I believe in designing authentic, useful topics that give students practice in their roles as global citizens.
SAMPLE ESSAY TOPICS AND GUIDELINES
TOPICS - Contemporary Philosophy -
Please, note that this shall be a theoretical and historical paper, but also a creative one. Topics:
Human Enhancement: Pros and Cons. Please, locate yourself in the bioethical debate on human enhancement. Are you in favor? Are you against? Are you only supporting some cases, and against other cases? What kind of regulations would you implement? Please, sustain your argument using at least three texts read in class in the first part of the course.
What is technology? Are we creating technology or technology is creating us? Is there a separation between the human and our technological endeavors? From a personal standpoint, what kind of impact do you think technology has had in your life? Can the use of technology help in achieving a more just society? Are the risks of digital control and technological addiction something we should take more seriously, as a society? Please, note that you do not need to answer to all of these questions, you can select one or two, if you wish. Please, sustain your argument using at least three texts read in class in the first part of the course.
How can we achieve an equal and just posthuman society, based on a positive recognition of the differences? How can we achieve co-existence without the use of violence or coercion? Use at least three texts read in class in the second part of the course (starting with the class on Marx), and elaborate on how to achieve a paradigm shift, a new episteme in which human and non human differences are valorized instead of being dismissed. This shall be a theoretical and historical paper, but also a creative one, in which you attempt to find possible and plausible solutions to achieve a desirable posthuman society based on post-dualistic practices.
The private is political. Please, refer to one (or more) forms of discriminations that you have witnessed or that you have experienced (directly or indirectly) in your lifetime. Analyze them through one (or more) of these lenses: classism, racism, ethnocentrism, sexism, homophobia, speciesism, anthropocentrism, biocentrism. Use at least three texts read in class in the second part of the course. In the second part of the paper, offer a generative critique of how to move towards non-discriminatory social practices. Make sure to balance the critical part with the generative one, so that both are given an appropriate amount of space.
The human is not one but many. Who is the human (that is: who has been "considered" a human being / who has been represented as "more" human then others / who has been represented as "less" human then others) ? What is the "human" (a category / a culture / a kinship based on DNA)? Please, reflect on how humans have historically constructed social identities, often creating symbolic "others". You can bring, as an example, different categories of deconstruction, such as: Nature/Culture, Class, Race, Ethnicity, Gender, Sexual Orientation, Species, the Environment, Intersectionality. You should then attempt to find possible and plausible solutions on how we can change such a practice: how can we get rid of the need of symbolic "others" in order to construct human identities? Make sure to analyze at least three authors/texts read in class in the second part of the course.
GUIDELINES
WORD COUNT Your paper should be between 1,750 and 2,000 words (references included).
PLAGIARISM Before resubmitting your essay, make sure to quote all the original sources and cite the original text. Please, read this link to make sure you understand what plagiarism is: http://guides.nyu.edu/friendly.php?s=citations
REFERENCES Please, make sure to revise your references and only quote sources which are academically acceptable (avoid generic online sources; use academic books and journals). Please, read these links to make sure you understand which sources are considered academically acceptable:
QUOTING OUR TEXTS Whatever topic you are writing about, please make sure to use at least three of the texts we read in class in order to prove your argument.
CONTENT Make sure to double-check your information.
STRUCTURE Make sure to have a clear structure (Intro - Development - Conclusions)
GRAMMAR AND STYLE Re-read your paper at least 2 or 3 times in order to avoid typos and grammar mistakes.
GENERIC STATEMENTS AND SUBJECTIVE TERMINOLOGY Avoid generic statements. If you do need some generic statement, always add a valid reference. This link can help you understand when you should add a reference: http://www.princeton.edu/pr/pub/integrity/pages/cite/
In attachment, you can find the Guidelines which will be followed to evaluate your paper and an Evaluation Form, in order to help you self-evaluate your paper before submitting it.
Document 1. Self-Evaluation Form
Document 2. Guidelines to Grading
- Pre-modern and Modern Global Philosophy -
Please, note that this shall be a theoretical and historical paper, but also a creative one:
(focus: social) Imagine... What if you were the "prophet"*, the "enlightened"* one, the "awaken"*? What is the message that you would like to give to our current society? What needs to be addressed right now, in order to improve our social habits of existence? Please, sustain your argument using at least three texts read in class in the second part of the course (starting with the class "Islam in Africa", and comprehending Buddhism, Hinduism and the Renaissance). Please, do not use external sources or limit them to no more than one reference. *PS. Please, note that this is just a thought experiment, and should not be taken literally. If the terms used in the description of the game do not suit you, you can rephrase this thought experiment in any way that suits you and your belief system. Just add your updated description after the title of your essay.
(focus: individual) In this part of our Course, we have studied Hinduism and Buddhism, while in the first part we have studied Christianity and Islam. They all emphasize the importance of living the right life, in order to access paradise, a good rebirth or the enlightenment. Following these teachings, let's play a thought experiment*. Imagine... If you were able, from the next life, or from paradise, of from the state of Nirvana in this lifetime, to write a letter to yourself to identify the perfect way of living that is going to bring you to the state of enlightenment, or, to a good rebirth, or to paradise, what would that be? In this essay, you can write a letter to yourself in a disciplined and philosophical manner. Learning from the texts that we have read, what is the ideal life you would advise yourself to live? Please, sustain your argument using at least three texts read in class in the second part of the course (starting with the class "Islam in Africa", and comprehending Buddhism, Hinduism and the Renaissance). Please, do not use external sources or limit them to no more than one reference. *PS. Please, note that this is just a thought experiment, and should not be taken literally. If the terms used in the description of the game do not suit you, you can rephrase this thought experiment in any way that suits you and your belief system. Just add your updated description after the title of your essay.
You are free to choose your own topic (which should be related to the topics discussed in class and should be clearly defined in your title), as much as you follow these guidelines and sustain your argument using at least three texts read in class in the second part of the course (starting with the class "Islam in Africa", and comprehending Buddhism, Hinduism and the Renaissance), as your main references (please, note that only one external source is allowed). PS. Please, note that this prompt may be a bit risky, in the sense that you need a very clear topic and a very clear argument. If you are not sure about your argument, please do not choose this prompt. Thanks
If you have any other suggestion for the topic of your essay, please send me an email, so that I can approve it and you can develop it in a timely manner.
GUIDELINE Please, submit your paper according to the following guidelines: 1. Please, note that you have to submit a hard copy of your paper on one of these dates: 4/22, 4/24, or 4/29 (papers submitted after that will not be accepted). 2. Please, print it in this format: Times New Roman, 12, double-spaced. Make sure to include the word count at the top of your paper (Please, note that your paper should be between 1.500 and 1.600 words). 3. Make sure to have a clear argument and a good structure (including an introduction and a conclusion). Please, write your paper in a scholarly tone. 4. Please, implement the use of textual analysis in your essays. Note that using at least 1 or 2 quotes for each paragraph, for a total of at least 3 to 4 quotes per page could be ideal. Quotes should not be too long; they should be introduced and contextualized. Add references and pages. 5. Please note that videos and documentaries can be quoted, but do not count as one of the 3 required sources. Thanks
WORD COUNT Your paper should be between 1,500 and 1,600 words (references included). PLAGIARISM Before resubmitting your essay, make sure to quote all the original sources and cite the original text. Please, read this link to make sure you understand what plagiarism is: http://guides.nyu.edu/friendly.php?s=citations REFERENCES Please, note that only one external source is allowed. In the case you need an external source, make sure to revise your reference and only quote sources that are academically acceptable (avoid generic online sources; use academic books and journals). Please, read these links to make sure you understand which sources are considered academically acceptable: http://www.college.columbia.edu/academics/integrity-sourcecredibility http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k70847&tabgroupid=icb.tabgroup107786 The Bobst Library can help you with the research of appropriate references: http://library.nyu.edu/research/ ARGUMENT Your argument should be clear and well developed. This link can be of help: https://www.nyu.edu/projects/mediamosaic/curricularresources/WritingMyEssay.html QUOTING OUR TEXTS Whatever topic you are writing about, please make sure to use at least three of the texts we read in class in order to prove your argument. CONTENT Make sure to double-check your information. STRUCTURE Make sure to have a clear structure (Intro - Development - Conclusions) GRAMMAR AND STYLE Re-read your paper at least 2 or 3 times in order to avoid typos and grammar mistakes. GENERIC STATEMENTS AND SUBJECTIVE TERMINOLOGY Avoid generic statements. If you do need some generic statement, always add a valid reference. This link can help you understand when you should add a reference: http://www.princeton.edu/pr/pub/integrity/pages/cite/ Avoid subjective terminology. This link can be of help (points 10-11): https://www.nyu.edu/projects/mediamosaic/curricularresources/WritingMyEssay.html