Ancient and Medieval Western Philosophy (PHIL 316)
Writing
With all your writing assignments, please make free use of the resources available to you at the Manchester University Writing Center.
DAILY PARAGRAPHS [rubric]
Each day before class — and the sooner the better, but by noon at the latest — please post on the appropriate “Discussion” in Canvas a passage from the day’s readings along with your one-paragraph reflection. This passage is of your own choosing so long as it doesn’t overlap with the topic of the daily essay, but it obviously should be one that you found puzzling or interesting or somehow important. (Please mention in your paragraph why you think this passage merits our attention.)
Format: If the passage is short, type it out; otherwise, indicate its location. Follow this with your one-paragraph reflection. Use this sample submission as a guide (note how I indicate the author of the passage [Heraclitus] as well as the location of the passage [Fr. 118] — go forth and do likewise):
Heraclitus, Fr. 118: “A dry soul is wisest and best.”
Heraclitus mentions the four standard kinds of stuffs (fire, air, water, earth), and he seems to associate the soul with fire, which is also associated with logos, so that sort of makes sense. The soul (or mind) could seem to be like fire (or maybe is literally a kind of fire?), because it is always changing but also retaining a kind of unity (the continuity of the flame, the continuity of the thinker or mind). Would Heraclitus have thought that each of our minds was part of the basic cosmic fire that ordered (or was the order of) the universe?
Discussion Forums [top]
Full credit in the course will require writing four posts and commenting on eight posts written by others (so, for each forum, you will write one post and comment on two posts by other students).
The topics and due dates (for the posts and comments) are listed below, and on Canvas (under the “Discussions” tab, listed as “DF 1: Reality”, and so on), where the writing will be submitted; reminders are also listed in green on the reading and assignment Schedule.
NB: Please write these posts as early as you can, and feel free to comment on posts as soon as they are available.
Each post should be at least 500 words and is worth up to 6 points; the comments should be at least 100 words each, and each is worth up to 2 points (see the rubric).
A good post will show evidence of having worked through the relevant readings, perhaps also responding to class discussion, and is written free of grammatical errors and typos.
About the comments:
(1) If a post already has two comments, then choose another post on which to comment.
(2) These comments should be more than simply praise or a note of agreement. You should interact with the claims made in the post, or with the argumentation: Do you agree or disagree, and why? Is the author overlooking something? You might offer further evidence for the author’s views, or else counter-evidence. Try to raise at least one useful question for furthering the discussion.
(3) Feel welcome to comment as often as you wish on the posts; for any given forum, I’ll grade your two most substantial comments (that appear to be 100 words or more), but shorter comments are also welcome, and can add immeasurably to the conversation.
Topics and Due Dates [top]
Forum #1: “Reality.” [rubric]
Describe (or make a list of) what you take to be “reality” (that is, the most basic or fundamental stuff, etc., that is or exists). Why does this account of reality strike you as more compelling than some other? [Please note that there are two things to do in this post. Writing this in two paragraphs would be a good practice.]
Before you write the post and comments, be sure to check out the grading rubric. [rubric] Your writing will be graded on how well it measures up to this.
Due dates
... for the original post: Friday, Sep 6 (midnight)
... for the two comments: Monday, Sep 9 (midnight)
Forum #2: “Knowledge and Belief.” [rubric]
What is the difference between just believing something and actually knowing it? Can we ever know that we know something?
Before you write the post and comments, be sure to read through the grading rubric. Your writing will be graded on how well it measures up to this. Among other things, your post should make use of appropriate class readings and discussions.
Due dates
... for the original post: Friday, Sep 27 (midnight)
... for the two comments: Monday, Sep 30 (midnight)
Forum #3: “Plato and Aristotle.” [rubric]
Compare and contrast Plato and Aristotle. Specifically, what do you think is the most significant or interesting difference between them, and what is the most significant or interesting view that they share?
Before you write the post and comments, be sure to read through the grading rubric. Your writing will be graded on how well it measures up to this. Among other things, your post should make use of appropriate class readings and discussions.
Due dates
... for the original post: Friday, Oct 25 (midnight)
... for the two comments: Monday, Oct 28 (midnight)
Forum #4: “Philosophy and Theism.” [rubric]
How did monotheism affect the course of Western philosophy in the middle ages? Choose one or two ideas to focus on.
Due dates
... for the original post: Friday, Nov 22 (midnight)
... for the two comments: Monday, Nov 25 (midnight)
SHORT ESSAYS [rubric]
About once every two weeks a one to two page essay on the day’s reading will be due (and it is due BEFORE THE CLASS PERIOD for which it is assigned). An essay topic is provided for nearly every day (see the Schedule page, but you need to complete only NINE of these for full credit, with the following distribution, writing on three before each of the three exams (one on the Presocratics, two on Plato, two on Aristotle, one on the Hellenists, two from the Middle Ages with a third on Aquinas).
Because of your ability to choose which essays to write, I will not accept any late essays.
Each essay should be a succinct and beautifully written response to the given prompts, which are found on the Reading Schedule. Please turn in these essays through Canvas, in the appropriate drop-box (your first essay goes into box E-1, your second into E-2, and so on). These will be graded on length, content, and basic mechanics (see the rubric). Please type these up in a word processor, and give them a good proof-reading before uploading into the appropriate essay-number in Canvas.
Length: 400-500 words (this is not much, so you need to be succinct).
WRITING TIPS
Please carefully proofread your essays. You need to use complete sentences, proper punctuation, and correct spelling. Both in college and after you graduate you will be judged, in part, by how well you write. Typos, mispellings, poor grammar — in a phrase: sloppy writing — is like so much stink coming from the bottom of your shoes. It won’t matter how nicely your hair is combed or your shirt is pressed if you can’t write a decent paragraph.
Perhaps it will never come to this, but my comments on your writing might make use of some of the following abbreviations:
awk: awkward. This is a sentence problem; the sentence should be re-written for greater clarity.
frag: sentence fragment. Another sentence problem; your sentence is lacking something vital. Like a subject. Or a verb. Don’t fall into the trap of writting essays that sound like advertising copy. We all must do better than that.
wc: word choice. You might find a better word to suit your sentence. Consult your dictionary for the exact meaning.
sp: spelling. Consult your dictionary!
?: Huh? You’ve lost your reader.
TS?: Topic sentence? This is a paragraph problem. There needs to be a topic sentence (normally, the lead sentence of the paragraph) that indicates what the paragraph is all about (what you are hoping to do in the paragaph; or it’s the claim for which the paragraph will now offer support, or an observation for which the paragraph will now offer some elaboration, etc.).
CO?: Cohere? Another paragraph problem; the sentences in this paragraph don’t fit together very well. Ask yourself: (a) What goal am I trying to acheive with this paragraph? and (b) Is each sentence working towards this goal?
Q?: Quotation? Quotations should be used only when a paraphrase will not do the job as effectively. Common problems include failing to properly introduce a quotation, failing to properly cite a quotation, quoting more than is helpful, and using a quotation when a paraphrase would be better.
Manchester University // Registrar // Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies // Last updated: 1 Aug 2019