You may want extra credit. This assignment is available for all, but recommended especially if you failed a Disputation, or have many unexcused absences, or missed a lot of reading. (Those who already have a high grade [98+] are welcome, but not encouraged, to take this opportunity.) If you would like to earn some extra credit, here’s how.
Discussion Leading (all classes)
We will pick a date wherein you will read ahead and help start the discussion. I will mentor you in how to prepare for and lead a discussion. To take advantage of this opportunity, let me know sometime before midterms.
Writing (all classes)
Option A (Design your own) What is your question? You may design your own question. I must approve the question before you begin. Your question prompt is due a week in advance of the paper. You may draw your question from any of the semester texts, handouts, books, or films. The question must: Be clear; Deeply interest you; Admit of a yes/no answer; Be rooted in one of our semester texts.
An existentialist confessional novel from the rambling memoirs of a bitter, isolated, unnamed narrator who is a retired civil servant living in St. Petersburg.
A popular exploration and defense of the common core of Christian belief, practice, and community.
Walker Percy, Lost in the Cosmos
A mock self-help book and social satire on the American value of autonomy, exposing the emptiness of the self.
Sam Harris, The End of Faith
A popular exploration and critique of the great religions, including Christianity and Islam, of religious belief and practices.
Viewing (Business Ethics only)
For extra credit, you may watch and reflect on a film or documentary. Watch it entirely, determine the major theme, and write your reflection about it.
DO NOT “review” or summarize the film. Certainly do not copy or paraphrase online summaries.
DO
(a) what you think the main point of the film seems to be and
(b) whether that main point is correct.
(c) share how in general you reacted to the film (like, dislike, interested, confused, etc.), and
The essay should be at least 2 double-spaced pages (500+ words) but may be more. It is due by the Wednesday of Finals Week.
Here are 10 films (5 documentary, 5 movies) you could choose.
Film (and theme)
Field of Dreams (Entrepreneurial Activity)
Network (Media, Deception, Globalism)
Outsourced (Globalism)
Documentary (and theme)
Walmart, The High Cost of Low Prices (Capitalism)
Black Gold (Globalism)
Constant Gardener (Deception)
A Decent Factory (Globalism)
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (The Great Recession)
Extra Writing (Intro only)
Option B (Moreland, Plato, Augustine, Sophie’s World) Does Platonism contradict Christianity? Augustine was a Manichaean first, a Platonist second, and a traditional Christian third. He details why he thought each of these. Where do the teachings of “Platonism” differ from teachings of the historic Christian Church and where do they overlap? How does “Athens” relate to “Jerusalem”? Does Platonism contradict Christianity? Does philosophy/science contradict theology? In your disputation, use Augustine’s arguments (especially Book VII) in either your argument or objections, and argue your answer to this question.
Option C. (Films) Is man evolving into something superhuman or devolving into something subhuman? 2001 A Space Odyssey and Wall-E present very different pictures of the relationship between man and technology. Is humanity essentially good, and becoming better? Essentially evil, and becoming worse? Essentially bad but becoming good? Essentially good but becoming bad?
Option D (Plato, Kreeft) Do forms exist in reality or only in our minds? Are they things and concepts or just concepts? Socrates argues that truly real objects he calls “forms” exist and are stable, eternal things that underly all this changing flux. However, forms are (in one sense) invisible… What is a form and why think they exist? Why think they don’t? Are the just “in the mind”? In your disputation, use Plato and Kreeft article to present your own answer to this question.