In a short paragraph, identify at least one metaphor in our required reading from the Book of Mencius in which Mencius uses this metaphor to describe his concept of human nature. 1. How does Mencius disagree with the philosopher, Gaozi (Kao-tzu), in this discussion? 2. That is, what is the distinction between Gaozi’s and Mencius’s […]
What is the Daodejing? What does the term “dao” mean as a cosmological term in this context?
Answer each of the following prompts in two to three sentences each. Use the lectures and course materials; otherwise, cite any external sources. 1. What is the Yijing 易经? 1a. How do you translate the title? Identify and define the three different strata of the text as outlined in the course reading “Origins of the […]
Socrates warned the city that most citizens are at risking of sleepwalking through life. What does this mean? In what ways were Aristotle, Epicurus, and Seneca also concerned about this risk?
1 . Who were the Zhou? 2. Who were the founders of the Zhou? 3. What claim did the Zhou make to justify their deposal of the Shang? That is, what concept did they invoke to justify the overthrow of the Shang? 4. How does Confucius view the founders of the Zhou? 5. What period […]
The Conflicted Truth What philosophical meaning does ‘truth’ have for Nietzsche? How does this compare to Descartes’ understanding, and/or that of Socrates?
In our readings, both Plato and Descartes challenge the everyday assumption that our bodily senses should be our primary means for understanding ourselves, the world, and our relation to it. a) Briefly describe their two positions on these matters, with emphases on the roles these accounts play in their larger respective projects and arguments. pay […]
What is the fundamental idea that hes basing his argument on? how would you respond to the author?
1. We hear a lot of talk in the United States about the importance of freedom. On this issue, Plato seems quite alien, for the concept of freedom does not seem to come up much in the Republic. Yet one could argue that Plato is not only concerned with “freedom” but strongly in favor of […]
Write an essay that addresses a philosophic issue of your choosing. Your topic is any issue you would like to explore that Plato and Aristotle addressed. Find a philosophical issue/ idea developed by a PreSocratic philosopher utilized or challenged by Plato and or Aristotle. In this case, give at least two examples, one from Plato […]
