[stextbox id=”info”]Problems for exercises to the lecture “Europe’s Lead”[/stextbox]
§1.1
a) Find out a counterpart of the term “Homeland Europe” in your native language.
b) Define the difference between HE and EH options. Which option is
closer to those called “eurosceptics”?
c) Konrad Adenauer’s option: HE or EH? Mention his most important political
achievements. How to call the worldview which motivated his activities?
d) Helmuth Kohl’s option: HE or EH? Mention his most important political
achievements. How to call the worldview which motivated his activities?
e) Charles de Gaulle’s option: HE or EH? Mention his motivation and his
most important political achievements.
f) Which political parties in Poland are closer to HE, which to EH?
g) State your own option and its motivation.
§1.2
a) Which projects or decisions of UE (besides the mentioned monetary
union) are intended to carry out the HE idea?
b) State and motivate your own attitude to Poland’s joining Eurozone?
§1.3
a) Give definition of axiology, and of cognitive and noncognitive theories of
values. Which theory you prefer?
b) Are there properties of your country or events in its history which you
highly appreciate or are proud of? Give some examples.
§1.4
Consider the last statement: “community’s integration is [always?
sometimes? never?] based on some belief that WE have a lead over other
communities”.
a) In which version (from among the three listed in brackets) you regard
this proposition as true?
b) Support your answer with a suitable argument.
§1.5
a) Let “BFG” denote Britain, France and Germany jointly. Let “pop” denotes
the joint population of BFG, and “con” their joint financial contribution to
the UN’s budget. How may times is greater the BFG share in con than their
share in pop?
b) Is there any relation between the BFG wealth (which makes them so
generous payer to the UN budget) and their intellectual achievents? If you
answer in the affirmative, give some examples of great achievements in
science, technology, economy and politics in each of the countries in
question (at lest one example from each field).
§2.1
a) How do you understand the metaphoric description “civilizational avant-garde”
as applied to Europe’s achievements?
b) Hint at historical examples of events and the processes referred to as
Europe’s failures to match moral standards. Eg., for crusades mention some
dates, motives, results, and your own evaluation of this event (you may
express your disagreement with the author’s negative opinion, and argue your
opinion).
§2.2
a) What is specific in genocide in comparison with other mass crimes?
b) Make a short report (one paragraph) on mass crimes in Rwanda in 1994 to
decide whether they fall under the concept of genocide.
c) Make a short report (1-3 paragraphs) on the history of abolishing slavery in
Europe.
d) Why is slavery inconsistent with the idea of human laws?
e) Define, at least partially (ie. listing not all conditions) the concept
of international solidarity.
f) Give examples of international solidarity in EU and USA policies.
g) To exemplify the successes of European science, quote the Newtonian law of
gravitation (as a mathematical formula), and explain its use in the exploration
of cosmic space.
§2.3
a) Give historical evidence of rising moral standards and their
accomplishment in Europe since the Middle Ages. A suggestion: start from the
he Council of Constance, 1414: how its Polish participants contributed to the
theory and practice of human rights.
b) Find out definition and examples of exponential growth.
[To be continued.]