1. Select one of the topics below as the focus of your essay. Use the Shapiro Library and the course resources to assist you in exploring your topic:
In Crito, Socrates gives three arguments for remaining in jail and allowing Athens to put him to death. One of the arguments is based on what later
became known as social contract theory. Analyze Socrates’ use of social contract theory and compare and contrast it with the versions of one of the
following writers: Rousseau, Hobbes, or Locke.
One of the major intellectual objections to belief in God in the Western tradition is the problem of evil. After discussing how the problem of evil arises
and what it consists of, explain a defense against the problems of moral and natural evil as presented by a writer of your choice, and present and defend
your position on the issue.
Is there such a thing as a “soul”? Is it something different from the brain? Does it survive after our physical death? Show the relationship between these
three questions and address each of them, reaching an answer to each of them that you defend in your essay.
Do we have free will, or is everything we do traceable to a complex series of causes and effects over which we have no control? In your essay, show how
the problem arises, discuss the three major theories about free will, and support one of them with your own argument.
Can we know anything for sure about the world around us? Write an essay in which you show how this question arises and in which you present and
defend your position based on the work of at least two writers.
Why should we be moral? Write an essay in which you show why this question makes sense, and provide at least one answer. You must provide an
argument showing why your position is correct and defend it against at least two criticisms.
2. Post a brief overview of your topic in the Topic Choice Posting workshop topic in Module Three. Approach your topic from a single angle so that you begin
with a precise, focused argument. The more specific your thesis statement, the easier it will be for you to avoid generalizations and produce an insightful
analysis. As you develop your analysis, think about how the answers to these questions are representative of the bigger picture you will paint in your
introduction and conclusion. Your citations should use at least three major philosophers’ beliefs/arguments to support your argument or serve as evidence
for the counterargument.
3. Complete your Final Project Prospectus assignment, due at the end of Module Five. Refer to the separate Final Project Prospectus instructions on the Final
Project landing page to assist you.
https://www.fortthomas.kyschools.us/userfiles/413/Classes/27675/userfiles/413/my%20files/the%20big%20questions%20(pdf).pdf?id=2487
Human Soul
The soul is composed of a living being’s mental abilities. Some scientists and philosophers have questioned the existence of the soul and provided evidence for its non-existence. The soul has been identified as an object of human belief by science. However, some of the functions of the human brain remain a mystery to science. Although scientists have attempted to prove the soul’s non-existence, I believe the soul exists and is essential to human life. A person’s mental activities are aided by the soul. The continued existence of a person is dependent on the presence of the soul (Morris, 2019). The soul is not the same as the brain; it is a mental function of a person that survives physical death.
A person’s brain and soul are two distinct parts of an individual. However, they must coexist and network for a person to function properly. There is a connection between a person’s body, soul, and mind, which means that a person’s physical, mental, and emotional functioning are all intertwined. The soul’s function is to connect the material body and the spiritual self, thus serving as a battleground between good and evil (Morris, 2019). On the other hand, the brain regulates all bodily functions, including thoughts, motor skills, memory, vision, hunger, emotion, temperature, touch, and breathing. As a result, the two serve distinct functions in the human body, and neither can stand in for the other. Because the soul is not a physical organ like other parts of the body, it is believed that the soul does not die with them when a person dies. Religious beliefs hold that after physical death, a person should return to God.
References
Morris, H. (2019). On the soul. Philosophy, 94(2), 221-242.
