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Assignment
Directions:
Goal: A deeper
understanding of the chosen topic.
While some Assignments can be a bit
more creative, learning how to improve your skills with written communication
is also a good thing. Toward that end, the goal here is to write a paper of
between 500-750 words on one of the three options below:
- Use one or more moral
theories from weeks 6 and 7 to justify what you believe is the right
thing to do concerning some contemporary situation.
- Define
and describe the theories you use.
- Describe
the contemporary moral situation and why it is a moral situation.
- Describe
how the theory provides the reasoning/justification to demonstrate your
proposed solution is the best one.
- You have encountered
various theories of knowledge and theories of being in this course,
beginning with Plato/Socrates (as well as pre-Socratics like
Parmenides), Descartes and the rationalists, empiricism, and Kantian constructivism.
The phenomenological method, as described in Week 7, can also give us
tools for a theory of knowledge. Use one or more theories from
epistemology and/or metaphysics to discuss what kinds of things you can
know and how you can claim to know what you know.
- Define
and describe the theory or theories that you use to make your claim.
- Say
something about the range of possible knowledge that you can
legitimately claim as knowledge. That is, does it include only
knowledge of what can be sensed and whatever is physical? Or can we
know abstract objects like universals? Can we have knowledge of more
spiritual or esoteric realities, like the soul, God, religious
doctrines, etc.?
- Explain
the reasons that support your viewpoint by providing arguments that are
in dialogue with relevant thinkers discussed in our course.
- Use one or more theories
from weeks 3-5 and 8 to demonstrate humans have a purpose.
- Define
and describe the theory or theories you use to make your claim.
- Keep in
mind that the goal is to argue humans have a purpose. If you do not
think we have one, consider another option.
- Be sure
your argument includes like-minded philosophers on the type of purpose
you claim humans have.
Submission
Instructions:
- Your paper will be
written at a college level with an introduction (one that
states an argumentative/interpretive thesis and that indicates what
would be covered and in what order), body paragraphs, a conclusion, along with
in-text citations/Works Cited page in MLA, Turabian, Chicago, or APA formatting.
- Remember—any resource
that is listed on the Works Cited page must have an in-text citation in
the paper to match, or this is considered plagiarism. [Note: MLA style
is preferred, but depending on your degree area, you may be more
familiar with APA or one of the other styles. You can use any approved
style; just be consistent.]
- All papers must be
double-spaced with one-inch margins on all four (4) sides.
- Using one of the
templates below is strongly encouraged. Please note that 25 points are
directly tied to "digital literacy" and "works
cited" – see the rubric.
- You may only submit files
compatible with the Turnitin system. Please use MS Word.
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