FAQ
How should I get started?
Have the Personal Responsibility and Critical Thinking Rubrics open in front of you. Your grade will be assessed according to these two rubrics. Scroll down for these rubrics.
Some questions to ask yourself as you are brainstorming: What does “putting yourself first” mean as you see it? What are the consequences of living this way be? How would you describe the opposite of “putting yourself first”? If you had to choose between them, which way of life is better? Do you have to choose between them? If you disagree with your friend who thinks life is about putting oneself first as much as possible whenever possible, how would you persuade your friend that life is not a selfish or self-indulgent pursuit? How do you justify that your own actions are altruistic, and to what end do you pursue acts in the interest of others? Do you do so with the same passion as you do endeavors that fulfill a want or a need in your own life? Once you have entertained the above questions, carve out a thesis statement that states clearly whether or not “put yourself first” is a good approach to life and why.
Early in your essay, describe how you understand “putting yourself first”. It’s important to define how you view this way of life before either advocating for it or rejecting it.
Look up any information that you may need to check your biases. Suppose you intend to argue that rich people get ahead because they do not donate to charity. You might first explore studies to verify whether or not this is true. Who gives more to charity, the rich or the poor? Have the facts.
Argue for your thesis throughout your essay.
Address objections to your position.
How should this essay relate to Chapter 2?
When writing this essay, you are not required to discuss the theories of meaning from Chapter 2 unless you find them relevant to “put yourself first”. Focus the entirety of your essay on “put yourself first” and direct alternatives to this way of life as you draw upon the “big picture” from Chapter 2, that is the consequences of having a theory of meaning at all.
In drafting this essay, I recommend that you also read pages 251 – 255 of The Big Questions and the 1000 Word Philosophy link that I have posted below. Scroll, scroll.
How do I submit?
Please DO NOT include your name anywhere within the text, headings, or title of your essay, nowhere. This allows me to grade anonymously, an equitable grading practice. Please have no concern about omitting your name; as long as you submit your assignment through your eCampus account, you will receive credit for it.
Save your assignment as a Microsoft Word document. Scroll up and click the heading Essay 1. Submit your essay as an attachment.
