choose one topic and write 2 to 3 pages about it

TOPIC ONE

COMPOSE AN ESSAY USING THE EVIDENCE FOUND IN DESCARTES’ ACCOUNT OF HIS LIFE, HIS FABLE.

PRESENT A THESIS THAT ANSWERS ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS: WHAT MANNER OF LIFE DID HE JUDGE AS BEST AND WHY? WHAT EVIDENCE OR JUSTIFICATION DOES HE SUPPLY? DOES THE LIFE THAT HE HAS CHOSEN TO LIVE ADEQUATELY RESPOND TO THE DEFECTS HE FINDS IN HIS, OR OUR, PRESENT WAY OF LIVING? HOW DOES HIS CHOSEN WAY OF LIFE CORRECT AND PERFECT A HUMAN LIFE AS HE SEES THE DEFECTS COMMON TO MOST MEN’S LIVES? HOW DOES THE “METHOD” FIGURE IN HIS LIFE? IS IT A PROPER HUMAN LIFE FOR HUMANS TO, “RENDER OURSELVES, AS IT WERE, MASTERS AND POSSESSORS OF NATURE”? DEFEND YOUR CHOSEN THESIS, USING EVIDENCE OF FROM THE TEXT AND FROM YOU HAVE LEARNED IN

OR

TOPIC TWO

WHAT IS THE PROJECT OF MODERN PHILOSOPHY AS FOUND IN OUR READING OF MANENT? DO THE WORKS OF WEBER OR MACIAVELLI OR DESCARTES THAT WE HAVE READ SUPPORT OR REFUTE MANENT’S READING?CITE TEXTS AND PROVIDE EVIDENCE FOR YOUR PAPER’S THESIS. BRIEFLY DESCRIBE WHAT YOU NOW UNDERSTAND, FROM OUR READINGS, WHAT IS THE ESSENTIAL TEACHING, OR TEACHINGS, OF THE MODERN MIND.

OR

TOPIC THREE

ACCORDING TO MACHIAVELLI’S THE PRINCE OR SHAKESPEARE’S THE TEMPEST, WHAT IS THE PROPER TASK OF A PRINCE? CHOOSE EITHER TEXT TO PROVIDE EVIDENCE OF YOUR THESIS, OR COMPARE AND CONTRAST THE VISION OF THE PRINCE IN THESE TWO WORKS.