Final Paper
In the last half of the semester, we learned about positive psychology and East Asian philosophical
theories that offer ways to cope with the challenges of life. These theories are meant to be applied in
action, not just understood intellectually. The goal of this paper is for you to think critically about which
approach provides the best resources to handle real situations.
The life challenges to choose from are:
A challenge from your own life that is difficult to cope with (but not the same one you discussed
in the midterm paper)
A person who has difficulty maintaining relationships because they are prone to blaming and
resentment, holding grudges that ultimately push others away
A person who is easily discouraged by any setback and consequently never accomplishes their
goals
A person struggling with a gambling addiction
A workaholic who is increasingly alienated from their spouse and children
Directions:
1. Choose one of the life challenges above.
2. Discuss three theories: 1. positive psychology; 2. Daoism or Confucianism (but not both); and 3.
Buddhism (Thich Nhat Hanh’s version). Explain the central points of the theory and apply it to
the selected life challenge. Feel free to embellish the details of the situation in any way you
choose. Use textual evidence to support your interpretation of each theory. Two quotes
minimum per theory.
3. Write at least one full paragraph comparing the merits of the theories. Defend your own
conclusion about how best to cope with the situation. For example, you could argue in favor of
one theory over the others, take elements from each theory while rejecting other elements,
criticize all three theories in favor of your own alternative, etc. You may also conclude that one
of the theories from the first half of the semester provides a superior approach to the situation;
if so, explain why it does a better job than the three theories discussed earlier in the paper.
