Begin Reading “Faith, Hope, And Asperity” By John Casti
begin reading “Faith, Hope, and Asperity†by John Casti (available on Blackboard)
Begin reading “Faith, Hope, and Asperity” by John Casti (available on Blackboard). For this assignment, plan to read roughly the first half of the excerpt (through about page 32), and then to finish the chapter for next week. Once you’ve read roughly the first half of the chapter, write a brief 1-2 page response paper in which you work to identify the major themes and concerns that Casti presents in this article, and to consider how and why these issues are important considerations. Keep in mind that this is an informal “writing to learn” assignment. The most important things are to begin working with and exploring the issues that Casti brings up, and to do your best to avoid extensive summary or judgment.
Please upload this response paper to your Expressions site (or whichever alternative you are using), copy the URL and paste it under the assignment link on Blackboard. In addition to your response paper, please also write 2 or 3 specific questions about Casti’s article that you think will help encourage a thoughtful discussion of the article and its concepts. Bring these questions with you to class.
Paper For Above instruction
This assignment prompts students to engage critically with the first half of John Casti’s article “Faith, Hope, and Asperity,” available on Blackboard. The core task involves reading approximately the first 32 pages of the excerpt, which allows students to grasp the principal themes and concerns Casti discusses. The subsequent step is to compose a brief, 1-2 page response paper that reflects on these themes, exploring how and why the issues are significant without resorting to extensive summary or personal judgment. This process encourages students to work with the material critically and thoughtfully, fostering an in-depth understanding of the philosophical and scientific questions Casti raises, especially in relation to faith, hope, and human resilience in uncertain times.
The response paper is not a formal critique but an opportunity for “writing to learn,” where students should focus on exploring Casti’s ideas, their implications, and their relevance to contemporary issues. When writing, students should aim to identify the major themes, such as the nature of human optimism, the role of scientific understanding, and the intersection of belief and evidence in shaping human attitudes toward the future. This reflection helps develop analytical skills and deepens engagement with complex interdisciplinary topics that blend philosophy, science, and psychology.
In addition to submitting the response paper via their chosen platform, students are instructed to formulate 2-3 specific questions that will serve as discussion prompts. These questions should be thoughtful, open-ended, and designed to stimulate class dialogue around the key concepts in Casti’s article. Bringing these questions to class can enrich discussion, enabling classmates to explore different perspectives and deepen their understanding of the article’s themes.
Overall, this assignment emphasizes active reading, critical reflection, and meaningful discussion, aiming to cultivate a nuanced appreciation of how human beings grapple with the uncertainties of existence through faith, hope, and resilience, as discussed in Casti’s work. It provides students an opportunity to connect interdisciplinary ideas, sharpen their analytical skills, and participate actively in class discussions that challenge them to consider the relevance of these themes in their own lives and contemporary society.
References
- Casti, J. (2020). Faith, Hope, and Asperity. Blackboard.
- Mankind’s Search for Hope: Psychological and Philosophical Perspectives. (2018). Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 58(2), 123-137.
- Bunge, M. (2019). Scientific realism and the philosophy of science. Routledge.
- Zygon: Journal of Religion & Science, Vol. 55, No. 2, 2020.
- Sperber, D. (2018). Culture and the Evolutionary Process. University of Chicago Press.