This the mandatory course essay. You cannot pass the course without the course essay, so do not skip the essay. Please do not plagiarize on the essay. Any plagiarism will result in an F for the course. If you do not know what plagiarism is, re-watch the plagiarism tutorial in the Start Here menu and go on the YouTube and watch as many videos as you need to watch to get clear on how to properly cite sources in an essay. Also, mandatory essays turned in late may receive a 0, so start early and turn in on time. The word count for the essay is 750 words. Essays turned in that are less than 750 words will not be graded and you will receive a 0 – meet the word count. You can do it!!!
For this essay pick any one of the following three prompts:
1. In an essay of at least 750 words, respond to the following: Explain and evaluate Socrates’ claim in the Apology that "the unexamined life is not worth living for a human being," and briefly analyze and discuss the particular method he uses to discover the truth (i.e., dialectics or the Socratic Method), using at least two examples from Plato’s Euthyphro and/or Apology. Do you agree that a human being cannot live a fully satisfying life if he or she remains ignorant, like the slavish prisoners in Plato’s cave? Why or why not? Finally, in support of your argument, please refer to specific passages in the video (Alain de Botton’s "Socrates on Self-Confidence—Philosophy: A Guide to Happiness," available on available on YouTube via the link below) as well as to the textbook reading, and your own life experiences and observations. Do not use any sources for your essay other than the text of the Apology and the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S24FxdvfOko
2. In an essay of at least 750 words, respond to the following: Analyze and explain Epicurus’ famous proclamation: "Thanks be to blessed Nature because she has made what is necessary easy to supply, and what is not easy unnecessary…The right understanding of these facts enables us to refer all choice and avoidance to the health of the body and the soul’s freedom from disturbance, since this is the aim of the life of blessedness." Do you agree or disagree with this assessment of the good life, and why? In support of your argument, please refer to three specific passages from the video (Alain de Botton’s "Epicurus on Happiness—Philosophy: A Guide to Happiness," available on YouTube via the link below) as well as to three specific passages of the Epicurus reading assignment, and your own life experiences and observations. Do not use any sources for your essay other than the text of Epicurus from his chapter and the video. Be sure to quote and cite properly using MLA or APA format.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irornIAQzQY
3. In an essay of at least 750 words, respond to the following: Nietzsche famously proclaims that any worthwhile achievements in life come from the experience of overcoming hardship. For him, a life of comfortableness and ease is a worthless, wretched, and wasted life. Do you agree or disagree with this assessment of the good life? Why or why not? In support of your argument, please refer to three specific passages from the video (Alain de Botton’s "Nietzsche on Hardship—Philosophy: A Guide to Happiness," available on YouTube via the link below) as well as to three specific passages from the textbook reading assignment, and your own life experiences and observations. Do not use any sources for your essay other than the text of Nietzsche from his chapter and the video. Be sure to cite and quote with MLA or APA format.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=280Ev9h_C3c