tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-365380742024-03-08T03:53:09.030+00:00Religion, Philosophy & Ethics at the University of GloucestershireWe offer an undergraduate degree in Religion, Philosophy & Ethics (RPE) , and an online MA in Philosophy & Religious Thought.
David W...http://www.blogger.com/profile/14620079005028926064noreply@blogger.comBlogger500125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36538074.post-68145719171383592502016-06-30T15:15:00.004+01:002016-06-30T15:15:40.652+01:00Should Everyone Study Philosophy - a guest blog from Birmingham Metropolitan College<h2 style="text-align: center;">
We have moved!</h2>
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<a href="http://www.rpeglos.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">See the blog over at www.rpeglos.wordpress.com</a>!</h3>
David W...http://www.blogger.com/profile/14620079005028926064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36538074.post-19048244437561728702016-06-06T14:59:00.004+01:002016-06-06T14:59:34.850+01:00Religion, Philosophy & Ethics Open Days 2016<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #222222; font-family: Lora, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px;">
As people start to think about their University choices – for September 2017 entry – we have a range of Open Day dates for those interested in our <a href="http://www.glos.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/rpe/pages/ba-hons-religion-philosophy-and-ethics-ba-hons.aspx" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Religion, Philosophy & Ethics course</a>.</div>
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To book a placce, go to <a href="http://www.glos.ac.uk/visit/open/Pages/undergraduate-open-days.aspx" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0074d9; text-decoration: none;">http://www.glos.ac.uk/visit/open/Pages/undergraduate-open-days.aspx</a> and reserve your spot!</div>
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At the event – staff will be around to chat and explain the course – but also, take a look at our links here – our <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/58244916@N00/" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0074d9; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Photo Album</a> (on Flickr) should give a sense of some of the things that happen beyond the classroom – but the social media links also mean you can find about us that way – via <a href="http://twitter.com/rpeatglos" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0074d9; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Twitter</a> or <a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/RPEglos" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0074d9; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Facebook</a>.</div>
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David W...http://www.blogger.com/profile/14620079005028926064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36538074.post-37641846890474265462016-05-14T12:40:00.000+01:002016-05-14T12:40:11.709+01:00RPE rushes towards the summer with its usual wealth of student activities and awesomeness <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUtehRmqPF7LnTF8jYwUyAEnuKPwloFmBG6WERBepHirjlIafQyNm3Lb8R9bX-HKbqJnCHso4HUnb8EXrEzV8_5K7FI38sOr1SsAOPdnMlzOBVORce6WY0CozrCAF-Pfu7bwU6FA/s1600/Humanist-glos.info-5b6e8b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUtehRmqPF7LnTF8jYwUyAEnuKPwloFmBG6WERBepHirjlIafQyNm3Lb8R9bX-HKbqJnCHso4HUnb8EXrEzV8_5K7FI38sOr1SsAOPdnMlzOBVORce6WY0CozrCAF-Pfu7bwU6FA/s200/Humanist-glos.info-5b6e8b.jpg" width="140" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You might think that as Summer approaches, the <a href="http://www.glos.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/rpe/pages/religion-philosophy-and-ethics-ba-hons.aspx" target="_blank">Religion, Philosophy and Ethics course here at Gloucestershire</a> might quieten down and slow..</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wrong.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As ever, there are events for students both within and beyond the classroom. You can see a fuller range over at our<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/RPEglos/" target="_blank"> Facebook group </a>- including details on the student research conference later in the Summer..</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Prizes for the Buddhism quiz</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We had A C Grayling come and speak to us this week - as part of a joint event with Gloucestershire Philosophical Society (GPS) and Gloucestershire Humanists. He spoke on <span style="color: #222222; text-align: center;"><i>Humanist Principles and Humanist Ethics, How do the former influence the latter. </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222; text-align: center;">The RPE course and GPS are work together to bring a full programme of talks every term - </span><span style="color: #222222;"><a href="https://glosphilsoc.net/" target="_blank">https://glosphilsoc.net/ </a>has details - and the hugely popular events are an evening of students, the public, and staff - all engaged in discussion and debate.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">RPE cake..</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What else? The second year Hinduism and Buddhism module ended with a quiz - with Buddha-in-a-bag prizes for the winning team. There was stiff competition, as these prizes are ferociously fought for - and students revealed how 'free stuff' suddenly activates their memories..</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The third year class <a href="http://www.glos.ac.uk/courses/descriptors/pages/hm6502-emergent-spiritualities.aspx" target="_blank">Emergent Spiritualities </a>ended its run of student presentations (on topics like UFO religions, Game of Thrones, Conspiracy Theories, Satanism and Feminism, Hedgewitch traditions, Falun Gong and more) with, obviously, champagne. An RPE student even baked a special cake to add the sense of occasion.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">RPE students!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">RPE graduate Katie talks about her life as a teacher</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhANRc5i_UNXPetw0Pq6kAoUGw1X3ydE0TaqFFqVzkS64bI8atG6i2tdGON5MxDcGN34QSxQLWx8Qjzj6VUstenocGw4WXPLoN9abpPwFYUp1ZFdGSAKIcuIv2X7dOkZOjSs0fGeA/s1600/13151612_10154007993605999_6465641648297717264_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhANRc5i_UNXPetw0Pq6kAoUGw1X3ydE0TaqFFqVzkS64bI8atG6i2tdGON5MxDcGN34QSxQLWx8Qjzj6VUstenocGw4WXPLoN9abpPwFYUp1ZFdGSAKIcuIv2X7dOkZOjSs0fGeA/s200/13151612_10154007993605999_6465641648297717264_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jessica talks about her work at TrueTube</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This week also saw our Back to the Future Alumni event - where graduates came in to talk about their lives since leaving us. Katie talked about how her RPE degree led her into the teaching profession, while Jessica talked about her video production and planning work with TrueTube. There were also nibbles. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Staff stare at buffet...</td></tr>
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David W...http://www.blogger.com/profile/14620079005028926064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36538074.post-4960270789333447742016-04-14T12:44:00.003+01:002016-04-23T15:27:15.309+01:00Stephen Law on The Evil God Challenge<div style="font-family: 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0px;">
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Why should an all-good God be more likely than an all-evil God? Does the world </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0sXSLS-2PkGDZaqDembUvX4fM4d7jnZEte_laFslsIshO6oFVV9GpfB0kO4_0Uq6VmuKKpTVtLmjiUknDyfwmK9Fvm1ymHc57Uz4PKo0ut-rToAT5DkbziBC1uC5BHQg6QuR0Gw/s1600/cropped-fch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0sXSLS-2PkGDZaqDembUvX4fM4d7jnZEte_laFslsIshO6oFVV9GpfB0kO4_0Uq6VmuKKpTVtLmjiUknDyfwmK9Fvm1ymHc57Uz4PKo0ut-rToAT5DkbziBC1uC5BHQg6QuR0Gw/s320/cropped-fch.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">provide us with evidence of good so as to make it impossible for the notion of an all-evil, omnipotent God? Dr Stephen Law has debated this Challenge in numerous forums and we are pleased to have him at the University of Gloucestershire to discuss this topic with us.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="http://stephenlaw.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Stephen Law</a> is senior lecturer at Heythrop College, University of London and editor of the philosophical journal </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><i>Think</i></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">. He is also the author of numerous accessible philosophical books including </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><i>The Philosophy Gym</i></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> and </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><i>Humanism: A Very Short Introduction</i></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">When: 12.15 – 2.15pm, Wednesday 20 April 2016</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Where: FCHC201</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">What: Lecture, followed by light lunch</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Book your place by emailing </span></span><a href="https://staffmail.glos.ac.uk/owa/redir.aspx?SURL=bcMbin_b31UrVe8IsOfFP7VIxEZnRG_4elbxX4qOYuKV0nSUWWTTCG0AYQBpAGwAdABvADoAaAB1AG0AYQBuAGkAdABpAGUAcwBAAGcAbABvAHMALgBhAGMALgB1AGsA&URL=mailto%3ahumanities%40glos.ac.uk" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">humanities@glos.ac.uk</span></span></a><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>by 9.00am, Monday 18 April 2016.</b></span></span></span></span></div>
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David W...http://www.blogger.com/profile/14620079005028926064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36538074.post-68711905808454813862016-04-06T08:12:00.001+01:002016-04-06T08:12:29.615+01:00Is Evil really Good or is Good really Evil? How DreamWorks tackles this issue in Megamind - by Alex Griffiths<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-size: large;">Animation:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Is this a modern medium of philosophical thought? Within Plato’s <i>Symposium,
</i>Apollodorus expresses that philosophy is the only enjoyable subject; is
this so the case, that even within children’s entertainment there is this
requirement for philosophy to encroach?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtFdLMa66TLQhlZWZQVIJQd8Bvygpb1aUtwHf9sTxigU1Z4_Eb6ew6hlwMLxT0y6RHXm1woVOgbwTkyRg0fLdiHU9d0Kj56NgSusz_-Rz5w0vHKzzdVwhuQQHbbDdWJYYtn17/s1600/Unknown.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtFdLMa66TLQhlZWZQVIJQd8Bvygpb1aUtwHf9sTxigU1Z4_Eb6ew6hlwMLxT0y6RHXm1woVOgbwTkyRg0fLdiHU9d0Kj56NgSusz_-Rz5w0vHKzzdVwhuQQHbbDdWJYYtn17/s400/Unknown.jpeg" /></a><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-size: large;">Children’s film and literature (I’m sure
most mediums) are filled with extremely powerful messages and moral guidelines.
The lists are endless from Dr Seuss raising questions about the theory and
nature of knowledge to Jacqueline Wilson embedding deep moral issues and
guidance. Even big friendly authors such as Roald Dahl are at it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But to return to film, DreamWorks, Pixar and
Disney all fill their movies with powerful thoughts; Look at Wall-e as an
example, a robot who’s function it is to clean up the planet due to human
consumption<span style="color: red;"> </span>providing huge topical environmental
issues regarding the destruction we are causing to this planet, thus allowing
insight to the instability and the fragility of our world. Not to mention the
connection and empathy that is created within the robot, leading to such
questions as what is it to be human and what sets this robot apart from
humankind.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB">These large film industries are providing
deep philosophical questions to become digested, disguised under comical
scripts and loveable characters. Entertainment aimed at children provides vital
education. This returns me to Apollodorus’ immense delight in philosophic
discourse and his belief that </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">other sorts of talk, especially that of wealth
and "money-bag friends", not only annoys him but creates a sense of
sorrow within him because others believe that this type of talk is of value.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=36538074#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Calibri; line-height: 107%;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> I have to agree with him,
and so does the entertainment industry. </span><span lang="EN-GB">Within
morality, a base guideline can be seen throughout history. Look at religious
texts as a whole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does it not provide
guidelines to a prosperous way of life - if not in this one, then in ones to
follow? To tie this together, evidence of this thirst for moral codes can be
seen throughout all children’s literature over the years from Grimms' nursery
tales to Aesop’s fables.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This thirst
provides evidence that morality is needed within society and human nature as we
always are striving towards it. Without it the world would become pure anarchy,
and society as we know it will break down, thus the importance of teaching
children basic principles from a young age is important.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-size: large;">As titled, this is a review of Megamind, so
I will look into the philosophical nature of the film, thus contextualising the
idea that the industry provides deep thought and insight into what could be
argued as higher thought into a relatable medium. So let’s start with the
beginning…the very beginning: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQVibx3_iXV7Z5P6bHYrj4ACPGLZb-a-OZqiu-iJ8ubY_2X8bFoGhyTJPen9Au5X-2nW9C03m9P6IMYEPcvgnu7WQzDu5L6L_OKTR__Vc6yMzdrLaoy_q1jrKkgsffN6ySQ8N3/s1600/Unknown-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQVibx3_iXV7Z5P6bHYrj4ACPGLZb-a-OZqiu-iJ8ubY_2X8bFoGhyTJPen9Au5X-2nW9C03m9P6IMYEPcvgnu7WQzDu5L6L_OKTR__Vc6yMzdrLaoy_q1jrKkgsffN6ySQ8N3/s400/Unknown-1.jpeg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: large;">The opening scene
is of two planets at the brink of destruction, when baby Megamind and MetroMan
are seen flying to earth. MetroMan begins his life in luxury and Megamind finds
himself in prison. The two main characters grow up together, yet despite
MegaMind’s efforts to fit in, he only gets more secluded, until he ‘learned a
very hard lesson: good receives all the praise and adulation while evil is sent
to quiet time in the corner. So fitting in wasn't really an option.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=36538074#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Calibri; line-height: 107%;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-size: large;">The comical nature of the film allows for
the depth to be the underbelly of the scene. What is, on first glance,
portraying comedy and a base for the story line, actually in fact is asking and
providing a springboard to deep abstract thought. The above quote is part of
the opening spiel and provides an introduction of the two leading roles of the
film. But what is so powerful is that it is playing on the notion of destiny.
It sets forward the question of whether we can choose the lives that we lead,
and if this choice can be changed or whether such matters are predestined. The
film continues to look upon this paradigm of destiny, yet always relates it to
the juxtaposition of good and evil. Other issues are raised within the film,
such as the notion of what happens to the balance when evil beats good.
Megamind <i>(Will Ferrell)</i> in this instance becomes bored. Could we take
this notion to a present reality away from the abstract of animation as a
thought process; what would it be like if good conquered evil? Looking briefly
at Christianity, with heaven described as a place of eternal bliss and happiness,
void of evil, would this be as Megamind describes…boring? Another issue that I
find problematic when trying to identify what is evil, is that if there is no
such thing as evil than surely there can be no concept of good. Existence would
just become existence and therefore extremely mundane with potentially no
purpose. Megamind brings light to this issue by showing that from the super
hero to the super villain there is a mixture of characteristics showing that no
one is wholly good or evil. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-size: large;">The notion of good and evil that I find
particularly problematic is defining what it actually means to be evil. If
arguing it is people’s actions, surely this is subjective; not only just within
opinion yet also culture and time have a great impact. Throughout the film,
Metro Man (<i>Brad Pitt)</i> plays the super ‘hero’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Within the eyes of the citizens, he is a
treasure; the man of the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But when
looking through the introduction of the film and watching the two characters
grow up together, he can be seen to be supressing Megamind and forcing him to
become evil. Can it not be interpreted that Megamind was just trying to gain
the same respect that the arrogant Metro Man was receiving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore could it not be that through Metro
Man’s actions of always trying to one up and revel in his own glory that he
forced Megamind to become evil? So even from the onset of the film it provides
insight that ‘good’ has the capacity to create evil. The playing on the ideas
of good and evil throughout the film show the lack of clarity and contrast
defining what it is to be good. It shows that perhaps one cannot just be evil,
only certain actions or perhaps characteristics can be. There is a real
emphasis on the problematic idea of labelling something either way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Alex
Griffiths is a second-year History and RPE student. He has his own blog at: <a href="https://alexlgriffiths.wordpress.com/">https://alexlgriffiths.wordpress.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=36538074#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"> </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Plato.
Plato in Twelve Volumes, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Symposium 173c,</i>
Vol. 9 translated by Harold N. Fowler. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press;
London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1925</span><span lang="EN-GB"> </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=36538074#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Megamind, </i>dir. Tom
McGrath, DreamWorks, 2010<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Roy Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06105717074880187568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36538074.post-25576221915491088052016-02-12T09:21:00.002+00:002016-02-12T09:21:33.950+00:00Applicant Day - February 18th for Religion, Philosophy & Ethics applicants.This coming week, on Thursday 18th February, we'll be holding the first of this year's Applicant Visit Days. If you've applied to start <a href="http://r-p-e.blogspot.co.uk/p/about-rpe-course.html" target="_blank">RPE</a> in September 2016 - these events are for you!<br />
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If you haven't booked for this (or the the 10th March applicant day) - you can do this at: <a href="http://www.glos.ac.uk/visit/pages/applicant-days.aspx">http://www.glos.ac.uk/visit/pages/applicant-days.aspx</a>
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There will be a 'taster' session with <a href="https://philosvids.wordpress.com/who-we-are/dr-william-large/" target="_blank">Dr William Large</a>, Course Leader for <a href="http://r-p-e.blogspot.co.uk/p/about-rpe-course.html" target="_blank">RPE</a>:</div>
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The Examined Life – Plato famously said that an unexamined life was not worth living. But what is an unexamined life? How would you live a life that had no Religion, Philosophy and Ethics in it, and if you did would that really be a problem?</blockquote>
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There will also be lots of opportunity to find out more about the RPE course and community here at <a href="http://facebook.com/groups/RPEglos" target="_blank">facebook.com/groups/RPEglos </a> or on Twitter at <a href="http://twitter.com/rpeatglos" target="_blank">@RPEatGlos</a>. As well as the academic side of being a student, there will also be the chance to ask about finance, accommodation and the social aspects of student life! </div>
Gloucestershire. You can also see our Facebook group at<br />
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See you there..</div>
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<a href="https://philosvids.wordpress.com/who-we-are/dr-david-webster/" target="_blank">Dave</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5qfNj2yEK_vay5Y_H9fTLDM1w4Sf20IKy4fW8_JMsWhK1WSRna92ZhxgROjMz2FuVNp4GHLNE-4BAxG_OuJl0-fXAAg6mRaZ2ZMvgMnTrnIsNyVZrM-mwmcl1wieKjHEMJWA7WA/s1600/16166055464_cacc3a9eca_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5qfNj2yEK_vay5Y_H9fTLDM1w4Sf20IKy4fW8_JMsWhK1WSRna92ZhxgROjMz2FuVNp4GHLNE-4BAxG_OuJl0-fXAAg6mRaZ2ZMvgMnTrnIsNyVZrM-mwmcl1wieKjHEMJWA7WA/s400/16166055464_cacc3a9eca_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Students on the Spain field trip module..</td></tr>
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David W...http://www.blogger.com/profile/14620079005028926064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36538074.post-60474738868601641832016-02-10T11:20:00.001+00:002016-02-14T20:26:36.808+00:00On the road with Dr Peter Vardy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnI7-MCueQgLCVczuTlQq2ygBqwRTurunVfiTUiPe3zcoJpnL_ESshhgCgotG74BVk42_6VmIv_Emr1l-lSm1pGq5fEs-Epi9IWVRFAA6ad6SfqLwSM2NWjzsISvL7DNbzR8BXwQ/s1600/v3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnI7-MCueQgLCVczuTlQq2ygBqwRTurunVfiTUiPe3zcoJpnL_ESshhgCgotG74BVk42_6VmIv_Emr1l-lSm1pGq5fEs-Epi9IWVRFAA6ad6SfqLwSM2NWjzsISvL7DNbzR8BXwQ/s320/v3.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">For the last week and a half, I've been off campus as part of Dr Peter Vardy's <a href="http://candleconferences.com/ethics/" target="_blank">Candle Conferences Ethics </a>tour..</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My wonderful colleagues <a href="http://independent.academia.edu/BenTrubody" target="_blank">Dr Ben Trubody</a> and <a href="https://philosvids.wordpress.com/who-we-are/professor-melissa-raphael/" target="_blank">Professor Melissa Raphael</a> have been covering my teaching at the University (lucky students!), and I've been using Skype as much as train/hotel wi-fi will allow!</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9cLcG9Iw40B1x82szx_Q7f_7t8IgKxe4lP7GLvONFQ1FZmTfRNeus9D6VzQcPFFw6cVkFgSt38HEMC7xyq8whdEegnBe2VAUSe3EvU2KYMwHVIMWShuYSYBEiXFfxcK8qfSE24g/s1600/v4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9cLcG9Iw40B1x82szx_Q7f_7t8IgKxe4lP7GLvONFQ1FZmTfRNeus9D6VzQcPFFw6cVkFgSt38HEMC7xyq8whdEegnBe2VAUSe3EvU2KYMwHVIMWShuYSYBEiXFfxcK8qfSE24g/s200/v4.jpg" width="160" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">By the end of this week I'll have given my '<span style="background-color: white; color: #292f33; letter-spacing: 0.26px; line-height: 32px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I </span><span style="border-color: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-style: initial; height: 1.25em; letter-spacing: 0.26px; padding-left: 0.1em; padding-right: 0.05em; vertical-align: -0.2em; width: 1.25em;"><img alt="❤️" aria-label="Emoji: Heavy red heart" class="Emoji Emoji--forText" draggable="false" src="https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/72x72/2764.png" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #292f33; height: 1.25em; letter-spacing: 0.26px; line-height: 32px; padding: 0px 0.05em 0px 0.1em; vertical-align: -0.2em; white-space: pre-wrap; width: 1.25em;" title="Heavy red heart" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #292f33; letter-spacing: 0.26px; line-height: 32px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Kant' talk to nearly 4000 A-level students from around 200 Schools / Colleges. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #292f33; letter-spacing: 0.26px; line-height: 32px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I apologise for the meme-filled slides (you can find a copy via twitter, where I am <a href="https://twitter.com/davidwebster/" target="_blank">@davidwebster</a>, if you really want to see them).</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #292f33; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.26px; line-height: 32px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It's been really interesting talking with students and teachers - and I hope some of you are excited by what we do on the <a href="http://r-p-e.blogspot.co.uk/p/about-rpe-course.html" target="_blank">RPE course here</a>. While I have found all the travel, and big audiences exciting, but slightly tiring - but <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Vardy_(theologian)" target="_blank">Peter</a> has enough energy for the whole audience- and has always made sure the debates have been very lively!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-emQJ_wsjhP-NdwFoXrMnS5hRwv2abSAWMgoB1cI2wbC_TdTV3kLlseLoVG5RzjhkUXj0zVD4C6NUeV4HDBB-zAJWRwb19ZE3Gph46ksR39Ry4roT4yphCAMzwVcX7edIM9amQ/s1600/v1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-emQJ_wsjhP-NdwFoXrMnS5hRwv2abSAWMgoB1cI2wbC_TdTV3kLlseLoVG5RzjhkUXj0zVD4C6NUeV4HDBB-zAJWRwb19ZE3Gph46ksR39Ry4roT4yphCAMzwVcX7edIM9amQ/s640/v1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dr Peter Vardy - in London.</td></tr>
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You can also see me in conservation with Dr Vardy at <a href="http://wp.me/p2xWwL-ew" target="_blank">http://wp.me/p2xWwL-ew </a>David W...http://www.blogger.com/profile/14620079005028926064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36538074.post-72751000015091642822016-01-29T13:50:00.003+00:002016-01-29T13:51:10.589+00:00The Third Degree - RPE staff versus student on Radio 4 quiz..Last week, Radio 4's <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01d0q86" target="_blank">The Third Degree </a>recorded an episode of the quiz show (that pits University staff agains their students) at Gloucestershire.<br />
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The teams included an RPE student (Rob Alexander) and RPE staff member (David Webster - me). The show won't be broadcast till April - so I will keep the result a secret - but here are a few photos from the event..<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRoRVpT38CjLgyFmF0z9Miz0wmeDWFhU2yGXkQ1LRBEnHmzPeEjVgYW4H0QwJqULKB_iWtPmLpuedVQalIOltMxdzbr8SCdyAEGCISQkKdWVqHnZPnB0osBfLv3anXBY4NAP6aCA/s1600/2016-01-21+17.12.31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRoRVpT38CjLgyFmF0z9Miz0wmeDWFhU2yGXkQ1LRBEnHmzPeEjVgYW4H0QwJqULKB_iWtPmLpuedVQalIOltMxdzbr8SCdyAEGCISQkKdWVqHnZPnB0osBfLv3anXBY4NAP6aCA/s640/2016-01-21+17.12.31.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rob and Dave either side of the host, Steve Punt.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqDU83dqBJQIUTxLjhTgXxNLTyns7F3jAqMucQdhzI3oMiGy5vy-SzeL-fGNppxogbEb_8wp4vVHMWkoP1Aq0vyI5pAgMpLNodZGEoSrXqanQ0aN5Z2IGQtmT9GH84x9rkkqyLgw/s1600/2016-01-21+19.41.03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqDU83dqBJQIUTxLjhTgXxNLTyns7F3jAqMucQdhzI3oMiGy5vy-SzeL-fGNppxogbEb_8wp4vVHMWkoP1Aq0vyI5pAgMpLNodZGEoSrXqanQ0aN5Z2IGQtmT9GH84x9rkkqyLgw/s640/2016-01-21+19.41.03.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dave 'thinking'...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHE6UwkE-ZSxCGZu8nqWO4SOEe44cKwAW5SWJOHG-IlLbeF_xl05iyKqroHAf-smnxxoRglxpHLMn9exp79zii65zgIlUAr1soxMq0H6NCS5LUYIhN4Fl58ELTSlxhqk5JWJDo4A/s1600/2016-01-22+18.24.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHE6UwkE-ZSxCGZu8nqWO4SOEe44cKwAW5SWJOHG-IlLbeF_xl05iyKqroHAf-smnxxoRglxpHLMn9exp79zii65zgIlUAr1soxMq0H6NCS5LUYIhN4Fl58ELTSlxhqk5JWJDo4A/s640/2016-01-22+18.24.27.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before the hostilities..</td></tr>
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David W...http://www.blogger.com/profile/14620079005028926064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36538074.post-43144354795579986222016-01-28T10:17:00.001+00:002016-01-28T10:17:30.678+00:00Death! (Exhibition and visit, and a cat pub too..)<div class="tr_bq">
A week or so ago, RPE students (with a few from other courses joining us too) popped down to Bristol to visit the<a href="https://www.bristolmuseums.org.uk/bristol-museum-and-art-gallery/whats-on/death-human-experience/" target="_blank"> Death: The Human Experience</a> exhibition, at the city museum. We then popped down to the <i><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-34871580" target="_blank">Bag of Nails</a> </i> pub - famous in Bristol for the free range cats wandering (mostly, to be honest, sleeping) around the pub..</div>
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There are some pictures below (click them to enlarge) - but the exhibition blurb is worth reading:<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4b565c; font-family: 'DIN Next W01 Regular', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'DIN Next W01 Italic', sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">death: the human experience </span>is about the most universal of experiences that we <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkB6U3Eha3dho-XnVQq5XXMa_FKbqbRnx1myiDJvuxN1JM9J8PsWXSVm0qS9zxzeT1KC3ysdmnxAdoLMrMyCIAAp3y2YNJJyqyWJuO-1DmAhAslmJPoZZoIX2JhqVRSOppC_jUiA/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-28+at+10.06.01.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkB6U3Eha3dho-XnVQq5XXMa_FKbqbRnx1myiDJvuxN1JM9J8PsWXSVm0qS9zxzeT1KC3ysdmnxAdoLMrMyCIAAp3y2YNJJyqyWJuO-1DmAhAslmJPoZZoIX2JhqVRSOppC_jUiA/s320/Screen+Shot+2016-01-28+at+10.06.01.png" width="320" /></a></div>
will encounter.<br />Hundreds of incredibly diverse objects – from a Ghanaian fantasy coffin to a Victorian mourning dress – reveal captivating stories from cultures across the world, from the earliest human societies to the modern day.<br />The exhibition encourages you to consider ethical issues, different attitudes to death and how different cultures have dealt with the end of life.<br />As a society we are reluctant to talk about death and dying. <span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'DIN Next W01 Italic', sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">death: the human experience</span> is about helping to start that conversation.</blockquote>
Our HM6502 Love, Sex and Death module deals with these issues - and it was fascinating to learn more, and see examples of some of the material we discuss in class.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">only a matter of time..</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset in Bristol</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Student plus cats..</td></tr>
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David W...http://www.blogger.com/profile/14620079005028926064noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36538074.post-31762050720844957502015-12-07T17:21:00.001+00:002015-12-07T17:29:33.993+00:00RPE 2015 Essay Competition Results: The winners..<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Well - that was tough!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Over 80 essays - and many of them excellent!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">However, after much fighting, many biscuits, and extended soul-searching: we have a result.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The winner of the iPad is <b>Elizabeth Huang</b>, of Magdalen College School (upper sixth), for an essay on Artificial Intelligence and Love - which we hope to publish on this blog soon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">4 Essays were awarded runners-up prizes of an Amazon Voucher - for some really fantastic work. These are:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Phineas Humphris, Thetford Grammar School.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Cameron Newton-Grain, The Cotswold School.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Francesca Lutje-Wilkes, Bearsden Academy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Jessica Wooff, Cranbrook School.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Thanks to everyone who took part -we really appreciated the work that went into every piece of writing we saw!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>David W...http://www.blogger.com/profile/14620079005028926064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36538074.post-17598024080818254092015-12-02T11:08:00.000+00:002015-12-02T11:08:11.201+00:00RPE Essay competition - results soon!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">FCH Campus - home of RPE.</td></tr>
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Well - the RPE essay competition had over 80 entries this year: and we are still reading them!<br />
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The standard is <i>very</i> high - but we hope to come to a decision by the end of this week - and will announce the winner on this blog!<br />
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Thanks to all those who took part - and watch this space!<br />
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<br />David W...http://www.blogger.com/profile/14620079005028926064noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36538074.post-38338221869514914042015-11-13T13:26:00.000+00:002015-11-13T13:26:29.678+00:00Diwali trip 2015.. Pictures, Students, and a mention of 'black Diwali'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This Wednesday saw students from Religion, Philosophy & Ethics at the University of Gloucestershire (along with some welcome guests from Creative Writing, History, and English Literature along too) head up to <a href="http://www.visitleicester.info/things-to-see-and-do/festivals-celebrations/diwali/" target="_blank">Leicester</a> for the <a href="http://www.visitleicester.info/things-to-see-and-do/festivals-celebrations/diwali/" target="_blank">2015 Diwali celebrations</a>.<br />
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The <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-34795959" target="_blank">BBC report that </a>41000 people attended, a coach-load of them were our students.. We will be back next year for more fireworks, sweets, street food and to witness the celebrations.<br />
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Want to know more about Diwali? There is this <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/worldnews/11988670/Diwali-2015-The-festival-of-lights-in-pictures.html" target="_blank">Pictures and Guide page,</a> and lots more on the web.<br />
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This year's celebrations were not without controversy though - as some British Sikhs called for a 'black Diwali' in protest at the visit to the UK by BJP President of India Nanendra Modi. At <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34793443" target="_blank">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34793443 </a>a Sikh is quoted as saying:<br />
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"Whereas previously the parties were more secular and appealing on economic policies or the general policies you might get here, now it's more Hindu nationalism, that's the agenda," he said.<br />"The other minorities in India are getting a rough ride."</blockquote>
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Nonetheless, many Hindu communities are delighted at his visit - as the<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34793443" target="_blank"> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34793443</a> article describes.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click to see more from RPE's Flickr site of trips, speakers, and events.</td></tr>
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David W...http://www.blogger.com/profile/14620079005028926064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36538074.post-86319299942224317792015-11-03T11:52:00.001+00:002015-11-03T11:58:10.068+00:00Class of 2015 Graduation Tea<span style="font-family: Gotham-Book; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Gotham-Book; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Gotham-Book; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Gotham-Book; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Gotham-Book; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Gotham-Book; font-size: x-small;"></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Please join staff and fellow graduates and their families in the FCH Chapel
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="mailto:humanities@glos.ac.uk"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">humanities@glos.ac.uk</span></a></b></div>
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David W...http://www.blogger.com/profile/14620079005028926064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36538074.post-77242343088165490662015-10-16T09:56:00.000+01:002015-10-16T10:00:24.089+01:00Welcome from Professor Melissa Raphael<div dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17px;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Hello, I'm Melissa Raphael, Professor of Jewish Theology here at the University of Gloucestershire. I also teach Modern Jewish Thought to rabbinical ordinands in London and am an editor of the Oxford Encyclopedia for Religion and the Arts, with responsibility for Jewish visual art.</span><br />
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My main areas of research and teaching are modern and contemporary Jewish theology, feminist perspectives on theology and religion; art and religion, and the sacred/profane distinction in Western religion.</div>
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When I’m not teaching, I write the articles and books that inform many of the modules I’m responsible for here at the University and which contribute to international academic debate:</div>
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These are some of my publications: <a href="http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/product/9780198269328.do" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #2e6eb0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Rudolf Otto and the Concept of Holiness</a> (Oxford University Press, 1997); <a href="http://www.continuumbooks.com/books/detail.aspx?BookId=120501&SearchType=Basic" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #2e6eb0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Thealogy and Embodiment: The Post-Patriarchal Reconstruction of Female Sacrality</a>(Sheffield Academic Press, 1996); <a href="http://www.continuumbooks.com/books/detail.aspx?BookId=117968&SearchType=Basic" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #2e6eb0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Introducing Thealogy: Discourse on the Goddess</a> (Sheffield Academic Press: 1999); <a href="http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415236652/" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #2e6eb0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">The Female Face of God in Auschwitz:A Jewish Feminist Theology of the Holocaust</a>(Routledge, 2003), shortlisted for the Koret Jewish Book Award in 2004 and the subject of an American Academy of Religion panel session in 2009, and <a href="http://www.continuumbooks.com/books/detail.aspx?BookId=129761&SubjectId=1043&Subject2Id=1462" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #2e6eb0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Judaism and the Visual Image: A Jewish Theology of Art</a> (Continuum, 2009). I’m currently working on a new book on gender and idolatry</div>
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I don’t only lecture at the University of Gloucestershire. One of the things I enjoy most about my job is that guest lecturing has taken me all over the world, from Seoul to Wisconsin…Some of these guest lectures have included the 2008 Sherman Lectures in Jewish Studies at the University of Manchester, and the 2008 Granville-Goodspeed Lecture in Theology at Denison University, Ohio. In 2011 I was the Hussey Lecturer in the Church and the Arts at the University of Oxford and in October 2012 I contributed to the celebration of the fifth anniversary of the issuing of A Common Word, a historic interfaith initiative of Prince Ghazi Bin Muhammad of Jordan, with a lecture on the nature of love in Judaism, at Regent’s Park College, Oxford.</div>
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I’m also Honorary Research Scholar at the University of Wales, Lampeter and sit on the International Board of The Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion and The Journal of Religion and Gender. I’m Visiting Professor in Theology at the University of Chichester and Honorary Visiting Professor at the University of York, St John. I regularly broadcast on Radio 4 and television and have been the academic representative for the British Government on the International Task Force for Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance and Research.</div>
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Outside my life at the University of Gloucestershire, I like to paint, garden, read, draw and hike (especially on coastal paths).</div>
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<br />David W...http://www.blogger.com/profile/14620079005028926064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36538074.post-60380927624269881012015-10-07T20:16:00.005+01:002015-10-07T20:19:52.618+01:00The Hallowe’en Lecture: Re-enchanting culture in a cynical world: Pagans, Satanists, Atheists, Fictional Religions and more. October 28th. <br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">One of the RPE staff, </span><a href="https://philosvids.wordpress.com/who-we-are/dr-david-webster/" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;" target="_blank">Dr David Webster</a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">, will be giving a (free) public lecture on October 28th at the Park Campus of the University of Gloucestershire.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>The Hallowe’en Lecture: Re-enchanting culture in a cynical world: Pagans, Satanists, Atheists, Fictional Religions and more.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; line-height: 22.528px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Dr Webster said: “The lecture will consider whether these emerging trends can be seen as the means by which our cynical, suspicious and complex culture expresses its need for life to be something more than a drab series of repeated commercial transactions, culminating in pre-paid funeral plans.”</span></span></blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLgqQqIlbVnVQ4431kTugr-H38-D1f0Y1gumCQzb1RdBVeP0B_syi8vaOB_9B7-2C1n99uRvFjM0XNsXDm909yJs9xxQNIXXQUlbGHxV84kcUoqNrkdvxdj54QAWxy1RdHqtQNnw/s1600/seventh-seal-death.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLgqQqIlbVnVQ4431kTugr-H38-D1f0Y1gumCQzb1RdBVeP0B_syi8vaOB_9B7-2C1n99uRvFjM0XNsXDm909yJs9xxQNIXXQUlbGHxV84kcUoqNrkdvxdj54QAWxy1RdHqtQNnw/s200/seventh-seal-death.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 22.528px;">The event starts with registration and refreshments from 5pm. The lecture is from 6pm until 7pm. Please visit </span><a href="http://bit.ly/1Kx7y4f" style="color: #009baa; line-height: 22.528px; text-decoration: none;">http://bit.ly/1Kx7y4f</a><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 22.528px;"> to book a place.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.528px;">This is a public event - all are welcome - but you do need to use the link above to book a place..</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.528px;"><br /></span></span>David W...http://www.blogger.com/profile/14620079005028926064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36538074.post-53838119759461487972015-10-05T10:29:00.001+01:002015-10-05T10:29:28.024+01:00Hello to the Second Year, from Martin Wood.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmN9bwDGDKAFd2swMCegGiMOASHC8oCcCJjbFl8UqVAkRiqAgHp4qXda1KlXbOUy5P-BLRy1mBs2vYhKygihCbTGwXdyFvkp2MjWmIaqR6d7ZgCMEwPAHKilbc1TWnmXFgSoCD-w/s1600/MWood.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmN9bwDGDKAFd2swMCegGiMOASHC8oCcCJjbFl8UqVAkRiqAgHp4qXda1KlXbOUy5P-BLRy1mBs2vYhKygihCbTGwXdyFvkp2MjWmIaqR6d7ZgCMEwPAHKilbc1TWnmXFgSoCD-w/s200/MWood.jpeg" width="150" /></a>I am extremely happy to be joining the RPE team for this semester. I will be guiding students through the often complex subject of Hinduism and hopefully encouraging them to engage with the subject with as much enthusiasm and interest as I have done. Over the last ten years I have been working in the field with various Gujarati Hindu communities in India, the U.K. and New Zealand. Much of my research has focused on issues of authority, identity and vernacular traditions, areas that I will no doubt expand upon in the lectures and seminars. I was out in Gujarat earlier this year, which was an astonishing trip, so I intend to lard my lectures with numerous anecdotes from the field (some of which I hope will be received with interest). In the meantime I hope that all the students whom I encounter in the lecture room will find their journey through university greatly enriched by their encounter with the vibrant and dynamic set of religious traditions that we call Hinduism. </div>
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Martin Wood.</div>
David W...http://www.blogger.com/profile/14620079005028926064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36538074.post-70412371192544778512015-10-02T10:02:00.002+01:002015-10-02T10:02:48.906+01:00A Welcome to new students from DaveHi.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxQ8DySVb77IBFYLqsF_hIa6dAPsu7Hh8KkrbafZU88j1drBPks9wUrCota9O6GSP4Qmxx9C19L9qk7ZMSZm_REJLzll6FETDhASQ8OkwXrcWALrqnTb2Fp6liVNle045SnDwuyw/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-10-02+at+09.35.02.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxQ8DySVb77IBFYLqsF_hIa6dAPsu7Hh8KkrbafZU88j1drBPks9wUrCota9O6GSP4Qmxx9C19L9qk7ZMSZm_REJLzll6FETDhASQ8OkwXrcWALrqnTb2Fp6liVNle045SnDwuyw/s400/Screen+Shot+2015-10-02+at+09.35.02.png" width="266" /></a>This year marks 10 years of taking students onto the <a href="http://r-p-e.blogspot.co.uk/p/about-rpe-course.html" target="_blank">RPE degree</a>. That makes me feel old, as I was there when it all began - as were some students who you can find over on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/RPEglos/" target="_blank">RPE Facebook group</a>. A lot has happened since then, but the RPE course has become stronger and more successful as time has gone by. As you can see on this post - the recently released National Student Survey gave us 100% overall satisfaction (as it did last year too) - and this was a survey done by final year students.<br />
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We also came <a href="http://r-p-e.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/league-table-glory-religionphilosophy.html" target="_blank">3rd in the Guardian 2016 guide to the best courses </a>in the country for this subject area.<br />
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<a href="http://insight.glos.ac.uk/academicschools/dh/undergraduatecourses/RPE/RPEstaff/PublishingImages/DavidWebster-180.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://insight.glos.ac.uk/academicschools/dh/undergraduatecourses/RPE/RPEstaff/PublishingImages/DavidWebster-180.jpg" /></a>As you can tell - I am incredibly proud to part of the team that delivers this amazing course. I can be found contributing sessions in philosophy modules with <a href="https://philosvids.wordpress.com/who-we-are/dr-william-large/" target="_blank">Course Leader Dr William Large</a>, and I teach the <a href="http://www.glos.ac.uk/courses/descriptors/pages/hm6501-love-sex-and-death.aspx" target="_blank">Love, Sex and Death</a> module in the third year. I also teach on some of the interesting things happening in the modern world - so that includes the <a href="http://www.glos.ac.uk/courses/descriptors/pages/hm4503-new-religious-movements.aspx" target="_blank">New Religious Movements </a>course for the first year (semester 2) and the new course which ran for the first time last year - Emergent Spiritualities: you can see some of the video content for this module at:<a href="https://philosvids.wordpress.com/tag/hm6502/" target="_blank"> https://philosvids.wordpress.com/tag/hm6502/ </a>. For the last 7 years (and forever I hope) I have led the <a href="http://r-p-e.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/the-2015-field-trip-to-cordoba-personal.html" target="_blank">Spain Field trip</a> - and love the various coach trips we'll also be taking as part of the course (I think the first one this year will be a <a href="http://r-p-e.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/diwali-field-trip.html" target="_blank">Diwali</a> trip to Leicester in November)<br />
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I also write and publish - and you'll no doubt be hearing about that in class: but what I hope you're looking forward to most is getting involved in learning with us, arguing with us, and becoming part of the growing community of RPE graduates.<br />
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Dave.<br />
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David W...http://www.blogger.com/profile/14620079005028926064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36538074.post-85479268726923023972015-10-02T09:29:00.001+01:002015-10-02T09:29:18.653+01:00A Welcome to new students from Pekka
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsANGNezy0Roqfa8g9xGAAEPE3D6sRYOg7o1ntIeL2I9ZLHFd-dvINRNUVw7HYKHRaWo12ldKaCCBkTci0rXF0BEUDLGzgivzerpwByy1HxFXmfWnznKGFtaHZVNjnU76hijEyQ/s1600/Pekka%252520Pitkanen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsANGNezy0Roqfa8g9xGAAEPE3D6sRYOg7o1ntIeL2I9ZLHFd-dvINRNUVw7HYKHRaWo12ldKaCCBkTci0rXF0BEUDLGzgivzerpwByy1HxFXmfWnznKGFtaHZVNjnU76hijEyQ/s320/Pekka%252520Pitkanen.jpg" width="320" /></a><span class="s1">I would on my part like to welcome all new students. The study of religion is an exciting enterprise that involves many areas in Humanities and beyond. I myself focus on the study of Christianity, and the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible within its sacred scriptures in particular and currently teach the Christianity module for the RPE course. Otherwise, my interests include natural sciences (my “first love”, with engineering), social scientific, anthropological, postmodern and postcolonial approaches, but I’m always trying to be open to learning something new from any other perspectives. I hope to do my bit to assist you in your journey through the RPE degree. If I can try and pass one bit of my experience at this point, I would say that persistence and raw effort is really a main key to success, at the same time, it is also good to follow one’s interests and impulses in the study (e.g. with reading, assessments and study projects), as everything is better when one can enjoy what one does.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Pekka Pitkanen</span></div>
David W...http://www.blogger.com/profile/14620079005028926064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36538074.post-33407769760275940932015-10-01T15:33:00.000+01:002015-10-01T15:33:08.396+01:00A welcome to our new students from Roy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">A warm welcome to our new RPE intake! My name is Roy Jackson and I’ll be teaching you such ‘stuff’ as Greek Philosophy, Philosophy of Religion, and Islam. Also, the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche may crop up on occasion. I have been teaching at the University of Gloucestershire since 2007 and I probably gain the most satisfaction from seeing students grow and transform over the three years they are here. By the time they leave they are, in most cases (though we can’t win them all), more confident, independent and have developed a series of skills that will help them no matter what career(s) they choose. The sensible ones even stay in academia and go on to do MAs and PhDs. The most important thing, however, is to make the most of your three years: you will make some friends for life and it is an opportunity to really question why we are here and what our place in the world is.</span></div>
Roy Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06105717074880187568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36538074.post-32233331240015047802015-09-18T12:17:00.000+01:002015-09-18T12:17:11.507+01:00Welcome to all the New StudentsWelcome to all our new students who are starting the great adventure that is known as RPE. As Dave mentioned in the previous post, we did excellently in the NSS again. This is testimony not only to us, but also to our wonderful students.<br />
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There are many great ideas and activities you are going to be introduced to throughout the year, but one that thing that makes RPE special is all the extra stuff we get up to: visits, societies, and clubs. Oh and we also have been known to go to the pub once and a while.<br />
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One important event that I do want to direct your attention to, which is happening soon and is organised by our friends in history, is Black History Month. There will be two events at FCH, which you might be interested in.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ky4xm4Pjcy3g9SyI_pN3aaQE4hst9AYy3k9pS7ddPRUL3BOaif4oDPvWAAvseJ_bfB-NT_KNIOt5_5TgOwpYL2pXRaJk8ZygZL1XbEcJbP7oVa_EAotimoyT6LoZIKPvclv1AQ/s1600/Black+History.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ky4xm4Pjcy3g9SyI_pN3aaQE4hst9AYy3k9pS7ddPRUL3BOaif4oDPvWAAvseJ_bfB-NT_KNIOt5_5TgOwpYL2pXRaJk8ZygZL1XbEcJbP7oVa_EAotimoyT6LoZIKPvclv1AQ/s320/Black+History.PNG" width="222" /></a><br />
Bonnie Greer 'A Talk on Disruption and Insouciance'<br />
Wednesday 14th October, 6.30-8.00 pm<br />
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Gary Younge 'Free at Last: Reclaiming the Lost Stories of Black History'<br />
Tuesday 20th October, 6.30-8.00 pm<br />
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Both are at FCH and in TC001.<br />
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You can book both events at the <a href="http://www.yourstudentsunion.com/ents/event/2753/">SU website</a>Braingrasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12859826435710133646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36538074.post-64085505092529230212015-09-09T16:41:00.001+01:002015-09-09T16:41:23.326+01:00New National Student Survey Results: RPE 100% - again!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Well, after <a href="http://r-p-e.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/religion-philosophy-ethics-gets-100.html" target="_blank">last year's 100% Student Satisfaction</a> in the National Student Survey for Religion, Philosophy & Ethics, and our recent <a href="http://r-p-e.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/league-table-glory-religionphilosophy.html" target="_blank">3rd place in the Guardian League Table</a>, we thought we might have seen our best results: but the new National Survey Data is just out..</div>
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You can see below that RPE was rated highly <i>again</i> - and scored 100% overall satisfaction, and the other scores show how happy our students have been. If you want to know just <i>why</i> we rate so highly - visit us at an <a href="http://www.glos.ac.uk/visit/open/Pages/undergraduate-open-days.aspx" target="_blank">OPEN DAY</a> - and find out..</div>
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<a href="https://unistats.direct.gov.uk/subjects/satisfaction/10007145FT-RPEDG/ReturnTo/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiKIIcWIKzYgqAtgln0SQG_94MmBCUL5swWZYNpfGstgBdOleKKE1ILX9a4nOTxRmoJvmGrfkvKJkDozg8GkN9u_JVmrP0e2xtqo8MrtPSyLNYfUHNzYusEwjfTFIYuqP8U7RDlA/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-09-09+at+15.46.35.png" /></a></div>
<br />David W...http://www.blogger.com/profile/14620079005028926064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36538074.post-6175939275419393522015-07-09T13:29:00.000+01:002015-07-09T13:29:14.603+01:002015 Religion, Philosophy & Ethics Essay Competition (to win an iPad)<br />
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<b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21px;">First prize: a new iPad<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="color: #444444;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia;">Three Runners-up receive a £20 Amazon voucher<o:p></o:p></span></b><br /><b style="color: #444444;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia;"><br /></span></b><h4 style="font-size: 22px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: justify;">
<b><b><span style="font-family: Georgia;">The</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia;"> <a href="http://www.glos.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/rpe/Pages/ReligionPhilosophyAndEthics.aspx" style="color: #4d469c; text-decoration: initial;" target="_blank">Religion, Philosophy and Ethics (RPE) course </a> </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia;">is pleased to announce the return of its annual RPE Essay Competition</span></b></b></h4>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2014 winner!</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia;">The competition is open to all those currently studying for any AS or A2-level examinations (or equivalent) in the UK. The first prize is</span><b style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia;"> </b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia;">a new iPad, and there will be three runners-up prizes of £20 Amazon vouchers.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia;">Entries must be no longer than </span><b style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia;"><u>1500 words</u></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia;"> including footnotes but excluding references and can take any form e.g. essay, dialogue, etc. All sources must be referenced.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The deadline for the 1500 word essay is <u>5pm on 29<sup>st</sup> October 2015</u> and will be judged by RPE lecturers.</span></b></span></div>
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To enter please choose one of the titles below and email your entry to</div>
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<b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia;"><a href="mailto:dwebster@glos.ac.uk" style="color: #6699cc; text-decoration: initial;">dwebster@glos.ac.uk</a></span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia;"> (please note you may only submit <u>one</u> entry to the competition).</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia;">Entries <u>must</u> be written in as a Microsoft Word document. Entries will normally be acknowledged within 5 days. In your email, please put your name, the Sixth Form / FE college you attend, and the title you have chosen to answer. The subject of your email should be '<b>essay competition'</b>.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Choose <u>one</u> of the following titles:</span></b></div>
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<li style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;"><b style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Is atheism a faith?</span></b></li>
<li style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;"><b style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">‘Without a religious dimension a person cannot be fully moral’. Discuss</span></b></li>
<li><b style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Would it ever be possible to develop an Artificial Intelligence/Robot that was capable of love?</span></span></span></b></li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/58244916@N00/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5qfNj2yEK_vay5Y_H9fTLDM1w4Sf20IKy4fW8_JMsWhK1WSRna92ZhxgROjMz2FuVNp4GHLNE-4BAxG_OuJl0-fXAAg6mRaZ2ZMvgMnTrnIsNyVZrM-mwmcl1wieKjHEMJWA7WA/s320/16166055464_cacc3a9eca_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/58244916@N00/" target="_blank">Students on one of our field trips..</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://r-p-e.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/discover-religion-philosophy-ethics-at.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFZCnFvB95T7edPqx3nXG_654k5RpncCIC4zEFiBcLWkyzmgMAwUntSkHNNNdY_qjmdxMa7pyyBh22LYBFAviR4FS0WgSv0IQqFX281l6-YszbzvXpQ_CAMkdYNIDZNwjChM2lgQ/s400/Screen+Shot+2015-06-04+at+09.35.59.png" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://r-p-e.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/discover-religion-philosophy-ethics-at.html" target="_blank">The RPE Course is in the top 3 in the UK..</a></td></tr>
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David W...http://www.blogger.com/profile/14620079005028926064noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36538074.post-15853413873922329322015-07-09T11:36:00.002+01:002015-07-20T21:51:01.122+01:00Peter Tatchell Lecture, next Thursday: 'Organised Religion: the greatest global threat to human rights?'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>[This event has now happened - but you can see the full video of the lecture at <a href="http://tinyurl.com/PTGlos">http://tinyurl.com/PTGlos</a>]</b><br />
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Next week, on July 16th, Peter Tatchell will lecture on '<b>Organised Religion: the greatest global threat to human rights?'</b><br />
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Given the complex historical relations between battles for human rights, and the place of both people of faith and religious institutions on either sides of these battles, this promises to be a fascinating talk.<br />
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There will also be a Q&A with the speaker, and the chance to engage in debate.<br />
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The event is free, but please email <a href="mailto:humanities@glos.ac.uk" target="_blank">humanities@glos.ac.uk </a>to reserve a place.<br />
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The event is to start at 7.30pm in TC001 at the FCH Campus (Swindon Road, Cheltenham) of the University.David W...http://www.blogger.com/profile/14620079005028926064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36538074.post-33789359136989365012015-06-04T10:15:00.000+01:002015-06-04T11:57:52.543+01:00Discover Religion, Philosophy & Ethics at Gloucestershire at an Open Day!<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can find out more about <a href="http://www.glos.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/rpe/pages/religion-philosophy-and-ethics-ba-hons.aspx" target="_blank">Religion, Philosophy & Ethics at Gloucestershire</a> <a href="http://r-p-e.blogspot.co.uk/p/about-rpe-course.html" target="_blank">online</a>, of course, but the best way to really get a feel for the course and <a href="http://www.glos.ac.uk/discover/campuses/Pages/francis-close-hall.aspx" target="_blank">place</a> is at an <a href="http://www.glos.ac.uk/visit/open/Pages/undergraduate-open-days.aspx" target="_blank">Open Day</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We've got events on:</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">FCH Campus..</td></tr>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 21.81818199157715px;">Saturday, 27 June 2015</span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 21.81818199157715px;"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 21.81818199157715px;">Tuesday, 30 June 2015</span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 21.81818199157715px;"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 21.81818199157715px;">Saturday, 03 October 2015</span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 21.81818199157715px;"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 21.81818199157715px;">Saturday, 31 October 2015</span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 21.81818199157715px;"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 21.81818199157715px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Saturday, 21 November 2015</span></span></li>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 21.816667556762695px;"><b>Book a place by visiting <a href="http://www.glos.ac.uk/visit/open/Pages/undergraduate-open-days.aspx" target="_blank">http://www.glos.ac.uk/visit/open/Pages/undergraduate-open-days.aspx </a></b></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDEt3jqJBc5KkiRPY08RHErW20MaNZJjZQPwcET3qzEEkOxwCF0-efdQQ0yCv7CM95t50AHLX6_O8MgjB-JTYhxIXGAwH1_SHwjQC2nDnKh3pXktau6bfFemxAFPaNYJxlk0jIyA/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-06-04+at+09.35.59.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="84" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDEt3jqJBc5KkiRPY08RHErW20MaNZJjZQPwcET3qzEEkOxwCF0-efdQQ0yCv7CM95t50AHLX6_O8MgjB-JTYhxIXGAwH1_SHwjQC2nDnKh3pXktau6bfFemxAFPaNYJxlk0jIyA/s200/Screen+Shot+2015-06-04+at+09.35.59.png" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://r-p-e.blogspot.co.uk/p/about-rpe-course.html" target="_blank">Religion, Philosophy & Ethics at Gloucestershire</a> was <a href="http://r-p-e.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/league-table-glory-religionphilosophy.html" target="_blank">recently rated</a> (by the Guardian 2016 League Table) as among the top 3 courses in the UK the whole 'Religious Studies & Theology' area. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">RPE offers an experience well beyond the exciting and interesting lectures, seminars workshops and tutorials (that led to our recent 100% National Student Survey Satisfaction score, both for overall satisfaction and for the teaching). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As well as our international trip (see <a href="http://r-p-e.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/the-2015-field-trip-to-cordoba-personal.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> for a report on this year's Spanish adventures), we offer a wealth of chances for students to deepen their knowledge via first -hand experiences. We recently visited <a href="http://r-p-e.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/avebury-and-stonehenge-yet-more-rpe.html" target="_blank">Stonehenge, Avebury</a>, the <a href="http://r-p-e.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/visits-applicant-days-excitement.html" target="_blank">British Museum, the Swaminaryan Mandir in Neasden</a>, the <a href="https://philosvids.wordpress.com/2014/10/31/laurence-klein-enlightenment-as-conversation/" target="_blank">Malmesbury</a> Philosophy Town event, as well as students having the chance of lots of free tickets for speakers at <a href="http://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/literature/" target="_blank">Cheltenham International Festival of Literature</a>. Closer to home, students regularly attend Gloucestershire Philosophical Society talks (held on campus), have their own <a href="https://roundtown.com/event/7543221/Gloucestershire-Free-School-of-Philosophy-Cheltenham-UK" target="_blank">debate group, </a>and more. You can browse the archives of <a href="http://r-p-e.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">this blog</a> to see more recent events.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Find us on Flickr..</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Over at Flickr you can see loads of pictures of events, trips, students, and staff: <span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://tinyurl.com/RPE-pics" target="_blank">tinyurl.com/RPE-pics </a></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>At our video blog - you can watch staff and guests in discussion about a range of topics: <a href="http://philosvids.wordpress.com/">http://philosvids.wordpress.com/</a></b></span></div>
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David W...http://www.blogger.com/profile/14620079005028926064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36538074.post-17015763443365823682015-06-03T12:41:00.000+01:002015-06-03T12:41:17.807+01:00The 2015 Field Trip to Cordoba: A Personal Reflection from Professor Melissa Raphael
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bristol Airport at 5am..</td></tr>
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Going to Cordoba this last spring yielded at least two new experiences: my first field trip abroad with the staff and students of the University of Gloucestershire and, on a more personal note, my first trip to the region of Spain my Sephardi Jewish ancestors were expelled from in 1492, travelling on first to Portugal, then Amsterdam and then, in the seventeenth-century, to London, at the invitation of Oliver Cromwell, where the family have remained.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Medina Azahara, waiting for bus..</td></tr>
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The Jewish trace, in Cordoba, is just that. The Jewish presence-in-absence is yet more elusive than that of Islam or Catholicism, whose monuments, as in most urban topographies of power, occupy the grand central spaces of the city. If you want Jewish ghosts, you have to turn into the winding alleyways and small squares, and preferably at night. True, we visited the remains of an exquisite synagogue and a small but vivid museum; I also spotted a restaurant serving traditional Sephardi dishes which, if I could find it again, I'd visit next time. And there was the famous statue of Maimonides - he wouldn't have approved of it as full-body statues would generally be regarded as contrary to Jewish laws relating to idolatry - which nonetheless situated his work in a very particular historical time and space that had previously felt as abstract as much of his thought. But, if you're interested in pursuing the Jewish heritage of Cordoba you need to have done some research beforehand and know what you're looking for. A talk by one of our guides was a great help, but you also need to use your imagination which, in this complex, mysterious city, where the sediment of Jewish history is so rich in achievement and pathos, is not difficult to do. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another philosophical debate</td></tr>
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But, back in 2015, a pleasure of the trip that I should have anticipated, but didn't, were the impromptu open-air, on-foot religion and philosophy seminars. This lent fresh meaning to the word 'pedagogy'! - students and staff enjoying theoretical discussions that were more fluid, heated, and perhaps more creative, exchanges than many held in the classroom. There must have been something in the air...and the unseasonable heat; the golden light and the dramatic shadows cast by perhaps the most spectacular architecture I have ever seen.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our tour of the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba</td></tr>
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Thanks for making my experience on the trip so rewarding must go to <a href="https://philosvids.wordpress.com/who-we-are/dr-david-webster/" target="_blank">Dave</a> for his meticulous planning and totally unfazed approach to any mishaps - but also to the students: all of them, but especially Ally, Caroline, Kathryne, Tom and Bingying.</div>
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[For previous trips see <a href="http://r-p-e.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/cordoba-2014.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>]</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Most of the group on top of the Torre de la Calahorra Museum</td></tr>
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MR.</div>
David W...http://www.blogger.com/profile/14620079005028926064noreply@blogger.com0