Directions:
• Vedic and Daoist philosophies are meant to provide practical wisdom for handling daily human challenges and navigating big cosmic topics like ethics, happiness, and mortality.
• This exercise has you experimenting with two different lenses as you analyze a modern problem (objective or subjective).
• Follow this process below to write Think Piece #2.
o Note: It’s important to start with the problem itself so you are pre-focused on what part of these teachings might be most effectively applied in solving the problem (or at least in helping one navigate the problem from a more productive standpoint).
1) Pick a modern problem to be solved, either objective or subjective.
• CHOICE #1: For instance, an example of an objective modern problem could be America’s response to the COVID-19 crisis, the fact of our national debt, our strained relations with another country/leader, environmental problems caused by global warming, etc. Use your imagination to choose a relevant problem.
• CHOICE #2: An example of a subjective modern problem could be the struggles inherent to parenting multiple children while completing college classes, battling an illness or ailment despite being expected to perform at one’s best, experiencing social pressure from peers or another source, failing assignments due to procrastination/lack of preparation, being indecisive about one’s career path, etc. Use your imagination to choose a problem interesting and relevant to you.
2) Pick one passage each from Norton’s selections representing Vedic/Hindu philosophy and Daoist philosophy.
You will apply the perspective represented by your passage to your situation.
• Pick one from each philosophy that seems to address the problem suitably. Don’t try to force a perfect fit.
o Reflect on how the lesson embedded in the Vedic/Hindu quote would affect how the situation should be handled. Take your own notes to organize your insights before writing. Make sure to internally cite what you reference and add a Works Cited entry at the end of your assignment.
o Likewise, reflect on now the lesson embedded in the Daoist quote/passage would affect how the situation should be handled. Take your own notes to organize your insights before writing. Make sure to internally cite what you reference and add a Works Cited entry at the end of your assignment.
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