Gordon Beemer plans to graduate with an associate degree in general students in spring 2015. Before he graduates, he’s hoping to get into Ivy Tech Northeast’s Philosophy of Religion class.
The problem is, not a lot of people sign up for it. He planned to take it this semester, but the class was cancelled because of a lack in enrollment.
“I’ve always been interested in philosophy and science and nature,” Gordon said. “It’s just sort of my way of life.”
Plus, he thinks the class will help him for his eventual career: sustainability. After Gordon graduates, he wants to study sustainability in California or Arizona. The topic can be applied to any industry, he says, and involve a number of environmental initiatives: climate change, green technology, sustainable agriculture.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency:
Everything that we need for our survival and well-being depends, either directly or indirectly, on our natural environment. Sustainability creates and maintains the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic and other requirements of present and future generations.
The Philosophy of Religion class will teach about different lives and how culture has developed. It’s about understanding other people and ways of life, which is key in the study of sustainability, Gordon said.
Here is the class listing: (PHIL 220) “Analyzes issues basic to understanding religion, including the problem of evil, free will and divine foreknowledge, arguments for the existence of God, relationship of faith and reason, and arguments for personal immortality.” It’s from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays in Room SL127.
Sign up for it on Campus Connect. Come on. You know you want to.
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I have seen that space once before, but have had no classes on that campus for the last 2 years. I am sure that is a great quiet place to study or just to enjoy.
Gorden, best wishes on getting the word out about that class. I hope that this article helps bring attention to that class and that you are able to take that before you leave Ivy Tech!
Hopefully this class will be geared more towards secular arguments and not towards indoctrination or emphasis of one religions’ claims over another.
Andy, thanks for your comment. Here is the course description from Banner: “Analyzes issues basic to understanding religion, including the problem of evil, free will and divine foreknowledge, arguments for the existence of God, relationship of faith and reason, and arguments for personal immortality.”