Assignment 1: Discussion
Who Am I?
The purpose of this discussion assignment is to reflect upon your understanding of different historical and philosophical approaches to the self. After completing your readings, write a 2-3-page paper contrasting the avocado/essentialist idea of the self with the artichoke/protean view of the self. Remember to explain specific theories with supporting citations from the textbook and online lectures before contrasting them. (Here is a guide to help you with APA-style citations.)
As you develop your response, you might find some of the following questions to be relevant:
•What are some of the differences/similarities between the avocado and artichoke views of the self?
•What do you make of the feminist, existential, and non-Western critiques of the essentialist/avocado self? Are there any other problems with the idea that human beings are fundamentally rational creatures?
•What is the role of desire in the self? Is it really something separate from reason, as modernism, Christianity, and Islam assert? Can it be controlled? Should it be?
Assignment 2: Theology and Philosophy
Address the following in a 3-4 page paper:
This assignment is designed to encourage you to understand the difference between philosophy and religion and to reflect upon the nature of God from a philosophical rather than religious perspective. After completing this week's readings, write a 3-4 page essay explaining a philosophical account of the nature and existence of God. Finally, compare this philosophical theory to your own religious belief. What are the similarities and differences between your personal beliefs about God and the philosophical accounts of God we have studied this week? For instance, what is the role of faith? Of rational reflection?