Thomas Aquinas

Thomas Aquinas   Order Description   Second, this paper is an excuse to get you to summarize Thomas Aquinas's philosophy. What does Aquinas think is the nature of the world, of man, the goal of life, ect? (Different philosophers would discuss different stuff, so the list given in the syllabus is loose. Hit the 3 or 4 high points.) What is his philosophy, generally speaking? Third, this paper asks you to consider how studying this philosopher might serve the student who takes his class. All of the philosophers we shall study thought that their work contributed positively to their students' lives. How? Fourth, we are to assume that the philosopher in question writes this paper as a letter with the goal of persuading the recipient to hire him. In other words, a paper on how Aquinas was a bigot who should not be exposed to impressionable students are not what we want. (It is arguably true, but that is another assignment.) Be generous and write a paper on how and why the philosopher thinks that they are right, and would constitute a benevolent influence on both the class, and RSU.   Formatting Instructions • Font: Times New Roman 12 point • Spacing: Double, not 1.5, 2.1, 1.8 or some other creative variant. Also make sure that under the Page Layout tab you have set the “Before” and “After” spacing to 0 pt. • Margins: 1" margins at the top and bottom; 1" margins on the left and right; paragraphs should be indented .5". If you do not know how to adjust the font, spacing or margins, solicit the help of someone who does. • Your paper should not have a title page. Simply place your name, my name, the course name and number, and the date—all on separate, double-spaced lines—at the left-hand margin at the top of the first page. • Include page numbers at the bottom of each page. • All papers must be submitted via the Turnitin Dropbox. Assignment In this course, you will study philosophers from four historical periods: ancient, medieval, early modern, and late modern. For each essay, I would like you to imagine that you are one of these philosophers searching for a job. Happily, there is a open position in philosophy at Rogers State University and the search committee has asked applicants to submit a letter of intent. What your letter says will directly depend on your philosophical outlook: how you view the world, how you view the human person, how you view the relationship between persons and the world, what you happen to value, what you think the purpose of life is all about, and so on. For your first essay, you are to imagine that you Aristotle; for the second essay, Thomas Aquinas; for the third, Descartes; and for the fourth, Nietzsche. Your objective is twofold: to give some insight into your philosophical commitments and, based on these commitments, to convince the committee that you are the right person for the job. Appendix B Grading Rubric for Essays Opening Paragraph (5%). Your introductory paragraph should be succinct yet purposeful. In it, you should introduce yourself to the hiring committee and indicate your reason for writing. Be sure to specify which position you are applying for and what interests you about it. Body (60%). After you have introduced yourself, begin your argument for why you are deserving of the position. When discussing your philosophical commitments, accomplishments and skills, be sure to connect them to the position. What makes you qualified? Are you a productive scholar? Are you an effective teacher? What, typically, are your course objectives? How will you ensure that students meet these objectives? Are there special assignments you consider particularly effective? What is your teaching style? Make sure that your answers are consistent with the philosopher you have chosen to emulate. In addition, be sure that your exposition and interpretation of the pertinent philosophical texts is accurate and charitable and that your letter reflects an in-depth understanding of the course material, moving beyond mere description and summary. The paragraphs should be organized in a logical manner, appropriate in length and framed by topic sentences supporting the thesis. If quotations are used, they should be used sparingly and properly introduced, not just inserted in between sentences without any explanation. Closing Paragraph (5%). Your closing paragraph, like your opening paragraph, should be short and to the point. Summarize or give a final statement of interest in the position. Thank the committee for their time and consideration. Writing Mechanics and Style (20%). In the words of Cambridge University Literature Professor George Sampson, “Style is the feather in the arrow, not the feather in the hat.” In other words, the style adopted should not be merely decorative, but rather a control that makes the author’s meaning fly true to the center of his or her target. In addition, you should commit few, if any, errors in spelling, punctuation, grammar, sentence structure, verb tense and vocabulary. Task Completion (10%). Be sure to stick to the assignment, completing the task set forth in the instructions. Have you answered the prompt? Is your paper the specified length? Have you followed the formatting instructions?