Lecturer: Dr. Stephen Palmquist
"Know thyself." (inscription at the temple in Delphi)
"...you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
(Jesus, Matthew 5:48)
It is in the struggle between good and evil that life has its meaning--and in
the hope that goodness can succeed.... Evil can be conquered only by love.
(Peck, People of the Lie, pp.266-267)
"...dream, not waking, ...is the door of metaphysic, so far as the latter
deals with man." (Du Prel, Phil. of Mysticism, I.70)
Aims and Objectives
At Baptist College the words "whole person education" are used
frequently, but rarely explained. The H.K.B.C. 1991-92 Catalogue, for
example, states that "the college aims at educating the whole person to be
well-balanced..." (p.35). But just what does it mean to be a "whole
person"? Does this phrase imply that without a Baptist College education
we would all be only "partial persons"?
The purpose of this class will be to discover what it means to be a
whole person. Each of us will be encouraged to begin to work towards the
realization of such an ideal in our own individual personality.
In order to reach this goal, various theories and practical methods
will be introduced from the areas of philosophy, psychology and religion.
Although these three disciplines are often regarded as quite separate, they
will be intertwined in this class.
From another point of view, there is only one subject which you will
have to study in this class: namely, yourself! The lectures, readings, etc.,
will be designed as guidelines as to how this crucial study might take place.
If taken seriously, such self-study may be painful at times: it will require
you to adopt a posture of self-reflection and self-criticism, to acknowledge
that what you thought was right (or true) about yourself may not be right (or
true) after all. If we are open to the possibility of learning about ourselves,
confusion will often seem to block the way to growth; yet if we persist, this
will eventually be balanced by a new vision arising out of the darkness.
This is, in fact, the fundamental paradox of healing, or self-transforming,
experiences: we can be made whole only when we recognize our
brokenness.
Grade Assessment
Small group discussions (5%): On five occassions the class will divide into
small discussion groups (3-6 people in each). Each group will hand in one
paper summarizing the content of the discussion. This will not be graded; 1
mark will be given just for attending. If you are absent from one of these
sessions with a good excuse (approved by the lecturer beforehand if
possible), you can make it up by answering the questions on your own and
handing in your paper before the day of the next class session.
Special Project (50% or 75%): You will be expected to write a "dream
diary" (see separate handout). Since a dream diary can for some people be a
very time consuming project, each student will be asked to make a choice
before handing in the completed project, whether the project will count as
50% or 75% of the total grade.
If you feel unable to do a dream diary, you must notify the
lecturer within the first two weeks. You would then be asked to design a
proposal for an alternative project (subject to the lecturer's approval), which
would aim at achieving the same goal as the dream diary (i.e., self-
understanding).
Final Examination (45% or 20%): The exam will consist of twenty
"objective" questions, based on the book of readings. In addition, those
who choose to have their project count as only 50% of the grade will have
to answer an essay question (worth 25%).
Readings
A book of readings ("textbook") has been prepared containing the
required readings. Two copies of this text are on one day reserve in the
library. For further reading (not compulsory), the following books will
also be on reserve in the library:
Sigmund Freud, An Outline of Psychoanalysis.
Sigmund Freud, The Interpretation of Dreams.
Carl G. Jung, The Basic Writings of C.G. Jung.
C.S. Hall & V.J. Nordby, A Primer of Jungian Psychology.
The CED has a series of three videos (30 minutes each), called "The Story
of C.G. Jung" (VC/169/ 1,2,3). These are well worth viewing, as they
provide a good introduction to Jung's life and ideas.
Tentative Lecture Plan (with corresponding pages in the textbook)
I. General Introduction (pp. 1-35)
1. The "Whole" Person
2. Interpreting Dreams
3. Pre-Freudian philosophical psychology
4. Psychology in the twentieth century
II. Freud and the Reawakening to Dreams (pp. 36-60)
5. The "psychoanalytic" nature of dreams
6. Discussion
7. The topography of the psyche
8. The psycho-historical origins of religion
III. Jung's Philopsychy (pp. 61-65, 75-88)
9. Jung's story
10. The stone: symbols of transformation
11. The stages of life
12. The "psychosynthetic" nature of dreams
IV. Encountering the Unconscious (pp. 65-74, 98-102)
13. Confronting the archetypes
14. The guidance of the Self
15. Psychological types
16. Discussion
V. The Psychology of Self-Transformation (pp.88-98,103)
17. The breakthrough: beyond good and evil?
18. Naming personal evil
19. Discussion
20. The ethics of psychotherapeutic self-transformation
VI. Self-Transformation through Love (pp. 104-115)
21. The philosophy of love
22. The art of loving
23. The "ideal lover": an impossible dream?
24. Discussion
VII. Psychology and Christianity: Friends or Foes? (to be announced)
25. Jung's challenge to the Christian Church
26. Christianity's challenge to the religion of the Self
27. Discussion
28. Conclusions: spirituality and the quest for the "Self-in-God"
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This page was last updated on 30 September 1995
StevePq@hkbu.edu.hk