The Discussion Board (DB) is part of the core of online learning. Classroom discussion in an online environment requires the active participation of students and the instructor to create robust interaction and dialogue. Every student is expected to create an original response to the open-ended DB question as well as engage in dialogue by responding to posts created by others throughout the week. At the end of each unit, DB participation will be assessed based on both level of engagement and the quality of the contribution to the discussion.
At a minimum, each student will be expected to post an original and thoughtful response to the DB question and contribute to the weekly dialogue by responding to at least two other posts from students. The first contribution must be posted before midnight (Central Time) on Wednesday of each week. Two additional responses are required after Wednesday of each week. Students are highly encouraged to engage on the Discussion Board early and often, as that is the primary way the university tracks class attendance and participation.
The purpose of the Discussion Board is to allow students to learn through sharing ideas and experiences as they relate to course content and the DB question. Because it is not possible to engage in two-way dialogue after a conversation has ended, no posts to the DB will be accepted after the end of each unit.
Assignment Details
The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates is known for a technique called the Socratic Method, in which the teacher leads the student through a process of questioning to come to a logically valid conclusion.
Born in 469 B.C.E., Socrates is considered one of the founding fathers of Western philosophy, even though he left no writings behind and very little is known about him. Everything that is known of his teachings is found in the works of his students, like Plato. Much of Plato's writings are dialogues between Socrates and his students.
Using the Socratic method, answer the following questions:
Part 1
- What do you think of Socrates' conclusion that no person knowingly does evil, and therefore, all evil is ignorance?
- Do you agree or disagree, and why?
Part 2
- If people accepted that all evil is ignorance, what implications would that have on the justice system?
- How would prison sentencing or the death penalty be affected?
- Discuss with 2 or more classmates their opinions and whether or not you agree or disagree with their statements.