Assignment:
Directions:
Answer each of the questions to the best of your ability. All your answers must be typed and submissions must be submitted online through Turnitin.com. You ought to expect to be submitting between 3 and 5 pages of written work in total. Use 12-point font.
Part I: Short Answer questions - Each of these questions must be answered as completely as possible. Please use academic prose, write in complete sentences, and organize your answers into paragraph-length responses. You will be graded on your ability to answer completely and to reason through each answer in detail.
1. Describe each of the branches of philosophy and why it is important to study each one. Be sure to completely answer this question including your reasoning. Answers should be at least a paragraph in length.
2. Who was Socrates? What was Socrates' major contributions to philosophy? Why are these significant contributions? Again, be sure to answer this question completely including your reasoning about why you think Socrates' contributions were significant. Answers should be at least a paragraph in length.
3. Explain Plato's theory of the forms.
4. What is Plato's allegory of the cave? How does the allegory explain Plato's epistemology?
5. What did Aristotle believe was the problem with Plato's theory of the forms?
6. What were the four causes, according to Aristotle? Why did Aristotle formulate the four causes?
Part II: Reflection - In order to receive full credit, you must write well-reasoned and thoughtful responses to each of these questions. You must write in an organized format (make a rough draft first and then edit!) and present your answers in an essay format. There is no necessary length to these answers, but you ought to bear in mind that a one page response is likely to be the most minimal answer. Be sure to reason through why you believe what you do rather than merely stating an opinion. You will be graded on your presentation of ideas as well as your attention to detail and reasoning.
7. Do you believe Socrates was guilty of the charges levelled against him? Why or why not?
8. Which philosophical perspective do you prefer, Aristotle's or Plato's? Why?