Category: Philosophy

Assignment
Required Resources
Read/review the following resources for this activity:
Textbook: Chapter 4, 5
Lesson
Instructions
Remember – these journal questions require more thinking than writing. Think about exactly what you are asked to do, and then write as economically as possible.
For this journal assignment, answer each of the following prompts:
Important Idea
Considering only the Introduction to Chapter 5, in terms of developing critical thinking and reasoning, what do you consider is the most valuable and important idea in that section? You can either summarize or directly quote the text; then, briefly explain why you find this idea important and valuable.
Critical Thinking
In Chapter 5, the section “Making Arguments” states: “In some ways applying our core critical thinking skills to analysis can be more difficult than offering an evaluative opinion. Analysis, like interpretation, is understanding at a deep level (p. 89)”
What concepts discussed in Chapter 4 might make analysis of a statement difficult – and why?
Beliefs
Why do you believe what you believe?
What is your “evidence”?
Test one of your beliefs by asking yourself, “Why?” As you answer each “why,” go down another layer – four layers will probably give you a good idea of why you believe what you believe.
Your product should show a well-reasoned and logical basis for your belief. Stay away from the big stuff, like believing in God, or who to vote for in the next election, and don’t look for sources – this is about what you believe and why you believe it. After all, this is only an 8-week course, and we can’t settle everything!
Click on the following link for an example of layers of why:
Example of Layers of Why
Suppose your claim is “All people should work to support their children.” Here is an example of possible “layers of why” for this claim:
Layer 1: People should work to support their children because it is the right thing to do.
Layer 2: It is the right thing to do because it is true that children need to be cared for by adults.
Layer 3: I believe my last statement is true because it is an accurate descriiption of what occurs – that is, very small children sicken and die if adults do not care for their needs; older children may exhibit many physical and emotional deficiencies if they are not properly cared for.
Layer 4: Reasonable attention to the needs of children is just since children are largely dependent on their parents (who, after all, brought them into the world) for all of their needs during the early years of their lives. Furthermore, such attention leads to a healthy, productive and ordered society in which each individual has an opportunity to achieve his or her highest potential.
Note
Don’t be tempted to skip steps. If you start with layer 5, you have just opened up a whole new line of “whys.” For example, why should everyone be afforded an opportunity to reach his or her highest potential? After all, for most of the history of the world, that has not been the case.
If you include references to outside sources (beyond the textbook), make sure you cite them properly.
Writing Requirements (APA format)
Length: 1 ½ -2 pages (not including prompts, title page or references page)
1-inch margins
Double spaced
12-point Times New Roman font
Title page
References page (as needed)

Use this tab to upload your final project for the “Communicating Chiropractic” assignment. The goal of this assignment is to help you clarify your thoughts about chiropractic and your future role as a chiropractor. I have allowed any form of artistic expression with the condition that performance-based works be kept to a maximum of 3 minutes. Written works should be kept to no more than 2 pages.

For the final position paper, consult five academic sources (not including assigned class readings) and compose a 7-page essay (not including cover page and references). The topic can be anything we touched on throughout the entire course, except for topics you wrote about in the first two papers.
Instructions for Position Papers from the Syllabus
Purpose: The research papers in this course invite you to pursue a question more deeply than it was covered in the course materials, with the aid of outside research.
In each of the three papers, research and respond to a philosophical issue touched on in the course materials. Expect to spend time investing sustained thought on issues you find relevant and important on the topics of ethics (paper 1), beauty (paper 2), and any other course subject different from those in your first two papers.
After consulting the prescribed number of academic sources (not counting readings assigned for class) compose an argumentative essay in which you
– outline and argue for your position,
– consider and fairly represent the best objection or two to your position
– and respond to that best objection.
Your argument must actually take and defend a specific position and not just report the range of positions others take. These papers are not a survey of available positions or a history of the topic; they are position papers in which you state and defend a thesis.
You are encouraged to adjust your position as a result of your research. While you need not be fully convinced of your position personally (and you are strongly encouraged to continue exploring lingering questions after this course); nevertheless, your thesis and argument should be firm, specific, well-reasoned, and intellectually humble.

Use this tab to upload your final project for the “Communicating Chiropractic” assignment. The goal of this assignment is to help you clarify your thoughts about chiropractic and your future role as a chiropractor. I have allowed any form of artistic expression with the condition that performance-based works be kept to a maximum of 3 minutes. Written works should be kept to no more than 2 pages.

Assignment
Required Resources
Read/review the following resources for this activity:
Textbook: Chapter 4, 5
Lesson
Instructions
Remember – these journal questions require more thinking than writing. Think about exactly what you are asked to do, and then write as economically as possible.
For this journal assignment, answer each of the following prompts:
Important Idea
Considering only the Introduction to Chapter 5, in terms of developing critical thinking and reasoning, what do you consider is the most valuable and important idea in that section? You can either summarize or directly quote the text; then, briefly explain why you find this idea important and valuable.
Critical Thinking
In Chapter 5, the section “Making Arguments” states: “In some ways applying our core critical thinking skills to analysis can be more difficult than offering an evaluative opinion. Analysis, like interpretation, is understanding at a deep level (p. 89)”
What concepts discussed in Chapter 4 might make analysis of a statement difficult – and why?
Beliefs
Why do you believe what you believe?
What is your “evidence”?
Test one of your beliefs by asking yourself, “Why?” As you answer each “why,” go down another layer – four layers will probably give you a good idea of why you believe what you believe.
Your product should show a well-reasoned and logical basis for your belief. Stay away from the big stuff, like believing in God, or who to vote for in the next election, and don’t look for sources – this is about what you believe and why you believe it. After all, this is only an 8-week course, and we can’t settle everything!
Click on the following link for an example of layers of why:
Example of Layers of Why
Suppose your claim is “All people should work to support their children.” Here is an example of possible “layers of why” for this claim:
Layer 1: People should work to support their children because it is the right thing to do.
Layer 2: It is the right thing to do because it is true that children need to be cared for by adults.
Layer 3: I believe my last statement is true because it is an accurate descriiption of what occurs – that is, very small children sicken and die if adults do not care for their needs; older children may exhibit many physical and emotional deficiencies if they are not properly cared for.
Layer 4: Reasonable attention to the needs of children is just since children are largely dependent on their parents (who, after all, brought them into the world) for all of their needs during the early years of their lives. Furthermore, such attention leads to a healthy, productive and ordered society in which each individual has an opportunity to achieve his or her highest potential.
Note
Don’t be tempted to skip steps. If you start with layer 5, you have just opened up a whole new line of “whys.” For example, why should everyone be afforded an opportunity to reach his or her highest potential? After all, for most of the history of the world, that has not been the case.
If you include references to outside sources (beyond the textbook), make sure you cite them properly.
Writing Requirements (APA format)
Length: 1 ½ -2 pages (not including prompts, title page or references page)
1-inch margins
Double spaced
12-point Times New Roman font
Title page
References page (as needed)

For the final position paper, consult five academic sources (not including assigned class readings) and compose a 7-page essay (not including cover page and references). The topic can be anything we touched on throughout the entire course, except for topics you wrote about in the first two papers.
Instructions for Position Papers from the Syllabus
Purpose: The research papers in this course invite you to pursue a question more deeply than it was covered in the course materials, with the aid of outside research.
In each of the three papers, research and respond to a philosophical issue touched on in the course materials. Expect to spend time investing sustained thought on issues you find relevant and important on the topics of ethics (paper 1), beauty (paper 2), and any other course subject different from those in your first two papers.
After consulting the prescribed number of academic sources (not counting readings assigned for class) compose an argumentative essay in which you
– outline and argue for your position,
– consider and fairly represent the best objection or two to your position
– and respond to that best objection.
Your argument must actually take and defend a specific position and not just report the range of positions others take. These papers are not a survey of available positions or a history of the topic; they are position papers in which you state and defend a thesis.
You are encouraged to adjust your position as a result of your research. While you need not be fully convinced of your position personally (and you are strongly encouraged to continue exploring lingering questions after this course); nevertheless, your thesis and argument should be firm, specific, well-reasoned, and intellectually humble.

Critical scholars can be described as those who “investigate how power,
oppression, and privilege are the products of certain forms of communication throughout
society… critical scholars are particularly interested in how messages reinforce
oppression in society… critical theorists are particularly interested in uncovering
oppressive social conditions and power arrangements in order to promote emancipation
or a freer and more fulfilling society” (Littlejohn & Foss, 57).
Since the last focus of theme 3 is about power & influence, we will focus our last paper
on scholars within that realm. The purpose of this analysis is for you to find a scholar
specific to critical scholarship that you connect with and to write about them. You may
choose any scholar that you connect with, live or dead, as long as that person has some
focus or research that discusses power. I have listed some scholars that I connect with
to give you some examples. If you can’t think of someone that connects with you,
you may choose one from the bottom of the page. This is a research-based assignment
and you should cite a minimum of 3 sources throughout the text.
Your paper should consist of at least 3 pages of content and adhere to the formatting
requirements on the syllabus. Please make sure that you are using correct in-text
citations as well as providing a works cited page at the end of your paper.If you’re
unfamiliar with using APA format, please follow Google “Purdue Owl APA” for a
thorough and free reference.
Please set up your analysis as follows:
1. Introduction
2. Body:
1 paragraph outlining some background of the scholar. Please don’t make it boring
and just tell us where they went to school. Discuss the background to their research,
how they found themselves writing this type of scholarship, notable life experiences,
etc. Give us something that we can’t easily find on Wikipedia.
1 paragraph where you choose at least onetheory/book/piece of research that you would
like to address. How can this theory expand our understanding of communication in
general? Why is this a notable theory for us to have knowledge on?
1 paragraph discussing how this scholar and/or their research impacts you
as a student or person. Why did you choose them? What is meaningful about this
scholar to you?
3. Conclusion
4. Works cited

Clearly and concisely answer all 16 questions in the answer boxes below.
Use 12 point Times New Roman. Each answer cannot exceed 130 words. Any words over 130 words will not be read or graded.

You will be submitting the topic for your Portfolio Project. Ensuring you have a topic that lends itself well to this assignment is a critical part of your success. There are a lot of excellent ethical topics that may not fit our format. In this discussion, we will work together to craft your topic to ensure you are set up for success!
For your paper, you are going to choose an ethical issue that can be argued from more than one position. The tricky part of the setup is that BOTH positions much be ethical. In other words, we want to have ethical positions in conversation with each other and not one ethical one vs. one unethical one. When you have completed this discussion, you should have a well-crafted topic showing your understanding of two different ethical theories. For clarity please label the elements below in your initial post.
In your initial post please include the following clearly labeled elements:
The question that you will address in your paper. This question needs to have a pro/con structure so that you will be able to express arguments both for and against the issue you have chosen. Please see the topic selection worksheet in the Week 3 Topic Selection Assignment area for examples.
The position you will take.
The counter position you will address. You must be sure that the counter position also has ethical support. One way to do this is to imagine which ethical theory would support that position.
In your response to classmates include the following elements:
State whether you believe your classmates counter-argument has ethical support and explain your position.
State which ethical theory we have studied so far would support the counterargument.
This feedback will be valuable in finalizing your topic. Please wait until you have completed this discussion

For your final essay, you will choose one of the following topics that we discussed in class. Each essay asks you to examine four sources / articles that we looked at in class as well as one additional source that you find on your own. Please include the source for your additional article in a footnote for the paper.
Choice 1 – Faith:
In this essay you will explore different areas of thought about faith.
Using essay form with an introduction and conclusion, please reflect on the topic of faith, using articles that we did in class. Which articles spoke to you and which didn’t – why? How did they impact your thoughts? You need to write in an intelligent way about Rabbi Lamm’s “Faith and Doubt” and then choose at least three other articles/sources to speak about (four in total).
In addition please research and find another source that we did not do in class. Make sure that the additional source is Jewish (not Christian, etc). Include this source in your essay as you consider what faith means to you.
Evaluate your own faith journey in light of the research that you have done. How would you categorize your own faith? How have you evolved over time? Has the research you have done (readings, class discussions and interview) shaped you in any way? Feel free to make this as personal as you feel comfortable doing.