 2015 - 2016 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 0697-4096-01 | Birth and Reproduction in Jewish and Christian Thought | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| FACULTY OF HUMANITIES | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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University credit hours: 4.0
Course description
In the twentieth century the topic of birth finds renewed attention among great women philosophers. Hannah Arendt, followed by Julia Kristeva, understands natality as constitutive for the Human experience. Inspired by Levinas, Lisa Guenther interprets birth as “a gift of the Other” and develops a new approach to motherhood and paternity. It seems that in the 21st century theory has not caught up with practice: the new options available for reproduction find a very different echo in the Jewish and the Christian discourse.
In class, we will study ethical discussions on parenthood, on the embryo and assisted reproductive technologies, and trace their roots in religious thought. What are the reasons for the deep gap between Christian and Jewish approaches to the issue? We will discuss contemporary philosophical approaches to the family, parenthood and childhood.
In class, we will study ethical discussions on parenthood, on the embryo and assisted reproductive technologies, and trace their roots in religious thought. What are the reasons for the deep gap between Christian and Jewish approaches to the issue? We will discuss contemporary philosophical approaches to the family, parenthood and childhood.