Core
102
History and the Modern World Roger Williams University T-F 2:00-3:30, T-F 3:30-5:00 CAS 207 Fall, 2001 |
Michael R. H. Swanson, Ph. D.
Office: Feinstein College 110 Hours: M, T, Th, F. 9:00-10:00 or by appointment Phone (401) 254-3230 E-mail: mswanson@rwu.edu |
For Tuesday, October 16
Read: in The Democratic Idea,
#8: "Areopagitica," by John Milton pp. 29 - 38We spent Friday talking about the Renaissance, Humanism, and the idea of Reason. Areopagitica was a speech delivered to the English Parliament arguing against the practice of requiring books to obtain a license before publication. The speech was a failure. Parliament refused to revoke the censorship Order against which Milton argued. Sometimes ideas appear before their time. Our Constitutional guarantee of Freedom of Speech, so precious in preserving democratic principles, was shaped by the arguments Milton used. By the 18th century, colleges in the United States had copies in their libraries. By the 19th century, courses in rhetoric, history, and philosophy required the study of it. Students still tackle this essay in our day, because no other text presents as passionate a defense of the ideals of a liberal education and the role of freedom of inquiry. A quick search of the Internet will reveal how important the academic community considers this document. Perhaps a dozen or more web sites reproduce it in its intirety, and many, many more quote it at length.
I encountered Areopagitica when I was a college sophomore about 40 years ago. IT WAS HARD!!! AAAAARRRGH IT WAS HARD!!!!!!!!I think I sprained my brain. It also changed my life. It made me realize my responsibility to be true to my own beliefs, and to argue them as passionately as Milton argued. I place it on this syllabus in hopes that it will challenge you as it has challenged me.
IT STILLIS
HARD!!!
You will not encounter any more difficult going in this course than you will encounter in Areopagitica. The language is archaic. It was written for an audience used to essays which quoted"Ancient" authors and biblical authorities. The sentences are long and complex, and sometimes I still use my finger to help me follow what I'm reading. Don't give up!!! I'm going to cheer lead, morale build, egg on, and whatever else I can think to do to help you squeeze every bit of meaning out of it that you can. We are not going to rush through this. I'm going to devote all this week to it, and, if necessary, stretch into next week as well. To b egin with, I'm going to take some time in class to mark up this text, to number the subdivisions represented by (****) If you happen to miss the class in which this happens, see one of your classmates or see me.Tuesday's Discussion will go no further than the first ten sections (up to p. 34).
I want you to focus on these issues:
We'll pick up our discussion of Areopagitica commencing about section 11, p. 34, Considering these issues:
- In what sense is censorship a "tyranny"? (Section 11)
- What does Milton mean when he suggests "a man may be a heretic in the truth; and if he believes things only because his Pastor says so, or the Assembly so determines, without knowing other reason, though his belief be true yet the very truth he holds becomes his heresy" (Section 12) Keep this section in mind when you read Kant in a few weeks.
- Why does the very public nature of books act as a safeguard against error (Section 13)
- What is the relationship between learning, progress, and freedom of inquiry? (Section 14 - 15)
- Why should we expect argument as part of learning? (Section 14-15)
- Why does censorship hinder national greatness? (Section 15)
- What does Milton mean when he calls liberty the "nurse of all great wits". Do you agree or disagree? (Section 15)
- In what sense does censorship demonstrate a kind of intellectual cowardice? (Section 16)
- What is the relationship between Truth, Falsehood, and Reason? What is Milton saying when he says that "Truth is strong next to the Almighty"?. Do you find any relationship to the ideas put forth by Cicero? (Section 16)
- If censorship is not the best way to combat error, what is? (Section 17)
- How does censorship lead to bad government? (Section 18)