Philosophical Reflection

A. Directions

Step 1: Select Question

Now that you understand and have described the three main branches of philosophy, you will focus on one of the three questions presented in Touchstone 1.1. Use this as a starting point to guide your personal philosophical reflection. The questions are:

• What is knowledge?
• What is the nature of reality?
• What is the good life, and how ought I live it?

Step 2: Philosophical Reflection

The purpose of this Touchstone is to apply what you’ve learned about philosophy and the Greek philosophers to refine your own philosophical thinking now and in the future. This assignment is more open-ended than Touchstone 1.1 but should include reflections on the following items:

1. What does it mean to think philosophically? How can thinking philosophically help me in my own life?
2. Choose one of the three questions to include in your reflection. (“What is knowledge?”; “What is the nature of reality?”; “What is the good life?”). Then select an appropriate Greek philosopher to support how you have answered this question in your own life. Use cited examples from the course to support your answer.
3. What impact do the ideas of the Ancient Greek philosophers have on my own perspectives and convictions? Use cited examples from the course to support your answer.

This assignment should be approximately 1-2 pages (300-600 words). You should write at least one paragraph for each of the three prompts listed above.

In answering these reflection questions, draw from your own experiences while relating specific Ancient Greek philosophers and their arguments to your chosen reflection question. Please note: Some philosophers will be more suited for particular questions than others.

EXAMPLEEpictetus has a lot to say about “What is the good life and how ought I live it?” while not saying much about knowledge or reality. Plato and Aristotle wrote a great deal about all three questions.

Make sure your information and citations come from the Sophia tutorials to support your response. When citing material from a tutorial, please include the name of the lesson and use the following format for in-text citations:

EXAMPLE

(Aristotle’s Highest Good, n.d.)

EXAMPLE

(The Footnotes to Plato, n.d.)

Please note these are examples only. You will have to adjust the citation based on the specific part of the tutorial you are referencing.

Step 3: Review Checklist

Refer to the checklist below throughout the writing process. Do not submit your Touchstone until it meets these guidelines.

1. Philosophical Thinking
❒ Have you reflected on what philosophical thinking means to you?

2. Perspective
❒ Have you selected one of the philosophical questions from Touchstone 1.1 as the focus of your essay?
❒ Have you connected at least one Greek Philosopher to your reflective essay?
❒ Have you properly cited your examples from the course material to support your answer?

3. Impact
❒ Have you reflected on how the ideas of the Ancient Greek philosophers can impact your own views and opinions?
❒ Have you properly cited your examples from the course material to support your answer?

4. Conventions
❒ Have you checked your essay for grammatical and mechanical errors?
❒ Have you used spell check or another method to check spelling?
❒ Have you cited examples from the course using the in-text citation instructions? (Please do not include sources from outside of the course.)

5. Before you Submit
❒ Have you included your name, date, and course at the top left of the page?
❒ Is your essay between 1-2 pages (approximately 300-600 words)?