Philosophical

1. Philosophical Grace Korthuis

2. Philosophy: Definition phi·los·o·phy [fi-los-uh-fee] noun, plural phi·los·o·phies. 1. the rational investigation of the truths and principles of being, knowledge, or conduct. 2. any of the three branches, namely natural philosophy, moral philosophy, and metaphysical philosophy, that are accepted as composing this study. 3. a particular system of thought based on such study or investigation 4. the critical study of the basic principles and concepts of a particular branch of knowledge, especially with a view to improving or reconstituting them: the philosophy of science. 5. a system of principles for guidance in practical affairs.

3. Philosophical Writing • Must provide a ‘because’ instead of just stating the opinion • Can offer multiple viewpoints on a subject. • A good philosophy paper is modest and makes a small point; but it makes that point clearly and straightforwardly, and it offers good reasons in support of it

4. Writing Prompts • Do you believe in absolute good and evil? Are there good and evil counterpoints that are constantly striving to balance each other out? Do good and evil both have to exist or can one eliminate the other for once and for all? • Are your morals and ethics circumstantial or static? For example, if you believe it’s wrong to kill another person, is it always wrong or are there exceptions? Is it unethical to kill a mass murderer? What other moral beliefs do you hold and what are some exceptions that would cause you to put those morals aside? • Dystopia is an imagined world in which humanity is living in the worst possible (or at least, most unfavorable) conditions. One person’s dystopia is another person’s utopia: what would the world look like in your version of dystopia? What would it look like in your version of utopia? • Write about a decision that you are struggling with. What is the simplest way to solve it? What do you believe is moral way to solve it? Are they different? Sometimes, do we need to choose between what is write and what is easy?

5. Philosophical Books

6. Zen And the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance “On a cycle the frame is gone. You’re completely in contact with it all. You’re in the scene, not just watching it anymore, and the sense of presence is overwhelming. That concrete whizzing by five inches from your foot is the real thing, the same stuff you walk on, it’s right there, so blurred you can’t focus on it, yet you can put your foot down and touch it anytime, and the whole thing, the whole experience, is never removed from immediate consciousness.”

7. Writing Activity • Form groups of two • Introduce the first option and state your reasons with the group next to you. • Introduce the second option and state your reasons • Write a short story, poem, or paper based on your belief on the matter. It does not have to be the position that you chose during the debate.

8. Topic of Conversation • It is wrong to kill another person, even if that person has done terrible things in the past. OR • It is wrong to kill an innocent person, but it’s okay to kill a mass murderer.

9. Keep in Mind... • What defines ‘innocent’? Is anyone truly innocent? Are some crimes worse than others? • If someone has done something awful in the past, does that make them an awful person? Should they be given a second chance? • If you were to kill a murderer, does that make you a murderer? What if the person that you killed was in the same circumstance when they committed the murder? • What if a murderer was a family member, friend, or acquaintance? Would it still be right for them to die?

10. Writing Prompts • Do you believe in absolute good and evil? Are there good and evil counterpoints that are constantly striving to balance each other out? Do good and evil both have to exist or can one eliminate the other once and for all? • Are your morals and ethics circumstantial or static? For example, if you believe it’s wrong to kill another person, is it always wrong or are there exceptions? Is it unethical to kill a mass murderer? What other moral beliefs do you hold and what are some exceptions that would cause you to put those morals aside? • Dystopia is an imagined world in which humanity is living in the worst possible (or at least, most unfavorable) conditions. One person’s dystopia is another person’s utopia: what would the world look like in your version of dystopia? What would it look like in your version of utopia? • Write about a decision that you are struggling with. What is the simple way to solve it? What do you believe is moral way to solve it? Are they different? Sometimes we must choose between what’s right and what is easy.

11. Writing Prompts Continued • “Do not pity the dead Harry. Pity the living, and, above all, those who live without love.” - J.K. Rowling. Consider what this quote means - do you agree with it? • In what areas are you optimistic, and in what areas are you pessimistic? Is pessimism good or bad or can it’s morality differ depending on the circumstance? • “The reasonable man adapts himself to the world: the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” - Do you agree?

12. Sources • http://books.google.com • http://www.jimpryor.net/teaching/guidelines/writing.html • http://dictionary.reference.com • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_genres • Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, by Robert M. Persig • http://www.google.com/search?q=philosophical+fiction+books&oq=philosophical+fiction+books&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.5327j0j7&sourceid=chrome&espvd=2&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8&safe=active#q=philosophical+fiction+books&safe=active