Grade Inflation

This article was in the Herald Journal today.  Most everyone I talk to agrees that grade inflation is a problem.  It is so difficult to battle though, because to work against it one needs to have everyone else (at least everyone else in your department and perhaps everyone else at the university and perhaps everyone else at every university) working against it with you.  Otherwise you just look like a jerk who is being unfair.

Thoughts?  Suggestions?

Herder’s psychology of religion — lecture

USU Philosophy Club

Philosophy Lecture

“‘Living Beings, Not Speculating Chimeras’: Herder’s Psychology of Religion”

Benjamin Crowe
Assistant Professor in Philosophy
University of Utah

Summary: J.G. Herder (1744-1804) is acknowledged as a pioneer in philosophy, theology, history, anthropology, and allied disciplines. This paper explores Herder’s development of a psychogenetic account of religion through a critical confrontation with the dominant theological rationalism of the age. Herder’s view undercuts various false dilemmas posed by the rationalists by situating religion within a reconfigured account of the “lower faculties” of the soul, thereby effecting an important, if somewhat overlooked, revolution in the modern science of religion.

Friday, March 27
4:30 p.m.
Main 301

All are welcome!

Congrats to Jon Adams

Congratulations to Jon Adams, who was awarded Chinn Scholarship from the American Atheists in recognition of his work here at Utah State (columns in the Statesman, the co-founding of SHAFT, and his involvement with College Dems and Love is for Everyone).  The award comes with a nice financial scholarship, as well as a trip to Atlanta for a ‘fun-filled weekend of events with Keynote Speaker Richard Dawkins’ (that is a quote from the website which I’ll admit I chuckled at, though in all seriousness I know Jon will have the opportunity to have dinner with Dawkins, just he and the 2 other award winners, which is pretty cool).

So back slaps to Jon (even from theists like me!) on being recognized by a national organization for his work.

Religious Diversity week

Check out these events:

Mon 16th March, TSC West Ballroom, 6:00 pm
Music Night:
Baha’i, Gospel, LDS, Muslim, Pagan

Tues 17th March, Sunburst Lounge (TSC), 5:30 pm
Lecture by Dr. Harrison Kleiner:
“Sex and Religion: Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body”

Wed 18th March, Old Main 304, 6:00 pm
Pagan Potluck & [Religion] Jeopardy!
It is a potluck! Bring, eat, and learn!

Thurs 19th March, Old Main 121, 5:30 pm
Professional Panel on:
“Religion, Art, and Literature”

Fri 20th March, Business Building 215, 6:00 pm
Movie Night
Star Wars IV and “Mythology of Star Wars”