TCCD How and How Not to Love Mankind Article Analysis & Reflection Essay
You will write a 1000-1500 word response to your chosen paper topic from the list
Assessment:
Students should demonstrate that they can distinguish the relevant points that form a logically coherent argument. They should also be able to construct criticisms which effectively undermine, through the use of appropriate counter-examples, some premise of that argument.
Your assignment is to select any ONE of the following four articles found in the last chapter of our textbook, Competing Visions:
Frivolity of Evil
How–and How Not–to Love Mankind
Ibsen and His Discontents
What is Poverty?
NOTE: THIS IS NOT A RESEARCH PAPER, SO DO NOT USE ANY OUTSIDE SOURCES OTHER THAN THE DALRYMPLE ARTICLE AND YOUR TEXTBOOK, WHICH YOU WILL CITE USING MLA FORMAT.This assignment is designed to test your ability (after several weeks of reading difficult primary sources in philosophy) to comprehend, explain, analyze, and evaluate a philosophic essay of college-level difficulty. This is all about YOU wrestling with a difficult text and ascertaining its meaning in addition to articulating and defending your own position on the issues discussed in your chosen Dalrymple article. It is for this reason that the use of any sources other than your Dalrymple article and our textbook will result in an automatic 50 point deduction. The use of outside sources without proper attribution constitutes plagiarism and will earn you a ZERO for this assignment with no chance to make it up.
FOR THE ARTICLE YOU CHOOSE TO WRITE ON, you will type a 1000-1500 word response in which you address EACH of the following points IN YOUR OWN WORDS: 1) What is the author’s main argument? 2) How does he support his main argument (evidence, ancillary arguments, etc.)? 3) Do you agree or disagree with him? 4) Why or why not? 5) Apply the insights of at least two of the readings we have studied in this course (in chapters 1-10) to your analysis. Make sure to explain how the philosophers’ insights are relevant to the topic you are discussing.
A WORD OF WARNING: These articles are rather long and complex. The author likes to make extensive use of his rather copious vocabulary, so I strongly urge you to have dictionary.com handy as you work your way through your chosen article. The purpose of this essay assignment is for you to demonstrate your ability to discuss, analyze, and evaluate complex philosophic arguments. I am confident that the reading assignments, tests, and discussion boards will have prepared you for this final, and no doubt challenging, essay assignment.
Note: I only allow one attempt on this assignment. Students who do not fully address all of the components of the assignment as stated in the instructions as well as the grading rubric below will have to be content with the grade they earned.
Please use MLA format.
