To know thyself is to love thyself, and to love thyself is to love thy neighbor. This course will examine what it means to love and know thyself through the lens of Western philosophy. We shall consider Western philosophy as the foundation of our current moment with all of its challenges and joys. Each week students will read selections from the history of Western philosophy and apply the philosophical ideas to a contemporary film to self reflect, to analyze self and world with philosophical concepts. We will ask questions such as how did we get here and how can we become better as individuals and humanity as a whole. This course requires students to think independently as well as understand the readings, and to develop critical analysis skills to respectfully engage in online discussions about high-stakes issues.
Exam Essay
Description: This is a reflection paper on Rene Descartes’s Method Book 1 & 2 and Meditations 1 & 2, and Anne Conway’s Vitalistic Monism, selections from The Principles of the Most Ancient and Modern Philosophy, and Enlightenment Philosophers: Hume, Kant, and Emerson.
Goal: Come to know yourself through the writings of Descartes, Conway, Hume, Kant, or Emerson. Following are some questions to stir your thinking and self reflection: What resonated with you? Why? What irked you? Why? What validated what you already believed, held dear, thought, felt, etc? Why? What made you smile? Why? What brought tears? Why? These are merely some of the questions you might ask yourself as you develop your paper on knowing yourself through the lenses of Descartes, Conway, Hume, Kant, or Emerson.
Line of Reasoning: In your paper, you will take a position on at least four of the different philosophies and how they have contributed to you coming to know yourself. It could be because you agree, disagree, have already been thinking this way and the philosopher put it to words for you, or some other reason. Next, provide a rational defense of your position. Keep in mind that it is not merely a matter of taste (Hume) but rather it must be a position you can defend with textual evidence and life experience, including quotes from the text.