Second Essay Assignment

As you know, this blog is your Course Project, which in total is worth 20% of your grade. 

The weekly short postings (10%) are intended to encourage creative thought and develop interest in the course materials by asking you to make connections between our readings and discussion and multimedia content found on the internet.

You also have to write 4 short essays (2.5% each, for a total of 10%), which are designed to develop analytical, critical, and independent thinking: by asking you to engage with the materials in a more detailed fashion, these assignments also require that you review what you have learned over the course of several weeks and reflect on the larger themes and questions of the course.

For the second essay, you have a choice. You can either write about Descartes or Macbeth. If you wish to write about Macbeth, please see the earlier assignment I posted below. (Although I asked you to submit this earlier, very few students have written on this topic, so I'm giving you another opportunity to do so if you are interested.)

If you would like to write on Descartes, then here is the assignment:
1. Read the handout supplied here, which tells you what different philosophers have thought about Descartes.
2. Choose one interpretation that you think is particularly accurate or interesting. Discuss this interpretation both by quoting and interpreting in your own words. Then, provide some textual evidence from the Descartes texts we have read to support your argument.

Remember: one of the goals of this assignment is to help you think critically and analytically, by asking you to develop an argument. This means that you should have a central, focused claim and support it with evidence. Please review the instructions below...

About the Course Project Response Essay Assignment

The essay is an opportunity for you to develop some of your ideas and impressions into insights, and articulate those insights in a brief argument. It should be 2-3 paragraphs long and have a specific focus: don't just summarize, but make a point backed up with evidence. This assignment is meant to be somewhat informal. It does not need to be a perfectly written essay of the sort you would write for a paper. It should not take you more than 30 minutes to write.
Before beginning, please read the more specific guidelines here. 


The weeks that you have this assignment, you are not required to make your regular post. However, you are still required to comment on one of your fellow group member's short essay. These comments should be constructively critical and respond in some substantial way to the claim being made by the author. This comment will be worth 0.8 points and will count towards that week's weekly posting grade.

The essay is due on Saturday, April 9 by 19:00.
Your comments on another member's essay are due on Tuesday, April 12 by 19:00.