choose the most pressing issue or theme that we have encountered in this course and show how a philosophically inclined person would understand and react to this issue.
Instructions
This is a comprehensive project on the whole course with the following format:
You are invited to speak at a local community center on “Major Issues of the 21st Century: A Philosophical Perspective.” Your task is to choose the most pressing issue or theme that we have encountered in this course and show how a philosophically inclined person would understand and react to this issue. Your presentation will require 4-5 pages of carefully written text. You should write the presentation in your own voice in a warm and spirited fashion, making strong contact with your audience.
After your introduction, it is important to carefully define the issue or theme that your talk considers, so that your audience understands from the start exactly what questions you are trying to answer.
Your presentation should focus on the use of philosophical materials and ideas that we’ve considered in this course. Don’t assume that your audience is acquainted with any philosophers’ work, so make sure you always explain philosophers’ ideas carefully before you apply them to your issue. Explanatory quotes are very important to this process.
At the end of your presentation be sure to remind your audience of your main points.
Please avoid dictionary definitions. Use course materials, or your own ideas, instead.
RESOURCES
[VIDEO] How to see past your own perspective and find truth – Michael Lynch TED Talk
· https://www.ted.com/talks/michael_patrick_lynch_how_to_see_past_your_own_perspective_and_find_truth
The Apology of Socrates (Ἀπολογία Σωκράτους) by Plato
· http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/apology.html
The Allegory of the Cave from Book VII of Plato’s Republic
· http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/platoscave.html
Fake news and a 400-year-old problem: We need to resolve the ‘post-truth’ crisis – Luciano Floridi
· https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/nov/29/fake-news-echo-chamber-ethics-infosphere-internet-digital
The Post-Truth World: Why Have We had Enough of Experts Forbes (read pg 1 and pg 2)
· https://www.forbes.com/sites/lbsbusinessstrategyreview/2017/05/22/the-post-truth-world-why-have-we-had-enough-of-experts/#4b603de454e6