Samuel Hirsch (1815-1889) rejected the contention that in some ways Judaism is inferior to Christianity, on the contrary, he held a view that both religions are equal in their validity. While Judaism as a religion involves the intensive religious belief and implications of a way of living, Christianity, on the other hand, is a representative of the extensive religious beliefs, the functions of which rely on proclaiming the divine deity to the rest of the world. Hirsch describes both religions as being suitable for further development to become the absolute religious frameworks for the Christians converting pagans and the Jews freely obeying God.
The primary focus of Samuel Hirsch’s work was grounded on explaining the role of Judaism within the process of the historical development of the society. He analyzed the involvement of Judaism in the historical evolution of religion alongside the primary framework this religion added to the overall evolution of the religious potential of humankind. Hirsch’s purpose was in depicting the distinct role of Judaism without disrupting the integrity of other religions such as Christianity.
Despite the fact that his writings were significantly affected by the works of Hegel, Hirsch was also able to present an alternative to the views of Hegel about the role and the nature of Judaism. For instance, he wished to make justifications for Judaism being superior to Christianity in its contribution to the historical development of global religions. By means of presenting the aspects in which Judaism overshadows other religions, Hirsch hoped to improve the system offered by Hegel.
The philosophical works of Salomon Formstecher (1808-1889) were different in nature from the works of Samuel Hirsch. Formstecher did not deny his freedom and separated from the Jewish community’s way of life and searched for explanations for his opinion that the Mosaic Torah was a divine and prophetic work of revelation. Formstecher’s fundamental work entitled Religion of Spirit bore deeply apologetic meanings that did not make excuses for hiding the purposes of arguments regardless of their directions.
He held a view that the Jewish population was the only population critical for the development of old Judaism, a contrasting opinion to the majority of German scholars who were predisposed to bias concerning the Christian religion. This happened because particular groups of Jewish-German philosophers shared a common subjective aim to have the same basic framework for their religion. Such a task was undertaken by Formstecher himself to prove the inferiority of Christianity under Judaism through the means of using universal criteria of humanism.
The scholar was able to make an important contribution to the study of the nature of Judaism not only as a pioneer in his own efforts but also as an individual who was able to outline the problems related to religion in the framework of historical development. Formstecher chose to ground his discussion on the historical inducement for dealing with the issue of Judaism: the secularization process which means freeing the Western culture from the bonds of religion and returning to the way of life of a free individual.
Thus, Formstecher grounded his work on the religious philosophy outlined by Schelling, a framework that was based on the reason of trying to achieve complete human progress and freedom that still sustained the religious verity outside it. Thus, while Formstecher advocated for the separation from the religious bonds to build a better society, Hirsch insisted on the premise of Judaism playing an integral role in the historical development of the Jewish society.
Thematic Curriculum: Social Studies
Introduction
- Grade Level: Grade 4
- Theme: The Oregon Trail
- Student-Friendly Title for Theme: Brave People Who Used the Oregon Trail
Rationale Statement: Students will learn about such peculiarities of the Oregon Trail as reasons for using it, people who used it, the travelers’ hardships, their hopes, and achievements. Students will discuss the information they learn and will imagine their trips using the trail. A lot of attention will be paid to the experiences of children during the trips. This will help students learn the history and understand American society better.
Unit Title: The Major Goal
Lesson Titles and Topics
- What made people leave their homes?
- People Who Used the Trail
Culminating Activity Ideas
- The teacher shows a video concerning reasons that made people travel westward.
- The teacher shows pictures of people of different occupations and lifestyles, and students try to guess their occupations and the reasons for using the trail.
Field Trips
A field trip to a local museum with a focus on the westward expansion.
Guest Speakers
A person who travels a lot (one of the parents, a history teacher, and so on).
Other Resources
- Pictures of people who lived in the 19thcentury.
- Maps. Videos from YouTube.
Literature
- Textbooks.
- Oregon Trail.
Unit Title: Travelers’ Hardships
Lesson Titles and Topics
- Geographic peculiarities.
- Indians.
- Daily routines and roles.
Culminating Activity Ideas
The teacher has a map with the trail on the board. While listening to the teacher reading experts from diaries of people who used the trail (Brophy, Alleman, & Halvorsen, 2012), students are encouraged to place some pictures (using magnets) including the transport, wildlife, geographic features, Indians, food, weapons, and so on.
Field Trips
Going to a local park where students are encouraged to go (a significant distance) to discuss the hardships of the traveler. The trip ends with a picnic.
Guest Speakers
A guest speaker can be a traveler who will share some hardships associated with traveling.
Other Resources
- Maps.
- Pictures.
- Some artifacts (kitchenware, clothes, letters, tools, and so on). These can be taken from museums or libraries.
Literature
- Textbooks.
- Oregon Trail. (n.d.).
Authentic Assessments
Writing a diary: Students will write seven diary entries. They will be encouraged to add some artifacts. This task will help students revise the material, explore the topic, and understand the people who used the trial (as well as the history of the USA).
Task: You will create a diary with seven entries. The diary will cover your life for a week. You can imagine that you are a soldier accompanying people to certain points. You can be a farmer or a mother of a big family. You can be a child traveling with the family. You can choose any point of a trip. For example, you can start your diary with a description of your last day in Independence. Be creative! You can add your drawings, or some important things (a leaf, a piece of a card, and so on). Remember all those things you learned and pictures you saw. Imagine that you are traveling westward. Some questions to answer are:
- Why did you start your trip?
- Who is traveling with you?
- What can you see around you?
- What do you feel?
- Is it a dangerous/relaxing/interesting/boring trip?
Formative Assessment(s)
Maps: Students will create maps of the Oregon Trail. They will be able to revise the material, organize their ideas using visuals, and explore their creativity.
Task: You will create a map of the Oregon Trail. You will have a map of some states of the United States with a single line (which is the Oregon Trail). Think of the most important things about the trail. Draw any people or objects on the map to tell a story of the Oregon Trail. You can draw people, animals, transport, things, or even the weather. You can also add the names of some of the milestones of the trail, some dates, or some names of the most famous people. Imagine that we speak different languages, so you cannot tell me about the Oregon Trail, but you can only draw about it. Try to add as many details as possible, but start with the most important things.
Summative Assessment(s)
A Final Project: Students will revise the material, carry out their research, and develop a newspaper article.
Task: You have learned a lot about the Oregon Trail, but there are so many things to read about! The final project will help you feel like a popular journalist. Imagine that it is the 19th century now, and you want to write a newspaper article about people who use the Oregon Trail. Imagine that only a few people know about it. You decide to make the trial known to the whole nation. You should collect information and write a good newspaper article. As usual, you should be creative. Try to make it an interesting story. Do not forget to add some pictures. You will submit your articles, and we will create our Oregon Trail newspaper. You can read some newspaper articles to understand what they are all about. Some things to write about are people using the trail, reasons for their travel, dangers, and joys. Of course, these are only some ideas that can help you start your research.
Reference
Brophy, J., Alleman, J., & Halvorsen, A. (2012). Powerful social studies for elementary students. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.
Drugs And Society: Drug Use And Its Impact On Culture And Society
Since the drugs first appeared in the USA, the attitude towards them has undergone multiple transformations. At first, drug use was not regarded as a problem but merely as an aristocratic whim. Later, as more people become engaged, more policies prohibiting drugs started to appear. To combat the proliferation of narcotics, the US government commenced resorting to various diplomatic measures, yet, by the beginning of the 1960s, the number of people using illegal drugs has drastically increased. Moreover, researchers observe that the change in the type of drugs being used had taken place.
For instance, while opium was especially widespread at the beginning of the century, the drugs that alter mood and consciousness (hallucinogens) became most popular during this later period (Hart, Ray, & Ksir, 2013). In the perception of the revolting youth, drugs served as a means for opposition to capitalism and establishment. The widespread use of drugs strongly influenced both culture and society. For instance, new genres in music based on the drug culture were developed, such as psychedelic rock, and the pacifist movement was on the rise. At the same time, opium and its derivatives passed into the category of legal drugs with a marked impact. As a response to current shifts, the government tried to tighten the relevant laws and increase control over both types of drugs – legal and illegal. For instance, in 1973, the Drug Enforcement Agency was established, which was responsible for research and prevention efforts.
Since 1971, the US government started to deploy a large-scale drug prohibiting campaign, also known as the “war on drugs.” However, despite the significant investments in the campaign, it did not have a serious positive impact and failed to reduce the rate of drug addiction among Americans. According to recent statistics, throughout 2007-2013, illicit marijuana use has increased from 14.5 million to 19.8 million (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2015). At the same time, most of the prevention efforts and funds are spent on consumers of cannabis. The legalization of marijuana may be regarded as an alternative method of dealing with this issue.
It is suggested that, like all businesses, drug dealing is driven by demand and supply. Thus, by reducing the demand among users, it may be possible to weaken the illegal industry. Nevertheless, such an approach is associated with multiple risks as well. The opponents of medical marijuana claim that it is as highly addictive as any other drug. Moreover, it is reported that “repeated marijuana use during adolescence may result in long-lasting changes in brain function that can jeopardize educational, professional, and social achievements” (Baler, Compton, Volkow, & Weiss, 2014, p. 1). Therefore, although the use of hemp may be beneficial as a medical remedy, the recreational use of this drug is still highly risky and may be inappropriate.
Cocaine is a fast-acting drug that has a substantial impact on the central nervous and cardiovascular systems. The method through which it is consumed largely influences the severity of the drug’s impact on an individual, degree of addiction, and treatment outcomes. Kiluk, Babuscio, Nich, & Carroll (2013) state that when smoked, “cocaine achieves maximal concentration and effect far more rapidly” than when it is consumed inter-nasally (p. 490). It is observed that patients who prefer internasal administration are usually more committed to treatment and, as a result, the intervention is associated with more favorable outcomes in them. The method of drug administration is also linked to the overall social-emotional functioning of individuals. For instance, cocaine smokers tend to be less successful in professional and academic spheres. They have more serious problems with financial performance due to a stronger degree of dependence on the drug. However, Kiluk et al. (2013) note that cocaine negatively affects all individuals’ life despite the route of administration. The only significant difference between the methods of use is thus the association of snorting with the possibility of prolonged abstinence and better post-treatment outcomes.
References
Baler, R., Compton, W., Volkow, N. & Weiss, S. (2014). Adverse health effects of marijuana use. The New England Journal of Medicine. 370: 2219-2227. Web.
Hart, C. L., Ray, O., & Ksir, C. (2013). Drugs, society & human behavior. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Kiluk, B. D., Babuscio, T. A., Nich, C., & Carroll, K. M. (2013). Smokers versus snorters: Do treatment outcomes differ according to route of cocaine administration? Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, 21(6), 490–498. Web.
National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2015). Nationwide trends. Web.