Purpose
The reflection paper provides you with an opportunity to explore the difficulties inherent in defining sex as a general category. You will develop your own understanding of sex and its benefits and limitations.
Directions
For this assignment, you should reflect on the difficulties in precisely defining sex. Please relate to the expert interview for this module.
Your reflection is to be 1-2 pages long (250-300 words), typed, and double-spaced. Remember that the maximum length requirement is an important aspect of this assignment. Please cite sources following APA style.
Submission
Submit your reflection as an attachment (.doc or .docx) by clicking the Submit Assignment button above.
Grading
The assignment will be graded on a 100 point scale. It is worth 5% of your course grade.
Please review the rubric below to understand how the assignment will be graded.
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Rubric
BLHS 046 Reflection Assignment Grading Rubric
BLHS 046 Reflection Assignment Grading Rubric
Criteria Ratings Pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Content Reflection
50 pts
Exceeds Expectations
Reflection demonstrates a high degree of critical thinking in applying, analyzing, and evaluating key course concepts and theories from readings, lectures, media, discussions activities, and/or assignments. Insightful and relevant connections made through contextual explanations, inferences, and examples.
40 pts
Meets Expectations
Reflection demonstrates some degree of critical thinking in applying, analyzing, and/or evaluating key course concepts and theories from readings, lectures, media, discussions activities, and/or assignments. Connections made through explanations, inferences, and/or examples.
30 pts
Does Not Meet Expectations
Reflection lacks critical thinking. Superficial connections are made with key course concepts and course materials, activities, and/or assignments
50 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Personal Growth
30 pts
Exceeds Expectations
Conveys strong evidence of reflection on own work with a personal response to the self-assessment questions posed. Demonstrates significant personal growth and awareness of deeper meaning through inferences made, examples, well developed insights, and substantial depth in perceptions and challenges. Synthesizes current experience into future implications.
24 pts
Meets Expectations
Conveys evidence of reflection on own work with a personal response to the self-assessment questions posed. Demonstrates satisfactory personal growth and awareness through some inferences made, examples, insights, and challenges. Some thought of the future implications of current experience.
18 pts
Does Not Meet Expectations
Conveys inadequate evidence of reflection on own work in response to the self-assessment questions posed. Personal growth and awareness are not evident and/or demonstrates a neutral experience with negligible personal impact. Lacks enough inferences, examples, personal insights and challenges, and/or future implications are overlooked.
30 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Writing Quality
20 pts
Exceeds Expectations
Well written and clearly organized using standard English, characterized by elements of a strong writing style and basically free from grammar, punctuation, usage, and spelling errors.
16 pts
Meets Expectations
Above average writing style and logically organized using standard English with minor errors in grammar, punctuation, usage, and spelling.
12 pts
Does Not Meet Expectations
Poor writing style lacking in standard English, clarity, language used, and/or frequent errors in grammar, punctuation, usage, and spelling. Needs work.
20 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Timeliness
0 pts
0 points deducted
Journal reflection is submitted on or before deadline.
0 pts
1-5 points deducted
Journal reflection is submitted within 1 day (24 hours) after the deadline.
0 pts
6-10 points deducted
Journal reflection is submitted 2-3 days (49-72 hours) after the deadline.
0 pts
Total Points: 100
Course Description
The American poet and short story writer Raymond Carver once wrote: “It ought to make us feel ashamed when we talk like we know what we’re talking about when we talk about love.” Indeed, a little reflection shows that love is perplexing, and the same can be said of the related concepts of gender and sexuality.
Strong bonds exist between parents and children, romantic lovers, friends, and fellow citizens. How can love come in so many forms? Can we reason our way out of conflicts between them? Is there a duty to love strangers?
Sexuality is a battleground where love can seemingly become perverse or unethical. Do celibates sacrifice something important? Can one love multiple romantic partners simultaneously? Is it wrong to? Should marriage be restricted to opposite-sex couples, or to couples rather than groups? Is pornography oppressive or obscene? Should sex work be legalized and normalized?
Does gender determine what forms of love and sex are natural? Should transgender folks be guaranteed access to restrooms and other public facilities of their choice? And what is sex, anyway? Does masturbation count? Is virginity important?
The goal of the course is to help us become more thoughtful about the problems and possibilities of gender, love, and sexuality. Our investigation will lead us through a comparative study of the many contrasting visions of love and sex we find expressed in great works of art and literature and within ethical perspectives both secular and religious throughout Western history. Some authors whose work we will examine include Thomas Aquinas, Judith Butler, Irving Singer, Martha Nussbaum, and Audre Lorde.
Course Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:
Interpret rationally our own actions and experiences by examining our assumptions and commitments about what living well requires of us.
Evaluate and critique philosophical arguments and develop your own.
Explain key concepts and theories within the philosophical study of gender, love, and sexuality.
Develop a critical and thoughtful relationship with your own beliefs and assumptions about issues of right and wrong surrounding gender, love, and sexuality.
Communicate ideas effectively and listen more carefully to those of others.
Develop and improve public speaking skills.
Collaborate effectively with others in developing a plan for thoughtfully responding to challenging empirical, conceptual, and ethical issues around gender, love, and sexuality.
Exercise and improve the skills of rigorous analysis and respectful dialogue in order to become better citizens of a free society where you do not always agree but nevertheless exchange reasons for your beliefs and actions in a civil and public-spirited way.
Required Course Materials
Required Textbooks
There are two required textbooks for this course.
Frankfurt, H. G. (2006). The reasons of love. Princeton University Press.
Halwani, R., Soble, A., Hoffman, S., & Held, J. (Eds). (2017). The philosophy of sex: Contemporary readings (7th ed.). Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Overview of Assignments
This is an online course, and this course is highly interactive. All course readings, videos, notes, and other materials are posted online. You are required to read course material, and participate/post class discussions on a timely regular basis, according to posted instructions. Regular completion of reading assignments and participation in online discussions are essential to the course. In order to successfully complete this course, you must demonstrate your understanding of the material by:
Reading the required weekly text chapters and/or assigned articles
Watching the video lectures
Participating actively in the online asynchronous discussions and collaborating with your assigned group
Completing the two reflection assignments
Submitting a short paper
Writing a midterm paper and final paper
Here is an overview of all of the assignments in the course.
Online Discussions: Students will be divided into small groups and write and post in the discussion forums regularly throughout the term. Each discusses the main topic of the module, synthesizes the readings (300 words), and includes two replies to other students’ posts (100 words). One of the group members is required to record a 3-5 minute video to summarize the group discussion and share it with the entire class. The discussion activities provide students with an opportunity to deeply reflect on the readings assigned to each module and relate them to real-world situations. All of the posts on the discussion board are required to be thoughtful, reflective, and concise.
At the end of the semester, you will score your entire team, including yourself, based on the quality of each member’s contributions. Your instructor will average these scores and make any necessary adjustments to determine your Peer Evaluation grade.
Reflection Assignments: There are two reflection assignments in the course. The first reflection requires you to reflect on the difficulties in precisely defining sex. Your reflection should be 1-2 pages long (250-300 words), typed, and double-spaced. The second reflection requires you to tour an art exhibit or collection, either virtually or at a gallery or museum in your area. You should select an artwork whose representation of sexual orientation or erotic partnership in human life you find thought-provoking or compelling. You will prepare a 3-5 minute video presentation and share it with the class in a discussion forum.
