Description MLA style not required. Sources are not needed. Opinion based. Extremely short responses is all that is required. In Martin Luther King’s “A Letter from a Birmingham Jail”, what does the following quote mean for Birmingham citizens? What does it mean for each of us today? “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny.” What are the four basic steps of nonviolent direct action? What does King mean by “constructive nonviolent tension” and how does he define its goal? Post your thoughts and comments to all the above questions.
Description Is the lack of deductive necessity a strength or a weakness for a scientific theory? Why? When the phrase, “just a theory” is used to describe science, is it accurate? Why or why not? How can we distinguish between science and non-science?
Description Brian is a cast as a certain kind of relativist. Interestingly, Margaret, Joe, and Wayne are also supposed to be somehow caught up in relativism. How do you know? The requirement is using the understanding of the reading material, offer the fullest and best representation of thought, responding the question. 400-600 words.
Description Phil 134 Final Exam Essay: Case Analysis--5 points Write a 2/3 to 1 page, single spaced, essay dealing with the case Robot Druggie In your answer, you should follow this short outline here: 1. In a sentence, state what is the important ethical problem in this case. 2. In a few sentences, state a solution or a way to reach a solution to this problem. 3. State which one ethical theory you think best fits this ethical problem & its possible solution. (there are 7 ethical theories to choose from, pick one). 7 Theories: Kant; Aristotle; Bentham; Hobbes; Locke; Marx; Darwin, etc. 4. Explain why you think this ethical theory fits best (like a mini-argument) Don’t define the ethical theory in your answer: Don’t summarize the case details. Just give a succinct argument The argument should be about half a page, single spaced, longer is okay, shorter & you lose points.
Description Each answer or “folio” should be around 500 words. 1. From the video lecture, lay out my version of the mind/body problem. I claim there are 3 traditional responses or positions on the problem: the materialism, the idealism, and the dualism. Explain what each position is and how each group would respond to the mind/body problem. I claim there is strong evidence to support materialism, evidence that dualism (by for the most common position) would have a very difficult time explaining. Give this evidence and explain why it appears to support materialism and why it poses difficulties for dualists. 2. In the PDF, Paul Churchland lays out a theory called Reductive Materialism or Type-Type Identity. Explain this theory. Be careful to explain what numeric identity is, what inter theoretic reductions are and what bridge laws do. 3. According to Prof Ball (me), reductive materialism has been disproven by neuro science. Explain why. Many theorists who favored Type-Type Identity (Reductive Materialism) now favor Type-Token Identity (or functionalism). Explain the difference between these two identity theories. You can find information about this in both the video lecture and the Churchland PDF. 4. In the essay by Turing, he lays out the “imitation game” or what we now call the turning test. What is this test and what does “passing” the test mean? What does it show and why? In the movie Ex Machina, Caleb is coaxed into putting Ava through a “Turing test”. In the context of the movie, do you think she passes? Defend you answer combing information from both the movie and the essay by Turing. Does it show what Turning wants it to show—do you think Ava is conscious? Explain. 5. What is strong A.I.? What is Searle's Chinese Room argument and why is it an attack on Strong AI? Explain how Searle uses The Chinese Room Argument to undermine the intuitions behind the Turing Test. Since Searle is attacking Strong AI, does this mean he is a dualist? Explain why 6. In I, Robot let’s assume what the movie is hinting at: that an android like Sonny indeed achieves consciousness. How would this be further evidence against both dualism and reductive materialism? Explain why for each. Why would it seem to support functionalism? Resources: The reading for this section: 1. Paul Churchland, Chapter 2 of Matter and Consciousness 2. Alan Turing "Computing Machinery and Intelligence" Pages 334-351 3. John Searle "Minds Brains, and Programs" Pages 351-358. The movies for this section (both personal favorites) are:
Description Choose one option between 450-550 words Option #1 Why is the geographical location of heaven supposed to be an important issue in the Soul Narrative? Why is that issue such a tough one? Option #2 This is something that has come up before: Do Trans-Humanism and Traditional Religion agree on the possibility of an un-embodied or disembodied personality? If so, why? Option #3 What hurdles would purported evidence for a previous life, or lives, or for an After-Life have leap to be compelling?
Description Read the “Précis Explanation and Overview” before beginning this assignment. Write a 800-1,200-word essay on the topic of Narrative Christian Ethics. The paper will consist of two parts. Part I is the précis (pronounced "preh-si"); Part II is the critical analysis. Part I: Precis Summarize Chapter 9, beginning with the section titled “Christian Ethics as Narrative Ethics,” through the end of the chapter of Beyond Bumper Sticker Ethics. Be sure to read the whole chapter for broader content and contextual understanding, even though your actual précis and critical analysis will focus on “Christian Ethics as Narrative Ethics” through the end of Chapter 9. Refrain from or severely limit utilizing quotations. In 600 to 800 words, briefly describe the author’s thesis, key concepts/ideas, key terms, the method/approach used by the author, and the evident purpose of (reason for) the author’s piece. The précis should consist of about two-thirds of the total word count for the essay. Use your own words to state what the author studied (or discussed). How was it accomplished (or the procedure/focus)? What was learned (or what were the results)? What does it means (or why it is important)? Part II: Critical Analysis In 200 to 400 words, write a critical analysis. Be sure to review the “Precis Explanation and Overview.” Include the word count at the end of Part II. Be sure to stay within the given word count range to avoid penalties for not meeting or exceeding the word-count range. The critical analysis should consist of about a third of the total word count for the essay. Use these sources cite in APA 1. Beyond Bumper Sticker Ethics Read Chapters 9 and 12 in Beyond Bumper Sticker Ethics. http://gcumedia.com/digital-resources/intervarsity-press/2011/beyond-bumper-sticker-ethics_an-introduction-to-theories-of-right-and-wrong_ebook_2e.php 2. The Story of Ethics: Fulfilling Our Human Nature Read Chapter 2 in The Story of Ethics: Fulfilling Our Human Nature. http://gcumedia.com/digital-resources/pearson/2003/the-story-of-ethics_fulfilling-our-human-nature_ebook_1e.phpElectronic Resource 1. The Trolley Allegory Review “The Trolley Allegory.” http://lc.gcumedia.com/zwebassets/courseMaterialPages/phi103_theTrolleyAllegory.phpe-Library Resource 1. Christian Ethics Read “Christian Ethics” by Gustafson from the Encyclopedia of Ethics (2001). https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/routethics/christian_ethics/0 2. Christianity Read Chapter 9 "Christianity" by MacIntyre from A Short History of Ethics (2003). http://site.ebrary.com.lopes.idm.oclc.org/lib/grandcanyon/reader.action?docID=5002483 3. Divine Command Ethics Read "Divine Command Ethics" by Bretherton from the Cambridge Dictionary of Christian Theology(2011). https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/cupdct/divine_command_ethics/0
Description Topic 1 ( 1 page) Applying Rand's Objectivism Ayn Rand’s Objectivist philosophy has been touted by her detractors as the philosophy of self-interested selfishness. Her four epistemological principles are: Metaphysics: Objective reality of the world and the objects in it. Epistemology: Reason as the one and only key to understanding. Ethics: Self-interest in what behavior is but also what it should be. Politics: Capitalism through the performance of deeds by individuals who are self-interested. In the early 1960's, a student asked a spokesman for Objectivism what would happen to the poor in an Objectivist's free society. The spokesman answered, "If you want to help them, you will not be stopped." If one reads Rand's works, Atlas Shrugged, or The Fountainhead, one will conclude that this would be the answer Ayn would have given to that student as well. What do you conclude from the answer given by the Objectivist spokesperson? Is Objectivism, like Moral Relativism, the opposite of ethics? And what clue in what she taught leads to your conclusion? Topic 2 ( 1 page ) Working Conflict Resolution Methods Review the sample solution to the Laura Nash method. Do you agree with that analysis? If so, what parts do you think really helped you work through the dilemma? If not, which parts do you not agree with? Review the sample solution to the Front Page of the Newspaper method. Do you think this is one of those types of dilemmas for which this model works? If not, why not? If so, why? How did using this method help you work through the dilemma? Review the sample solution to the Blanchard and Peale method. Do you agree with the analysis? If not, why not? If so, in what way did this help you analyze this dilemma? Pick ONE of the above 3 questions and let's get started. Please refer to the attached lessons before answering topic 2.
Description ENGELS UTOPIA ESSAY Utopias are envisioned societies where human beings live a best possible life. Utopias are here distinguished from dystopias. Dystopias are envisioned societies where the structuring of society is tragically wrong, bringing human suffering, misery, and difficult to overcome barriers to a decent life. The movie Hunger Games is an example of a Dystopia, with 2 variant dystopias depicted. We will not be dealing with dystopias in this assignment. INSTRUCTIONS In this assignment you are to construct an Engels-Inspired Utopia. Such a utopia will have 3 main characteristics: 1. A highly developed technologically driven global society 2. Completely devoid of capitalism 3. With minimal if any government PREPARING FOR THE ASSIGNMENT -You begin by reading my Socialism Utopian Scientific and the Engels reading. (see attached files) -Then you can begin considering elements in our current society that suggest the ways that technology is making the need for capitalism obsolete. This should give you a general sense of how to construct an Engels Utopia. -Next you should consider some currently important areas of society that you might find most feasible to extrapolate as elements of this futuristic Utopia. WRITING THE ASSIGNMENT You must choose one of the possible areas below, writing a long paragraph (at least half a page, single spaced) describing what that area might be like in an Engels non-capitalist technologically driven furute ART AND/OR ENTERTAINMENT GOODS: DURABLE & PERISHABLE TRANSPORTATION FOOD SERVICES MEDIUMS OF EXCHANGE SAFETY/LAWS COMMUNICATION
Description Compose a 2-page paper, accompanied by a 2-minute narrated slide presentation that describes a particular moral-ethical dilemma that you encountered and what the outcome of that dilemma was. Did you solve the dilemma? If so, how? If not, what were the repercussions or consequences? What would you do differently if faced with the same problem today? What is the importance of good ethics? Why should we be concerned about our actions? Regard the questions as prompts, not an ordering of your responses. This is not a Q&A essay, but rather a graceful reflection regarding a difficult ethical dilemma you faced. ** For the narrated slide presentation, just do the powerpoints.I will add the recording voice .- Below is the Dilemma I had just finished my classes when I decided to run into a coffee shop for my daily caffeine. I slipped into the nearest coffee shop that was near the school. I made my usual order of coffee and walked to a near-empty table that had a great view of the street. I was watching people pass by when something caught my eye. In a far distance, I could see a familiar face. It was my brother-in-law. Beside him was a woman who I had never seen before. By the look of things, they both seemed to be flirting with each other. But that couldn't be possible since Jim was married to one of my older sisters. As if the world was sensing my doubt, it sent me the final evidence that brother-in-law was indeed cheating on my sister through a kiss shared just a few feet from the coffee shop. Slowly the, two walked past the coffee shop barely noticing my observing eye. I was stunned that Jim could do that to my sister when they share two children. Following the event, I went back on and forth on what I could have done. Should I tell my sister or should I leave it for her to discover on her own? A week passed by, and I have still not decided on what to do. I wonder if it would be appropriate for me to approach Jim on the issue but I think it would not do. So finally, I decide to broach my sister, Mary on the matter as she was folding clean clothes into the laundry basket. The conversation is still vivid in my mind "Hey, Mary. How is your day going?" "Well, it is just normal. I was just doing some laundry." "I was wondering if we could talk about something." "Sure. I am all ears." "Well, it is about Jim. On Tuesday, when I was done with my classes, I went to drink coffee at a nearby coffee shop near the school. I saw Jim." "Ok. Go on." "Well, he wasn't alone. He was holding another woman, and he kissed her." All I remember after I had given her the news was silence. What followed next was a lot of arguments between the couple. I felt bad since I knew my decision, to tell the truth, had ruined the chances of a good marriage between my sister and my husband. Again I knew I couldn't keep the fact from her since she deserved it. A few months later, they got a divorce. I couldn't stop hating myself since I had managed to ruin a marriage even though I did the right thing by telling the truth.
