Phil 101 Test 1 Metaphysics
Mini Essays
Thinkers/Thought Systems
Upload your responses to these exam questions to the Canvas assignment for this test.
Column A Column B
Socrates/Plato Taoism
Aristotle Buddhism
Sartre African Philosophy
Choose one “voice” from Column A, assume that voice and respond to the quotation below. Then choose one “voice” from Column B and do the same thing. Your answer to this question will contain two responses to this quotation. Be specific in your responses, speaking from the worldview of the person or thought system you have assumed. You will probably have some sentences that begin “Because I believe [name the belief] to be the case, I have this response [name the response]. Of course, you need not use this exact formulation. Begin each response by naming the thinker or thought system you will be representing. (10- points for each response – total 20 points).
“An ‘I’ without a body is a possibility. But, a body without an ‘I’ is utterly impossible.” ~ Edith Stein
Follow the same directions (choosing one voice from Column A and then one voice from Column B) in responding to this quotation. For this Question, select a different voice from Column A than you used in the first question and a different voice from Column B than you used in the first question (10- points for each response – total 20 points).
“A man without ethics is a wild beast loosed upon this world.” ~ Albert Camus
Follow the same directions as above in responding to this final quotation. Now you will be using the third voice from each column – the one not yet selected in questions 1 or 2. By the time you finish with all three questions, you will have assumed all three of the voices from Column A and all three of the voices from Column B. (10- points for each response – total 20 points).
“He who is in harmony with himself is in harmony with the universe.” ~ Marcus Aurelius
The point of this exercise is to put yourself inside the mindset of these six thinkers/thought systems and, from that “inside” perspective, to respond to the quotations about reality, human nature, and ultimate reality. Before you begin writing, decide which “voice” you will assume in each of the six total responses (two in each of the three questions). Your goal is to show me that you understand the worldview of the “voice” you have assumed well enough to respond to a provocative quotation. Be sure to say specifically how your voice views reality, human nature, and ultimate reality. Do have fun.
