Since this is a philosophy class, you are expected to reflect and think about the readings and discussions that have taken place with your classmates over the course of the semester.  The reflective paper is short and requires no research, but you are allowed to review your posts and your classmates’ posts as needed.  The instructions for this paper are posted under the announcements section.    Remember this is a two part assignment worth 150 points—100 for the reflection (part I) and 50 for critique of an essay from the textbook not assigned in class. This assignment replaces a final exam. The assignment has to be submitted by SATURDAY, MAY 14th, 11:59 pm.—actually—the assignment is really due Friday night, but this date is the already built in extra time.   Assignments can be submitted earlier but not beyond that date.  Grades have to be turned in Monday morning. I know this has been a difficult semester for some, and I am giving you as much time as I can. If you are in a difficult situation, you need to let me know as soon as possible and contact me through the CANVAS messaging system. 

The assignment instructions will be posted in an announcement and are listed below.  

NUNEZ COMMUNITY COLLEGE

PHIL 1100: Introduction to Philosophy

SPRING  2022 — Final assignment—parts I and II 

The purpose of the reflective writing assignment is to provide each of you with an opportunity to explore, compare, contrast, and reflect on your philosophical ideas held at the beginning of the course with those held at the completion of the course. You are encouraged to review past postings (both the weekly assignments and interactions with others), remember comments or thoughts that impressed you in the course of weekly lessons and discuss the importance of such matters upon their future endeavors. 

Remember, this is a reflection, so it is a time to go over the course and to reflect on what you thought the course would be about before you took it.  What it turned out to be about for you?  What you have learned?  What you have contributed?  If you are a person of faith, what was the course like for you?  If you are agnostic or atheist, what was the course like for you? Did you find your presupposed assumptions (that which you thought at the beginning of the course) challenged or strengthened?  Why or why not?

Keep in mind that while this assignment is creative and somewhat subjective, it is expected that your writing will be:

Rigorous and precise.

Spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure matter.

You are still required to apply critical thinking to your reflective work.

You will be expected to provide good reasons for the claims that you make.

Be thoughtful and constructive in your observations.

This assignment is worth 100 points, so if you give it some really thought and apply that thought to the assignment, you should do very well.  

Please, no more than 700 words MAXIMUM

Part II of the final assignment: (50 points total) 

For this next portion of the final assignment, you will select one reading from your textbook that was NOT an assigned reading in class.  You will email the title of your selection (and what edition you are using—- 8th, 9th, or 10th) to your instructor PRIOR to turning in your paper—this is the first 10 points of the assignment. 

Carefully read the essay/text you have selected and outline the author’s argument. Some selections with actually have the argument outlined by the author or the editors’ of the textbook.  Provide the outline of the argument in the following or similar format:

Anselm’s argument for the existence of God

God does not exist (the assumption)

God defined as that which no greater can be conceived (NGC)

• NGC does not exist (1 and 2)
• NGC only has existence in my understanding and not in reality (2 and 3)
• If NGC can exist in reality and in my own understanding, it would be “greater.”
• NGC is not NGC (4 and 5)
• NGC cannot exist just in my understanding (6)

NGC must also exist in reality (5 and 7)

God exists (2 and 8)

God exists and God does not exist (1 and 9)

Premise 1 cannot be true (1-10 and reductio ad absurdum)

God exists (from 11) 

Another Example—William Paley’s argument for Intelligent Design:

Because of the complexities of objects (human artifacts), such as a watch, we can infer an intelligent design

The world (universe) resembles artifacts 

The world (universe) contains many artifacts that are complex and have purpose and the result of intelligent design

The world (universe) is more complex and larger than human artifacts

Therefore, there probably exists a powerful and intelligent designer who created the universe. 

Depending on the essay you choose, you may end up with longer sentences. 

After you have provided the outline of the author’s argument, you are now ready to critique the essay/excerpt.  In your analysis, you must determine, illustrate, and explain why the author’s argument is successful or why it is not successful.  If you think the author’s argument succeeds in some aspects and fails in others, you must provide sound reasoning (as you would for a successful or not successful) for your position.  Your critique should be about three to four paragraphs in length. Provided below is a sample objection to Paley’s argument by David Hume.  Your response/critique must be written in paragraph form.  It does not have to be formal like Hume’s argument. I want to see your analysis on the text you have selected.

David Hume’s objection: 

1The universe does not exhibit that much order as there are many indications of disorder such as the collision of galaxies, black holes, nova and supernova, cosmic radiation, gamma radiation, meteor impacts, volcanoes, earthquakes

2 argument from parts to whole is not valid

3 analogy fails because there are no other universes to compare   this one too

4 the argument does not prove the existence of only one (1) such god

5 the argument does not prove that the creator is infinite