Below are three prompts. Respond to one of them. Correctly label your paper, so it is clear which prompt you are responding to in your paper. Aim to construct an analysis that is clear, precise, specific, creative, and original. Include as many relevant details as you can provide. The more detailed answer you provide, the more points your paper will earn. If you answer more than one prompt, you will only earn points for the first prompt answered in your submission. Length: between a minimum of 1200 words and a maximum of 1600 words. Word count will be a criterion used when determining the grade.
Evidence and Plagiarism: You must directly use the assigned readings by providing quotes to support your analysis. If your paper does not directly use the readings, the most it will earn on the evidence criterion is “Needs Improvement.” When using the readings in your paper, provide citations that include the author, title, and page number. While outside resources can be used, they cannot be used in place of assigned readings. If outside sources are used and not cited, their use will constitute an act of plagiarism, and your paper will earn an automatic zero. It should be noted that I have accounts on all the popular cheating websites and will check those websites if I suspect plagiarism.   You can use the first person (“I”) in your responses. The bullet points in the prompts are meant to assist you in developing a thorough answer, but do not offer a bulleted answer in your submission. Be sure to craft cohesive essays where each paragraph transitions smoothly into the next paragraph, making clear that you understand how each aspect of the answer relates to and builds upon each other. If you submit a series of short answers, the most your paper will earn is a C+.In “On The Value of Philosophy,” Bertrand Russell asserts, “Philosophy, though unable to tell us with certainty what is the true answer to the doubts which it raises, is able to suggest many possibilities which enlarge our thoughts and free them from the tyranny of custom. Thus, while diminishing our feeling of certainty as to what things are, it greatly increases our knowledge as to what they may be; it removes the somewhat arrogant dogmatism of those who have never traveled into the region of liberating doubt, and it keeps alive our sense of wonder by showing familiar things in an unfamiliar aspect” (page 16). Defend this assertion using two philosophers that we have covered since the Mid-Term Exam. Your answer should include the following:
In the opening paragraph, identify the two philosophers you will use in your answer. Furthermore, identify the topics discussed by the philosophers you will address in your response. For example, if you are using Socrates in your answer, you would want to say something along these lines: “I will explain Socrates’s view about the importance of intentions and self-awareness for living an examined life.”
Explain each philosopher’s perspective (ideas, concepts, arguments) on the main topic they discuss in their philosophy, as covered in the lecture and the readings. For example, how does Socrates explain the importance of intentions and self-awareness for living an examined life? Describe your initial perspective on the topics being discussed. As a result of exploring the philosophers’ views, explain how your understanding of the topics has changed in the ways that Russell describes in the above quote: How has your certainty about your own beliefs diminished? As a result, what questions do you find yourself asking? How has your sense of the possible answers enlarged?
How does contemplating possible answers spark a sense of wonder about the topics considered?