BACKGROUND
First, take a moment to read the prompts for Essay 2:
Prompt Option 1:
According to your interpretation of Nietzsche’s “On Truth and Lie in an Extra-Moral Sense” and at least one other reading (the American Anthropological Association, Amy Tan, Huey Newton), what is one shared or related problem, concern, or concept that is fundamental to each text? How is that problem handled in each text? Most importantly, why is (or isn’t) that problem interesting, provocative, or worth understanding in today’s world?
Prompt Option 2:
To what extent does the American Anthropological Association’s “Statement on ‘Race’” provide answers to the central questions in Nietzsche’s “On Truth and Lie in an Extra-Moral Sense”? Working from these two texts, explain why someone might be so troubled by words and language, concepts and knowledge, and ultimately that which comes to be accepted as truth. Using race as your primary example of a “truth,” develop an argument about how race illustrates, extends, or complicates Nietzsche’s claims.
Prompt Option 3:
Take Amy Tan’s “Mother’s Tongue” as a model for your own personal development essay. Tan’s work is an archive of the author’s family upbringing and an autobiographical story of her intellectual and professional growth. She discusses a range of experiences and ideas in order to articulate—and critically examine—the means by which her cultural-familial background shaped her experiences, values, and aspirations. Your essay should, in noticeable ways, resemble this way of explaining how your values and perspective have evolved over time.
Prompt Option 4:
Take Huey Newton’s Revolutionary Suicide as a model for your own personal philosophy essay. Newton’s work is an archive of the author’s influences and an autobiographical story of his intellectual growth. He quotes numerous writers and discusses others’ ideas in order to articulate—and critically examine—the means by which his own personal philosophy grew over time. In short, Newton’s writing showcases the experiences, values, and various influences that came to shape his worldview. Your essay should, in noticeable ways, resemble this way of explaining how your worldview has evolved over time.
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As you can see, prompts 1 and 2 ask you to apply concepts from one reading to another reading, tracing out common ground or interpreting one set of ideas through a certain lens. By contrast, prompts 3 and 4 ask you to use someone else’s writing to examine and explain your own experiences and perspectives. In all cases, these prompts ask you to think philosophically about how knowledge and experience are shaped by various influences, about how people perceive themselves, how perceptions change over time, and, in some cases, how you have come to be the person you are.
PRE-WRITING ACTIVITY
To begin brainstorming and to simply enjoy some creative thinking before beginning this essay, please view the short 16-minute video, “Slomo: The Man Who Skated Right Off the Grid,” and then respond by answering the mini-prompt below. Think of this as prewriting, as a chance to spill out some ideas without any major stakes involved.
After you have viewed the video, please respond to it with an informal, personal, and autobiographical paragraph (or so). In your response, share your impressions about “Slomo,” his life, and most importantly how his experience relates to your perspective. If you get there, feel free to tie in references to any of the readings!
Word Count Requirement: 400 words.
