WRITING STRATEGY: You must read all materials carefully and thoroughly before you begin to write. Remember to read the Discussion Question Expectations and Rubric. This will help you structure your answer appropriately. Think of this as a 3-paragraph model:

1) Thesis paragraph: “This post argues a, b, c”

2) Supporting paragraph, developing the “a, b, c” from Thesis paragraph

3) Concluding paragraph: bringing your personal experience to conclude

· One (1) “Original Post” addressing one of the three question choices. Academic style: three paragraph style, Thesis and support, 350 – 500 words. Due Saturday, April 3, at 11:59PM ET. Your Original Post must answer the question fully in all its parts and address possible objections to your reasoning.

· You must also connect your Original Post to the course by having at least one full sentence quote and citation from one of the Learning Materials of the week. The quote should be word for word and contained inside quotation marks and then followed by an inline citation. Once you quote something or even reword something you did not originally write then you need to have it in a reference section at the end of the post (again in MLA format). Please note, a post that will be marked “B” will, typically, have 1 or 2 citations per paragraph and accompanying references. Aim for superior work! Cite and Reference everything you use.

· 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 150 words. Due Tuesday, April 5, 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.

Notes:

· Please refer to the Discussion Guidelines and Grading Rubric for further guidance on how your discussions will be graded (70% of your Discussion Grade is in the quality of your Original Post, 30% in your Response Posts)

· Do not cite or use internet sources other than those provided under the Readings and Learning Materials .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.

DISCUSSION QUESTION CHOICE #1: Ethics : Courage or Truthfulness? Read what Aristotle has to say about both in the Nicomachean Ethics (Courage: Book 3, Chapters 6-9; Truthfulness: Book 4, Chapter 7).

Answer the question: Which is more important for a person to possess, courage or truthfulness?

Use the Nicomachean Ethics, the learning resources and your own reasoning to make your argument. You cannot say both equally .

QUESTION 2: Political Theory : Lawful or Fair?: In Book 5, Chapters 1-6 of the Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle defines justice and injustice. Explore this idea in Aristotle.

Answer the question: Is it more important for society to be lawful or to be fair?

Use the Nicomachean Ethics, the learning resources and your own reasoning to make your argument. You cannot say both equally.

READINGS TO BE USED

Week Three Learning Resources
I. REQUIRED READING

(1) [PRIMARY TEXT] Aristotle and W. D. Ross. Nicomachean Ethics. Generic NL Freebook Publisher, 2000. Nicomachean Ethics.

The text of the Nicomachean Ethics, translated into English by W.D. Ross.

(2) Russell, Bertrand. History of Western Philosophy. vol. [New ed.], Routledge, 2004. Routledge Classics.

(a) Chapter 20: Aristotle’s Ethics, pp. 168-178

(3) Easterling, Marvin and John K. Roth. “Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle.” Salem Press Biographical Encyclopedia, 2013.

An Introduction to the Nicomachean Ethics. [ADA: Audio option]

II. SUPPLEMENTAL READING

(4) “Aristotle.” Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia, 2017, p. 1p. 1.

An introduction to the life and writings of Aristotle. [ADA: Audio option]

(5) “Political Theory.” Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia, 2017, p. 1p. 1.

A short introduction to the philosophical study of political theory. [ADA: Audio option]

(6) Greene, Jim, MFA. “Syllogism.” Salem Press Encyclopedia, 2017.

A short introduction to the Syllogism. [ADA: Audio option]

III. SUPPLEMENTAL AUDIO/VIDEO

“PHILOSOPHY – History: Aristotle on the Purpose of Life [HD].” YouTube, uploaded by Wireless Philosophy, 4 Aug. 2014, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQk6t-9mQjE

MUST INCLUDE 3 -4 CITATIONS

SAMPLE

Scholars, below find a Discussion Post that ranked HIGH in terms of three basic aspects: Length, thesis and Structure, Citations and referencing.

1) LENGTH and development (exceeded minimum word counts),

2) THESIS statement and academic structure (“This post discusses / argues points a,b,c), and

3) CITATIONS and references (Multiple citations each paragraph, citing PRIMARY DOCUMENTS and support; each citation fully referenced at end of post).