1 Quest for Meaning ISU 1 Philosophy is generally concerned with defining the ultimate constituents of life and how we perceive them. The world appears to be structured by space and time. It is proliferated by matter and minds, things and their properties. We understand ourselves and our relationships to others and things by means of abstract concepts, such as causation, necessity, creation, and destruction. One topic in philosophy is our place in this world. What meaning do our lives have? What is the point? Assignment 1) Primary Source Handout and Presentation 50 marks (K/U, T/I, C, A) You will be assigned a primary source reading that will address the following question from a particular perspective. What is the meaning of life? You will be expected to read and create a point-form handout that summarizes the article. Please include a summary of all of the major points of the argument. You will have to read the piece more than once to fully understand the concepts. This handout will serve as notes for the response essay and the final exam. Given this, you have a responsibility to your classmates to ensure that your handout is an accurate summary of the reading. Your handout will be given to your peers during your presentation. You will present your paper to the class in an interesting way. Evaluation: Please refer to your achievement chart for a detailed explanation of the expectations. K/U: 15 marks T/I: 10 marks C: 15 marks A: 10 marks 4) Response Essay 50 marks (K/U, T/I, C, A) After the presentations, you will write a philosophical response in the form of an essay explaining your position in relation to the question at hand. Your response will include an analysis and evaluation of the article you have read and you will choose one of the other readings to compare your article with. If you agree your article you may want to choose an article that presents a contradictory perspective or if you disagree with your article you may want to choose a reading that you agree with. Evaluation: Please refer to your achievement chart for a detailed explanation of the expectations. K/U: 15 marks T/I: 15 marks C: 10 marks A: 10 marks Evaluation Dates Summary and Handout Date: Seminar Date: Essay Date:
How to Write a Philosophy Paper 2 The following sites will give you insight on how to properly develop a philosophy paper: http://www.monash.edu.au/lls/llonline/writing/arts/philosophy/2.xml Go to the above site and follow the tutorial. http://www.sfu.ca/philosophy/writing.htm Tips for Writing a Good Philosophy Paper 1. Organize 2. Write simply/be clear! 3. Write in the present tense. Descartes states 4. Use examples to illustrate your points. 5. Argue your point. a. Analogies b. Consider objections c. Use the rules of Logic d. Structure your argument 6. AVOID: a. Colloquial/familiar language. b. The author feels that. Instead use: accepts that, affirms that, alleges that, argues that, asserts that, assumes that, assures that, attests that, avers that, avows that (and those are just the a s ) See: 101 expressions to use instead of feels K. Lement, University of Massachusetts Phil. Dept. c. Half-baked ideas that don t really say anything. For example (AVOID THIS): "Metaphysical questions are very difficult to answer and no one can say with certainty whether what Descartes had to say is right or wrong. There are good reasons supporting both sides of the debate. Perhaps we will never know." This is an annoying cop-out. It's OK to be undecided with regard to philosophical issues, but if you are, you need to be clear about why you are, i.e., you must say what issue is unresolved and why you are unable to resolve it. A Reminder about the Nature of This Paper This is paper in which you develop a single thesis or a short set of related points. You are making an argument!
How to Frame Your Argument: Examples: 3 When comparing the views of Jean-Paul Sartre and David Hume on the nature of man s freedom, one would be justified in arguing that Sartre s view is, although radical, closer to our everyday notion of freewill. The issue of the ethical treatment of animals has been presented in a clear and reasonable manner by Peter Singer. Singer contends that there is no essential difference between humans and other members of the animal kingdom. Although serious objections to his views have been made, his views are justifiable. Essay Guidelines 1. The essay will be written in formal style. This means that you will: a. Include a clear thesis that presents your perspective b. The body paragraphs will provide support for your perspective. c. Write in the third person. d. Avoid slang and colloquial language. e. Write out numbers under one hundred or if they begin a sentence. f. Do not refer to the essay (e.g. This essay will prove ). 2. Use proper manuscript form: a. Word-processed, double-spaced, on 8.5x11 white paper, 1 margins. b. Titles of books and periodicals must be underlined; titles of articles must be in quotation marks. c. Include a title page that has a title, course name, teacher s name, your name, and date. d. Page numbers. e. Parenthetical citations or footnotes. f. As well, MLA or APA formats see: http://wci.wrdsb.on.ca/library/writing_process.html http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_mla.html or
List of Readings 4 Leo Tolstoy: My Confession David F. Swenson: The Dignity of Human Life Louis P. Pojman: Religion Gives Meaning to Life Emil L. Fackenheim: Judaism and the Meaning of Life Philip L. Quinn: The Meaning of Life According to Christianity William Lane Craig: The Absurdity of Life without God Arthur Schopenhauer: On the Vanity of Existence Arthur Schopenhauer: On the Sufferings of the World Bertrand Russell: Dreams and Facts Bertrand Russell: A Free Man s Worship Moritz Schlick: On the Meaning of Life J. P. Sartre: Existentialism Kurt Baier: The Meaning of Life Paul Edwards: Meaning and Value of Life Richard Taylor: The Meaning of Life Thomas Nagel: The Absurd Derek Parfit: Why Anything? Why This? Joel Feinberg: Absurd Self-Fulfillment E. D. Klemke: Living Without Appeal: An Affirmative Philosophy of Life A.J. Ayer: The Claims of Philosophy Kai Nielson: Liguistic Philosophy and The Meaning of Life John Wisdom: The Meanings of the Questions of Life Robert Nozick: Philosophy and the Meaning of Life Robert Nozick: The Experience Machine Susan Wolf: Meaning in Life Steven M. Cahn: Meaningless Life? John Kekes: The Meaning of Life Epictetus: The Enchridion Epicurus: Letter to Menoeceus Albert Camus: The Myth of Sisyphus
Presentation and Handout Marking Scheme 5 Criteria Level 1 50 59 Knowledge and understanding Understanding of concepts principles and theories. /15 identifies the main perspectives and philosophical thought with limited and accuracy. Level 2 60 69 identifies the main perspectives and philosophical thought with some and accuracy. Level 3 70 79 identifies the main perspectives and philosophical thought with and accuracy. Level 4 80-100 identifies the main perspectives and philosophical thought with a high degree of and accuracy. Communication Communication of ideas limited clarity and organization and does not use appropriate language/terminology. some clarity and organization and somewhat uses appropriate language/terminology. clarity and organization and uses appropriate language/terminology. a high degree of clarity and organization and uses appropriate language/terminology with complete Communication for specific audiences and purposes uses language conventions with limited uses language conventions with moderate uses language conventions with considerable uses language conventions with a high degree of /15 Thinking/Inquiry The handout presents ideas with limited evidence of appropriate layout/spacing and little required information. The handout presents ideas with somewhat appropriate layout/spacing and some required information. The handout presents ideas with appropriate layout/spacing and required information. The handout presents ideas with considerable evidence of appropriate layout/spacing and all of the required information. Inquiry skills (e.g., analyzing and evaluating information;) demonstrates limited analysis and evaluation of the chosen philosophical school of thought. demonstrates some analysis and evaluation of the chosen philosophical school of thought. demonstrates analysis and evaluation of the chosen philosophical school of thought. demonstrates thorough analysis and evaluation of the chosen philosophical school of thought. Application Making connections draws with limited draws with some draws with draws with considerable
Essay Marking Scheme Level 1 50 59 Criteria Knowledge and understanding Understanding of concepts principles and theories. /15 Demonstrates limited understanding of concepts, principles, and theories Demonstrates limited understanding of relationships among concepts, principles, and theories Level 2 60 69 Demonstrates some understanding of concepts, principles, and theories Demonstrates some understanding of relationships among concepts, principles, and theories Level 3 70 79 Demonstrates considerable understanding of concepts, principles, and theories Demonstrates considerable understanding of relationships among concepts, principles, and theories Level 4 80-100 Demonstrates thorough and insightful understanding of concepts, principles, and theories Demonstrates thorough and insightful understanding of relationships among concepts, principles, and theories 6 Thinking/Inquiry Inquiry skills (e.g., analyzing and evaluating information ;) /15 Thesis is present yet vague, simplistic, or unclear Links to thesis are present yet vague, simplistic, or unclear Develops ideas with limited logic and coherence Thesis is present yet conventional and focuses the essay somewhat Links to thesis present yet conventional and somewhat focuses paragraphs Develops ideas with some logic and coherence Thesis is formulated and demonstrates a clear position Links to thesis are formulated and demonstrates a clear focus Develops ideas with considerable logic and coherence Thesis is well-formulated, insightful and demonstrates a clear, precise, and credible position Links to thesis are well-formulated, insightful and demonstrate a clear, precise, and credible position Develops ideas with sound logic and effective coherence Communication Communication of ideas Communication for specific audiences and purposes Uses an informal tone with limited diction and style Shows limited command of the essay form including intro, thesis, organization, conclusion Several major and minor errors are evident and occasionally interfere with the reader s understanding Uses a formal tone and diction and style are somewhat consistent Shows some command of the essay form including intro, thesis, organization, conclusion A few major and minor errors are evident and occasionally interfere with the reader s understanding Uses a formal tone; diction and style are consistent and appropriate Shows considerable command of the essay form including interesting intro, clear thesis, effective organization, logical conclusion Some minor errors are evident but do not interfere with reader s understanding Effectively uses a formal tone, appropriate diction, terminology, and style Shows extensive command of the essay form including engaging intro, clear and engaging thesis, highly effective organization, conclusion Few minor errors are evident and meaning is clear Application Making connections Makes connections with limited Makes connections with moderate Makes connections with considerable Makes connections with a high degree of