Formal Essay
Social/Political Philosophy (PHIL 200/POLS200)
Spring 2009, Lewis-Clark State College

DUE DATE: This is a take home exam and it is due in class on April 29. Unexcused late papers will be marked as such and will receive a full grade deduction for every 24 hour period late. Your paper is late if I don't have it in my hand when I ask for it in class. Papers placed under my office door will receive an additional grade deduction. The simplest thing is to have your essay ready to hand in on the day it is due.

ESSAY LENGTH: This essay is worth 1/4 of your overall grade and will be evaluated as such. The length of your essay will be eight to ten double-spaced, typed pages (approximately 2,000 - 2,500 words). Ten pages is the maximum page limit. No essay of less that 2,000 words will be accepted. Although there is not a direct connection between the number of pages you write and the grade you earn, the more you write the more chances you give yourself to answer the question you have chosen.

SOURCES: You will be held accountable for the following materials:

Readings

At least eight sources from Political Thought, in addition to Hind Swaraj, Che Guevara, 1984,and Zhuangzi Speaks

CITING MATERIALS: Various disciplines (History, English, Sociology, Anthropology etc...) have different ways of documenting where information comes from. In this class we will use a variation of Turabian/Chicago style, which is what historians use & we will use footnotes. See the following link for a basic Turabian Style Guide. For Microsoft Word users footnotes is as simple as selecting -- insert, footnote. If you use another word processor we may need to chat.

Provide a full bibliographic citation and the page number the first time you use a source: Gandhi, M.K. 1997. Hind Swaraj and Other Writings. Edited by A. J. Parel. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press), 55.

Provide the authors last name and page number each time you use the source afterwards: Gandhi, 55.

Be carefully with the Rosen and Wolff book, as it is an edited work. They are the authors of the introductions to each document. Your citations from the Rosen and Wolff book will look something like this:

First time using source: Weber, Max. 1948. "Bureaucratic Administration" in Rosen, Michael and Jonathan Wolff, eds. 1999. Political Thought (Oxford: Oxford University Press), 111.

Each time thereafter: Weber, 111.

Only, insert footnotes after the period at the end of a sentence. You are expected to include a bibliography (does not count as a page). Treat each document in Political Thought as a separate bibliographic entry (source). If you utilize material on the web, cite it according to the Turabian Style Guide.

OTHER MATERIALS: Meaningful maps, images, illustrations, graphs, charts etc… are excellent ways to demonstrate your points visually and show extra effort on your part. They do not count as pages and are not required.

Select One of the Following Questions to Develop Your Essay Around

Creative Writing Questions

CW 1. Write a short story, one act play, or dialog that:

A. Discusses the pro's/con's of organizing a society around the principles of the for major categories of political philosophy (Anarchism, Liberalism, Communitarianism, Socialism).

B. Develops a conversation between Guevara, Gandhi, Orwell, and Zhuangzi (and anyone else you care to add) that deals with:

1. any of the issues in the political thought reader.
2. a contemporary issue in the news.
3. their critiques of capitalism/modern civilization (liberalism) and a debate between the two over what the appropriate alternative should be.
4. something else, but clear it with me first.

CW 2. Create a PHIL 200 newspaper complete with international, national, and local headlines; an editorial/opinion section w/letters to the editor; advertisements, classified ads, and whatever else you think the paper ought to have.

CW 3. Create a "lost artifact" in the form of a series of diary entries by a person or a group of people that sums up the semester.

CW 4. Select a Philosopher and create a speech they give to mark the establishment of their "ideal society." Other political philosophers are in the audience (or read about in the paper). How do they respond?

CW 5. Write a recommendation to the Chair of the __________ Division making the argument for including Political/Social Philosophy as part of the required program curriculum.

Maybe you have your own ideas on a good creative writing question -- if so, lets talk. I am open to new ideas, but I do not like surprises.

Less Creative Type Questions

1. Intellectual history is the study of ideas and how they change over time. Write an intellectual history on some aspect of social/political philosophy.

2. In what ways have our readings on social/political philosophy shed light on the grand question concerning the meaning of life? [The trick for this question will be to stay on topic -- meaning a discussion of political and social philosophy]

3. What are the political and social implications of a society based on technologies that advance at a rate far faster than the common man can adapt? What are the implications for the idividuals? For groups? For the State?

4. What is political philosophy? [Needs a clear Thesis Statement]

5. Using thinkers that advocated or rejected such views, discusses the pro's/con's of organizing a society around the principles of the for major categories of political philosophy (Anarchism, Liberalism, Communitarianism, Socialism). Conclude with a personal statement indicating your thoughts on how a society should be organized.

6. Select two of the issues examined in Political Thought (Liberty and Rights, Economic Justice, Justice Between Groups, Alternatives to Liberalism, Progress and Civilization). Integrate Hind Swaraj, Che Guevara, 1984 and Zhuangzi Speaks into an exploration and analysis of the issue(s) through the documents.

7. In their own ways Guevara, Gandhi, Orwell, and Zhuangzi all offer critiques of liberalism and capitalism. Are their critiques more alike or different? Whose do you think is more accurate for the 21st century? Are their solutions more alike or different? Whose do you think is more relevant for the 21st century? Don't forget to illustrate your points with some of the thinkers in Political Thought.

8. Make an argument for the social/political thinker that you believe is more relevant for the 21st century: Guevara, Gandhi, Orwell or Zhuangzi. In addition to whatever else you discuss, be sure you touch on the issues of: Liberty and Rights, Economic Justice, Justice Between Groups, Alternatives to Liberalism, Progress and Civilization.

9. How do all the books for the class tie in with each other? What are the basic ideas that are there similar ideas in all the books? Are there similar ideas in all the books that you particularly agreed with/disagreed with? Why? [Needs Much Work]

10. How have the readings and discussions changed/clarified your own social/political philosophy? Which thinkers in particular have you found to be nutritious food for thought? Explain. [Needs a clear Thesis Statement]

11. What gives the state authority over the individual? [Needs a clear Thesis Statement]

12. Examine three or four philosophical issues that we have studied in philosophy class and incorporate the readings of Hind Swaraj, Guevara, 1984, and Zhuangzi Speaks explaining how they are all connected.

13. Using our readings for the semester, describe some of the debates concerning the relationship between the state and the individual. Is this an important question for individuals to reflect upon? Why or why not. What have you learned about your relationship with the state as a result of this excercise.

* Choose another issue: Be sure to clear this option with me before you begin so their are no misunderstandings between us.

Writing (Approximately 40%)

Miscellaneous (Approximately 10%)