Joe Kainz
1. Key Idea
I think the key idea summarizing the topic of this section is the different attacks on Faith; whether it be atheism and scientism. At the beginning of this section, we discussed two main atheists: Friedrich Nietzsche and Thomas Hobbes. According to Nietzsche, the belief in God was starting to die out. He believed that people should just follow their natural instincts to be as powerful as possible. Nietzsche called this instinct the "will to power." He believed every once in a while there is a person born with such a strong "will to power" that this person is considered a "Superman." Nietzsche, however, did not have such great outlook on what we consider morality. He called the morality that we follow "slave morality", because slaves and sheep are the only ones fit for that type of morality. Thomas Hobbes was a atheist, but he was nothing like Nietzsche. Hobbes was a materialist. No, he did not desire the latest styles or gadgets. He believed there was nothing beyond the world of physical matter. Hobbes also believed that humans did not have free will, or that their choices did not change the future. This belief that whatever is going to happen will happen is called fate. As for Faith and science, there have been many stages in their relationship over the years. From 500 B.C. to 1500 A.D., the two existed together in an unreflective unity. Science and Religion sought to have the same goals, opinions, and views. There was a reflective disunity from 1500-1900. During the Enlightenment, many contradictions between the two started to arise, and eventually the Church began to punish controversial scientists during the Inquisition. Finally, from 1900 to the present and beyond, there has been a reflective unity. Here, the two sort of exist in a friendship, one strengthened by Pope John Paul II's apology for the Church's treatment of Galileo.
2. Most Important Ideas
1. The first main idea I want to remember from this section is the idea we get from Fr. John Kavanaugh's video "Advertising, Consciousness & Culture: The Depersonalization of American Life." Fr. Kavanaugh stresses how companies are no longer just selling products, they are selling the intangible: love, respect, prestige. He says the advertising of companies are now aiming to make us feel meaningless unless we buy their products, a great contributing factor to dehumanization.
2. The second main idea from this course I want to remember is that from the "Merchants of Cool." I was astounded by the lengths these companies go to in order to gain favor with the teen culture. As soon as they make something cool, it becomes popular and soon after no longer cool. It reminds me of the myth of Sisyphus, where he spends all his time trying to roll a boulder to the top of a hill, only to have it slip upon reaching the top, and the process starts all over again. Also, these companies that attempt to appeal to the younger crowd often use crude language and sexuality, another way dehumanization is present today.
3. Image
4. Short Reflection
I think the greatest challenge of Faith to me here and now is the idea of Scientism. I have always been a person who enjoys the facts set down in front of me. In order to have great Faith, you have to believe without seeing the facts. I know my dog exists. I have used my senses to know he is there. This is difficult to do when considering the existence of God. Atheism does have some roots in this reasoning. I am not quite sure the world evolved into the way it is now, or if there is some higher being responsible for this creation.