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Grammar Questions: (The Information of the Text)
How does Lewis describe the Tao? (pg. 18)
What does Lewis say those holding to the Tao can “hold” which those who reject it cannot? (pg. 19)
What do Gaius and Titius “exclude from every sentence containing a predicate of value”? (pg. 20)
What is the educational goal for those standing within the Tao? (pg. 21)
What is the educational goal for those standing outside the Tao? (pg. 21)
What does Lewis call a “questionable process”? (pg. 21)
According to Lewis, how would Gaius and Titius take apart the statement, “it is sweet and seemly to die for one’s country”? (pg. 21-22)
Given their commitment to the meaninglessness of sentiment, what “two courses” remain open to Titius and Gaius? (pg. 22)
What analogy does Lewis give to illustrate the difference between the “old” and “new” forms of education? (pg. 23)
What is the result of not having “trained emotions” according to Lewis? (pg. 24)
What does Lewis say serves as “liaison” between “cerebral man” and “visceral man”? (pg. 24)
What, according to Lewis, “cannot be long maintained without the aid of” sentiment? (pg. 25)
Logic Questions: (Interpreting, Comparing/Contrasting, Reasoning)
What does it mean to refer to a “reality beyond all predicates”? (pg. 18)
What is meant by the terms “objective value” and “objective order”? (pg. 19)
What does Lewis mean when he says, “The heart never takes the place of the head: but it can, and should, obey it.”? (pg. 19)
Speaking of emotions, Lewis says they cannot “rise even to the dignity of error.” (pg. 20) What does he mean by this?
What is the difference between “propagation” and “propaganda”? (pg. 23)
What does Lewis mean when he says Titius and Gaius are “better than their principles”? (pg. 23)
Why does Lewis argue that “syllogisms” are inferior to “sentiment” on the battlefield? (pg. 24)
What does Lewis mean by saying, “The head rules the belly through the chest”? (pg. 24-25)
“We castrate and bid the geldings to be fruitful.” What does this mean in the context of the reading? (pg. 26)
Rhetoric Questions: (The Analysis of Ideas in the Text)
Lewis groups the conception of ultimate reality as found in Platonism, Aristotelianism, Stoicism, Christianity, and Oriental religion and philosophy, under the one word “Tao”. (pg. 18) Do you think these things share enough commonality to be brought under one heading in the way Lewis does? Why or why not?
Should we ever knowingly tell others a lie in order to accomplish some greater good? Why or why not? If you think we ought to do so, can you give an example? What might be the dangers associated with doing this?
Theological Analysis: (Sola Scriptura)
Read John 15:12-17. How does Jesus use sentiment to create fidelity towards himself from his disciples and also to create it between his disciples?
Read 2 Samuel 10:9-14. How does Joab use sentiment to spur his troops on in battle?
Virtues/Vices/Great Ideas: (Find them in the Text)
Honor, Despotism