This week we are going to signify the concept "religion" by way of an aesthetic approach. In your reading from Introduction to Religious Studies, Brent Plate explains that an aesthetic approach is interested in how the senses facilitate, shape, and express our understanding of what is significant in the world. He challenges us to look beyond a logo-centric/word-focused consideration of religion. What might we learn about Homo religiosus were we to think about the objects (signs) that humans have "engaged and put to use in highly symbolic ways." In the following video, Plate plate uses an aesthetic approach to answer this.

For Tuesday's class, I'd like you to watch the following video to improve your understanding of the aesthetic approach.

Then you (as a critical signifier) are going to choose one of the 5 1/2 objects, and tell us how you or someone you know well (confessional signifier(s) have signified this sign. You'll then tell us what that act teaches you about people's relationship to objects in general (e.g. Homo religious). You will detail all of this in a Signifying Chart and briefly present it in class.

100s will fill out all five squares accurately & show evidence of having read Plate.

75s will do show effort but struggle to do one of the above (either the squares or the insights of Plate)

50s will show effort but struggle to do both of the above

25 will show effort and struggle on one without attempting the o ther

0 contends a failure to do this activity.