PHIL 100 UMGC Philosophy Discussion

To receive full credit for Discussions, every week you must post : 

One (1) “Original Post” addressing one of the three question choices. Minimum of 250 words. Due Sunday at 11:59PM ET. Your Original Post must answer the question fully in all its parts and address possible objections to your logical reasoning. You must also connect your Original Post to the course by having at least one full sentence quote from the Philosophical Text(s) that you are studying. The quote should be word for word and contained inside quotation marks and then followed by an inline citation. Please refer to the following resources for help on MLA citation. 

MLA Citation: http://sites.umgc.edu/library/libhow/mla_tutorial.cfm 

• MLA Citation Examples: http://sites.umgc.edu/library/libhow/mla_examples.cfm 

Two (2) “Response Posts” to classmates who answered the other two questions (one each). Minimum of 100 words. Due Monday at 11:59PM ET. Your Response Post needs to analyze and consider the reasoning of two of your classmate’s Original Posts. In addition to your reaction to your classmate’s Original Post, your Response Post must ask one or two questions of your classmate’s Original Post. Consider how you might disagree with your classmate’s Original Post, or ask your classmate to clarify some part of their Original Post that you didn’t understand. 

Two (2) “Reply Posts” answering the questions of two classmates who asked questions in their Response Posts to your Original Post. Minimum of 50 words. Due Tuesday at 11:59PM ET. In your Reply Posts, answer as best you can the questions raised by your classmates. It is in the interactions of Original, Response and Reply posts that you will achieve the learning goals of the week.  

Notes: 

Do not cite or use internet sources other than those provided under the Readings and Learning Materials. In other words, use only the learning materials and links provided in this course. 

• No one can get full credit unless all three questions have an Original Post; since everyone is required to make one Original Post to answer one question and two Response Posts to the other two questions they did not answer, but that their classmates did. Thus, it is a group effort to make sure that all three questions have Original Posts, so please help us achieve this goal each week. 

If no one, or only one person, posts a Response Post to your Original Post you will not be penalized for lacking two Reply Posts. 

DISCUSSION QUESTION CHOICE #1: Examine the first question of metaphysics: What are the most general features of the World, and what sorts of things does it contain? What is the World like?Discuss the question with reference to at least two (2) philosophical texts from different traditions found in part 2. Compare how these philosophers / texts address this question and explain how they compare to your own understanding of the question. Use what you have learned in the Required Readings on metaphysics, the hermeneutic circle of meaning in the texts you’ve selected, your own judgments and reasoning to make your case. Remember the requirement to quote both from the Required Readings and the Philosophical Text at least once each in your Original Post. 

• DISCUSSION QUESTION CHOICE #2: Examine the second question of metaphysics: Why does a World exist?Discuss the question with reference to at least two (2) philosophical texts from different traditions found in part 2. Compare how these philosophers / texts address this question and explain how they compare to your own understanding of the question. Use what you have learned in the Required Readings on metaphysics, the hermeneutic circle of meaning in the texts you’ve selected, your own judgments and reasoning to make your case. Remember the requirement to quote both from the Required Readings and the Philosophical Text at least once each in your Original Post.

DISCUSSION QUESTION CHOICE #3: Examine the third question of metaphysics: What is our place in the World? How do we human beings fit into it?Discuss the question with reference to at least two (2) philosophical texts from different traditions found in part 2. Compare how these philosophers / texts address this question and explain how they compare to your own understanding of the question. Use what you have learned in the Required Readings on metaphysics, the hermeneutic circle of meaning in the texts you’ve selected, your own judgments and reasoning to make your case. Remember the requirement to quote both from the Required Readings and the Philosophical Text at least once each in your Original Post.