solved 1/ Module 5: Kant & Morality Kant famously turned the

1/ Module 5: Kant & Morality
Kant famously turned the entire field of philosophy on its head.  With his Groundwork for the Metaphysic of Morals Kant introduced a way to do philosophy completely backwards.  In Plato and Aristotle we saw philosophical systems that began with the way the world is and the ways that the world relates to ideas.  This is what happens when the first principle of a philosophical system is its ontology or metaphysics.  In a system like this the way things are leads to how we should act.  If morals exist as ideal, unattainable forms, we should aspire to them.  If virtues are capable of existing in the particular then we should strive to cultivate them in our own character.  The way things are governs how we act.
Kant, given the rise of skepticism, knows that the way things are cannot be taken for granted.  What he suggests is that even if the way things are might be uncertain, even in an uncertain world there is a right thing to do and a wrong thing to do; and he idealistically hypothesizes that if we can know what is right in this world we might be able to learn what is true and and real as a result.  It is in this way that Kant is doing things completely backwards, turning traditions on their head in order to find some actual basis for something real.
Read: Kant. 
Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals, pp 1-62.
https://librivox.org/fundamental-principles-of-the-metaphysic-of-morals-by-immanuel-kant/

Summary:
Prompt:

Use the texts provided from Kant.
What is Kant’s idea of a metaphysic of morals?
How does he think this is possible?
Why is this important for his overall philosophical system?
Do you find this convincing/compelling? Why/Why not?
Be thoughtful

Checklist:

500-1000 Words
Responds Directly to the prompt
Does not cover extraneous topics (i.e. Biography, dates, etc.)
Must be in APA format.
Must have in-text citations.
Must have a reference page.
Must rely on the course readings (assigned primary texts).
Must NOT use or cite course materials (i.e. course lectures, handouts etc.)
The use of quality, peer-reviewed, outside sources would be appropriate.

Rubric:

1-6 Does not meet the basic passing requirements for this assignment.
7 Meets the basic passing requirements (ticks all boxes on the checklist).
8 Average Submission
9 Above average submission of a high quality.
10 Very high quality submission, a submission that merits high marks.
11 Distinction awarded to submissions of exceptional quality.

2/  Module 6: Existentialism
In this Module we will be examining the philosophical movement that is Existentialism.  While we will primarily be looking at this from the perspective of Jean Paul Sartre, we will also be working to situate the movement as a sort of conclusion of the trajectory of philosophical development that we have been following.  Here we will look at the key idea that “essence precedes existence” and the implications of that idea, and the variety of expressions that we find.  Beginning with Satre and moving backwards historically, we will try to trace the existentialist idea back to its roots, its problem, its origin and genesis.
Please remember that this Module ends on Saturday and all assignments are due accordingly!
Read: Jean-Paul Sartre, “Existentialism.” 
Find “Existentialism” online here.
Read: Søren Kierkegaard, Fear and Trembling, pp. 41-147. 
Audio selections can be found here.
https://librivox.org/fear-and-trembling-selections-by-soren-kierkegaard/

Summary: 
Select one of the Existentialist approaches covered in class, and answer each of those following questions employing the values of that system in relation to your own life and existence.
1) Is your life meaningful?  Yes/No?  Why/Why not?
2) Where do you find/make meaning in your life?
3) Are you certain that your life is meaningful?  Yes/No?  Why/Why not?
4) What would you keep doing, focusing on, and applying yourself to even if you knew that your life, action, and everything in them was in fact meaningless and futile?
Remember that your responses here on confidential.  You are not being graded on what you say or think, but instead on the level of engagement with the questions.

Checklist:

250-500 words.
Responds Directly to the prompt (all parts)
Directly interacts with the assigned readings.
In APA format.
Has in-text citations.
Has a reference page.

Rubric:

1-7 Does not meet the basic passing requirements for this assignment.
8 Meets the basic passing requirements (ticks all boxes on the checklist).
9 Above average submission of a high quality.
10 Very high quality submission, a submission that merits high marks.
11 Distinction awarded to submissions of exceptional quality.

3/ Research paper:
Summary: 
Prompt:
Write a 2,000-2,500 word paper according to APA guidelines addressing one of the three major areas of investigation in this course: The Nature of the Universe and/or the Existence of God (metaphysics), The Nature and Value of Knowledge (epistemology), or The Good Life and the Good Society (ethics). Compare two or three philosophers (only one from each unit), providing a philosophical and historical overview of the topic.
Expanded Prompt:

Pick one of the three topics: Metaphysics, Epistemology, Ethics.
Pick two philosophers directly covered in this course.
Provide a summary of each philosopher’s account of the topic you selected.
Note the historical situation of these two philosophers in relation to each other.
Do not provide biographical summaries, background information etc.
Compare those two positions.
Contrast those two positions.
Analyze and evaluate the merits of these two positions through a critical lens. Be thoughtful.