Petersburg 194356, Russia
Phone: 7 (812) 597-65-71; Skype: leo.semahko
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/leo.semashko?ref=tn_tnmn
----- Original Message -----
From: Harry Gensler, harrygensler@xxxxxxxxx
To: leo.semashko@xxxxxxxxx
Sent: 29 апреля 2013 г., 4:10:03
Subject: My personal curriculum + Its development
Dear Leo,
Thank you for your kind response to my personal curriculum. I'm sorry to take
two weeks to get back to you, but I've been into the end-of-semester rush with
many student tests and papers to correct -- and I'm also planning a long Grand
Canyon hiking trip in two weeks. Let me respond to your five points (see below
for my 13 April e-mail and your 14 April response).
FIRST: Thanks.
SECOND: Your revised title is OK, but I'd add "global" at the beginning to make
it "Global Ethics and the Golden Rule of Interfaith Harmony in the 21st
Century." In a listing of university courses, this may need to be shortened to
"Global Ethics and the Golden Rule" or even "Global Ethics."
THIRD: I don't like your tabular data, sorry. I suggested that the GR (golden
rule) component "could go anywhere from an hour or two to several weeks or
longer." Your table makes the GR component cover almost all of the 364 hours of
instruction. Since a standard university course (3 credit hours, or 3 hours a
week over a 14-week semester) has about 42 hours of instruction, this would
make the GR component into almost 9 standard university courses -- almost a
master's degree in itself -- which would be way too much. I'll offer an
alternative tabular version at the end.
FOUR: Yes, I'd be honored if my GR book and a corresponding GR course would be
included in the CIHE.
FIVE: No, sorry, there's no way that my university could host the CIHE. My
school is small, struggling financially, has little graduate-level education,
and lacks the faculty and library resources to support the CIHE. In addition,
I'll be away next year and possibly longer.
To be workable, the CIHE needs a university connection. For this to happen, the
CIHE framework needs to fit better with standard university structures, like
courses and degree programs. Accordingly, I suggest that the CIHE curriculum be
made into a standard master's degree program with ten courses of 3 credit hours
each. I propose that we have FOUR required CIHE courses and SIX additional
elective courses, to make up a total of TEN courses.
CIHE needs to partner with existing somewhat compatible master's degree
programs. To find such programs, google "M.A. program international justice
peace world religions global ethics" or some similar phrase (without quotes). A
five-minute search located some possible partners -- for example, the School of
International Service (American University, Washington, DC,
http://www.american.edu/sis/ipcr/Degrees.cfm) and the Joan B. Kroc School of
Peace Studies (University of San Diego, California,
http://www.sandiego.edu/catalogs/graduate/peace/MAPeaceStudies.php). Suitable
partner schools (which already have good faculty and library resources that
connect closely to CIHE goals) would have to be identified and given the offer
to incorporate an optional CIHE track into their master's program.
It would be useful if the CIHE track had an official endorsement from
recognized agencies -- like the United Nations, the Parliament of the World's
Religions, and the United Religions Initiative. These could also provide
advertising -- but needn't provide financial support (which the partner
universities would handle). This endorsement would encourage suitable partner
schools to add a CIHE track.
Many students these days pick up a related master's degree that connects to
their future work; they would be much less inclined toward a multiple-year
program that doesn't give them a recognized academic degree. A CIHE M.A. degree
would be especially relevant to those who want to work in organizations of a
religious, political, humanitarian, or commercial nature that have an
international dimension. It would also be relevant to those who want to teach
in related areas in various disciplines.
The CIHE M.A. degree would follow the standard pattern: 10 graduate-level
courses of 3 credit hours each, or 30 total credits. There would be FOUR
required CIHE courses:
1 - Global Ethics and the Golden Rule of Interfaith Harmony in the 21st Century
(using my book as the main text but adding other sources -- such as the UN
Declaration of Human Rights, the Global Ethics document from the Parliament of
the World's Religions, the McKenna-Scarboro GR poster, and the Islamic Common
Word document).
2 - The ABC of Harmony for World Peace (using the Semasko book as the main
text).
3 - The Coming Interspiritual Age (using the Johnson-Ord book as the main text).
4 - One other required course (to be decided later).
The student would also take SIX electives from the already existing courses at
the partner school (which school was picked to already have a good graduate
program in the general area). A given partner school may have additional
academic requirements of its own.
Two of the required CIHE courses would be taught each semester at a given
partner school (which would provide faculty for this). A student could
typically finish the CIHE master's degree in one year (with summer work) or in
two years; part-time students would take longer.
The required CIHE courses would be part lecture and part seminar. In the
golden-rule (GR) course, I can see students doing papers and presentations on
areas that relate to their particular interests. GR relates to many areas; in
my preface, I say:
"If you skim the book, or its index or bibliography, you'll see that people are
interested in GR from many angles -- such as activism (including peace,
discrimination, and economic justice); applied ethics (including business and
medicine); biology (especially evolution); cultural and historical studies
(Chinese, African, American, etc., or intercultural); ecology; ethical theory;
law and politics; literature; moral education; psychology and sociology; and
religious ethics and scriptural studies (Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist,
etc., or interfaith)." (The preface is online at
http://www.ewidgetsonline.net/dxreader/Reader.aspx?token=0e1c62e29dd248d996fc0808401222f5&rand=1227458863&buyNowLink=&page=8&chapter=)
In the last few years, I've read student papers on these topics: GR in
Christianity and Islam (by a student with a Christian mother and an Islamic
father), GR in early childhood education (by a student who intends to work in
this field), GR in the practice of medicine (by a pre-med student), GR in
immigration policy (by a student who wants to work in this area -- I'll get her
final draft tonight), a poetic look at GR in world religions, GR and Lincoln
Electric (a company founded on GR), GR in accounting, GR and the Pocahontas
movie (about racism), and GR and fair trade (by a student who is very involved
in fair-trade issues).
My general framework assumes academic structures typical at American
universities. The framework may have to be adjusted for schools at other places.
Peace to all,
Harry
http://www.harryhiker.com/gr
On Sun, Apr 14, 2013 at 8:02 AM, Leo Semashko <leo.semashko@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Dear Harry,
First, I am happy to congratulate you on the publication this year of your
great book: Ethics and the Golden Rule, Routledge, 2013, which will become the
mandatory textbook for the GHA CIHE, along with the ABC of Harmony of GHA, The
Coming Interspiritual Age, Kurt and David and similar books .
Second, Thank you very much for your profound letter with a sketch of your
curriculum, which is interesting to all members of the GHA, so I am sending it
to all. Your course, I now propose to title as: "Ethics and the Golden Rule of
Interfaith Harmony in the 21st Century." This title concretizes and develops
your book title and meets scientific approach to interfaith harmony. Do you
agree with this title?
Third, please, let me, using the ideas of your letter and your new book, offer
the version of your curriculum in tabular form below. As soon as you will send
me your final version of this curriculum, so it will be immediately included in
the CIHE program in New York. Please, correct the table and send it to us.
Fourth, your book and the corresponding learning course allow making it as
fundamental in CIHE for three years. Do you agree with this?
Fifth, your great intellectual contribution to interfaith harmony allows us to
pose the question of creating GHA CIHE in your University, in Cleveland, under
your leadership, based on the GHA relevant project with your fundamental
course. What do you think of this idea? Are you ready to lead the GHA CIHE in
Cleveland? That would be wonderful in the extreme, if you agreed to it.
If you accept this role and mission in principle, the details will be discussed
later.
With love, best harmony wishes,
Leo
Dr Leo Semashko:
State Councillor of St. Petersburg,
Philosopher, Sociologist and Peacemaker from Harmony;
Director: Tetrasociology Public Institute, Russia;
Founding President, Global Harmony Association (GHA);
Director, GHA Website "Peace from Harmony": www.peacefromharmony.org
World Interfaith Harmony Project on the ABC of Harmony Base:
www.peacefromharmony.org/?cat=en_c&key=541;
GHA Program Book, The ABC of Harmony:
www.peacefromharmony.org/?cat=en_c&key=478;
P/Web page: www.peacefromharmony.org/?cat=en_c&key=253;
Address: 7/4-42 Ho-Shi-Min Street, St. Petersburg 194356, Russia
Phone: 7 (812) 597-65-71; Skype: leo.semahko
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/leo.semashko?ref=tn_tnmn
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rev. Dr. Harry Gensler
Ethics and the Golden Rule of Interfaith Harmony in the 21st Century
The curriculum of GHA CIHE fundamental advanced course on 384 hours for 3
years, 128 h. every year
April 14, 2013
Topics of the Lectures and Seminars/Workshops
Lectures/ Workshops
Time in a/hours
1.
Golden Rule Reasoning as the irrevocable, unconditional norm for all areas of
life in social harmony
L/W
8/8
2.
Religion and History. Golden Rule Interpretations in 13 World Religions: Key
Internal Harmonious Potential of World Religions for Interfaith Harmony
L/W
128/128
3.
Application and Development of the Golden Rule for interfaith harmony
1. Hans Küng (Germany) and the second Parliament of the World's Religions (1993)
L/W
16/16
4.
2. Paul McKenna (Canada, Scarboro Mission): poster showing Golden Rule in 13
world religions
(http://www.scarboromissions.ca/Golden_rule)
L/W
8/8
5.
3. Mussie Hailu (Ethopia): promotion of Golden Rule across Africa
L/W
8/8
6.
4. Important Role of Organizations like the United Nations, United Religions
Initiative, Parliament of World Religions and Global Harmony Association in
the Golden Rule Promotion
L/W
8/8
7.
Golden Rule and the ABC of Harmony for social and interfaith harmony in
harmonious civilization of the 21st century
L/W
8/8
8.
Interfaith Harmonious Education on a scientific basis of the ABC of Harmony as
a new principle for Global Ethics
L/W
8/8
9.
Protection 2 coursework and degree work at the course end
10
Exam on the course at the end of each year
TOTAL: Lectures - 182 hours; Seminars - 182 hours; Total – 364 hours.
Note. The number of hours of lectures and seminars can shrink and grow as it is
needed.
Main manuals:
Harry Gensler. Ethics and the Golden Rule, Routledge, 2013
Leo Semashko and GHA 75 coauthors from 26 countries. The ABC of Harmony for
World Peace, Harmonious Civilization and Tetranet Thinking, Delhi, 2012
Kurt Johnson, David Ord. The Coming Interspiritual Age. Namaste Publishing, 2013
===========================================================
----- Original Message -----
From: Harry Gensler, harrygensler@xxxxxxxxx
To: leo.semashko@xxxxxxxxx
Sent: 13 апреля 2013 г., 20:18:23
Subject: My personal curriculum
While I cannot give a complete curriculum on global harmony, I can sketch a
segment on the golden rule (GR): "Treat others as you want to be treated." I am
a GR expert: I did a masters thesis and doctoral dissertation (philosophy) on
GR, many articles and parts of a dozen books, a prominent GR Web page
(http://www.harryhiker.com/gr), and a recent comprehensive GR book (Ethics and
the Golden Rule, Routledge, 2013). I suggest that the GR segment, which could
go anywhere from an hour or two to several weeks or longer, cover these topics:
(1) Hans Küng (Germany) and the second Parliament of the World's Religions
(1993). For the first time, representatives of the world's religions formally
agree on a global ethic, and one that calls GR "the irrevocable, unconditional
norm for all areas of life."
(http://www.weltethos.org/1-pdf/10-stiftung/declaration/declaration_english.pdf)
(2) Paul McKenna (Canada) created a poster showing GR in 13 world religions;
each participant should get a copy. McKenna has done much to promote GR and
interfaith unity. (http://www.scarboromissions.ca/Golden_rule)
(3) Mussie Hailu (Ethopia) has done much to promote GR across Africa and across
the world, and is especially important in organizations like the United
Religions Initiative and the United Nations.
(4) A further in-depth treatment of GR in the religions of the world,
emphasizing common themes.
(5) Some discussion on GR itself: how to apply it, how not to misapply it, its
strengths and weaknesses, and how to respond to objections (this is important
because many think that GR is unclear and leads to absurdities when we try to
express it more carefully).
For (1) to (4), I suggest Chapter 3 and 5 of my GR book; Chapter 5 is online
(on my GR Web page, click "chronology" at the top). For (5), I suggest Chapter
1 or 2 of my GR book, or at least my GR Stories page (on my GR Web page, click
"stories" at the top). The rest of my GR book is also a useful resource and
gives many further references (of which I especially recommend Jeff Wattles's
book, The Golden Rule, Oxford, 1996).
Harry Gensler
Professor of philosophy at John Carroll University (Cleveland, Ohio, USA)
Catholic priest (Jesuit)
http://www.harryhiker.com
--
Harry J. Gensler
http://www.harryhiker.com
Professor of Philosophy
John Carroll University
1 John Carroll Blvd.
University Heights, OH 44118 USA
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