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last mid-term day + take home exam
After our last mid-term exam, we can go “home” for one week of mid-term break. I still, however, have a take home exam for Contemporary Philosophy that’s due by email by midnight. Six short-answer essay question about Kierkegaard, Marx, Adam Smith, Catholic Social Teaching, and Nietzche. Here’s a couple answers that I’m pretty confident of.
2. (Kierkegaard) What constitutes the most significant difference between the aesthetic and ethical choice? Explain.
The most significant difference between the aesthetic and ethical choice is whether or not someone makes a true choice ‘for the self.’ The more difficult choice is the ‘ethical’ choice, since in involves choosing to be who and what one truly and uniquely is by intimately ‘knowing himself’ with a constant ‘honesty to oneself’ and minimizing the temptations of easier, more convenient decisions. This leads to an authentic existence. One the other hand, ‘aesthetic’ choice leads to an inauthentic existence of compromising true selfhood in order to settle for the convenient outside (external) creating a ‘self lost in the they’ (the crowd, the mob, the inauthentic). Aesthetic choice is lost in the forest of ‘deliberation’ because it is ultimately afraid or simply unwilling to embark on something it fears, ceaselessly jumping from one source of enjoyment to the other, hoping to postpone the inevitable call to ‘be one’s self.” It does not make a true choice ‘for the self’ and, therefore, does not know itself but only thinks it does.
3. Explain the relationship of the ‘individual good’ and the ‘common good’ from the perspective of (i) Marx, (ii) Smith, and (iii) Catholic Social Theory.
(i) Marx minimizes the ‘individual good’ and give priority to the ‘common good.’ Since the human person is a producing, creating person, the individual’s value and importance is defined by our social relations, primarily in terms of economics, politics and society. His focus on the common good encourages policy to benefit ‘everyone’ in, at least, minimal personal needs, but at the expense of the wants of individuals. In his Communist model, the guidelines evidence this emphasis. The abolition of property and inheritances strip the individual of personal power. State centralized credit, banking, transportation, communication, schooling, labor & business oversight creates a dependence by the people to a shared ‘common good,’ but minimizes the unique and personal dignity of the ‘individual good.’
(ii) Smith gives priority to the ‘individual good’ over the ‘common good.’ The individual is empowered with opportunities of self-achievement through Capitalist avenues of mostly personal financial benefit. The ‘individual good’ may compromise the ‘common good’ by gaining such personal benefits at the expense, and from the work, of the poor working class. Even though the growth of the poor affect the individual manager, the extremely disproportional results minimize the personal dignity of needs of ‘all’ individuals. Government measures need to be put in place to somewhat offset the extreme costs to the ‘common good’ for the sake of justice.
(iii) Catholic Social Teaching carefully keeps a healthy balance between ‘individual good’ and the ‘common good.” The ‘common good’ indicates the sum total of social conditions which allow people, either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfillment more fully and more easily. A medium of ideas should constantly be pursued so as to uphold the benefits, while working for justice to maintain the dignity of everyone ‘individual good.”
There was a challenging question about how each of our studied philosophers touch on “human transcendence,” but I wasn’t inspired enough to answer with confidence.
biggest Catholic secret + Modern Day Moses (song)
In Contemporary Philosophy class, our latest discussions have always come back to the treatment of the poor and ignored people in society. Karl Marx‘s Communist Manifesto seems to over-emphasize the poor in his philosophy while Adam Smith‘s The Wealth of Nations seems to minimize them. Fr Santos constantly compared & contrasted Communism with Captitalism with Catholic Social Teaching. He also reminded us of the Catholic Church’s greatest kept secret, the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church that highlights the social teachings of the Church. It’s a great read and good for spiritual reading. [text available on Vatican website here]
As I was seaching YouTube, I also found a video for a song that fits my reflections today. It’s another song by Kendall Payne (one of my favorite Christian vocalist). It’s not that well known, but is probably my favorite of hers to date. It’s off her first album Jordan’s Sister, called “Modern Day Moses.” Here’s the lyrics:
a modern day Moses, waking the streets
with shouts of glory, blistered feet
he’s met the maker, he’s met the reason he’s alive
and he’s on fire inside
a modern day mother, living in the slums
feeding the hungry, making sure the race gets run,
always asking if we fought with steady feet
she fights on her knees
let my people go (4x)
a modern day Martin in a world of civil words exchange
but dreaming bigger, thinks maybe he could make a change
he’s heard the stories, he wants some of his own
and he’s not alone. (no, no, no ...)
[chorus]
(bridge)
the time is not the moments here,
walk in faith or stand in fear
change the course of history,
did you ever think, no one ever though
— who would have believed?
a modern day Me, what have i become, what can i be?
if there is greatness out there to be achieved
i want to be more than someone who just passes through this life
i want to stand up for what is right
[chorus]
The YouTube video (above), featuring Kendall Payne’s song Modern Day Moses, is just a collage of scenes from 7th Heaven of people that the Camden family has helped over the years. I’ve never been a big 7th Heaven fan, but charity is a great running theme for this post, so it’s ok here! 🙂
summer migrant ministry in VA
A speaker from the Office of Migrant Ministry in Richmond, Virginia came to the seminary today to invite us for a summer pastoral ministry position in Virginia. Here are some details from their flyer …
Office of Migrant Ministry works with local parishes to extend the church’s pastoral presence to migrant farm workers and their families particularly on the Eastern Shore and in Southside Virginia. The office networks with local agencies to meet the social service needs of migrant farm workers and advocates for social policies to protect and promote their rights. Phone: (757) 787-7862. PO Box 584, Accomac, VA 23301. Coordinator: Mr. James R. Albright
SUMMER PASTORAL MINISTRY position available: You can serve through Pastoral Outreach amongst farm workers and their families in rural Virginia. An opportunity to be the “welcoming” presence of the local Catholic Church and to be the bridge that connects the migrant farm workers and the local community. Work with parish volunteers to help provide access to liturgies, sacraments and needed social services and advocacy.
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Be a practicing Catholic, possessing knowledge, understanding and positive regard for the Faith
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Be a Spanish speaker
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Possess a valid driver’s license & good driving record
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Have interpersonal, organizational and good communication skills
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Be self-motivated and successful at college level responsibilities
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Be able to work as a team and work with volunteers
TIME COMMITMENT: from 9 to 12 weeks (depending on one’s availability & ministry needs) beginning after mid-May and running through mid-August. A significant amount of time will be spent visiting people at their homes in the evening. One is expected to minister at least five days (about 20 hours) and six evenings (about 18 hours) per week.
FINANCIAL & SUPPORT ARRANGEMENTS: the following will be provided: (may vary — call for details)
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vehicle & travel expenses for ministry related travel
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local housing and parish office support
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a weekly stipend (~$300)
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airfare to Virginia
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(not provided) workers are expected to buy & prepare their own food
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(not provided) workers must maintain their own medical insurance for medical needs not related to employment
— I would probably be interested if my Spanish was better
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