Are you an Avocado or An Artichoke?
The purpose of this discussion assignment is to reflect upon your understanding of the two main philosophical approaches to the self. After completing your readings, write a 1-2 page paper comparing and contrasting the avocado/modernist idea of the self with the artichoke/postmodern view.
As you develop your response, you might find some of the following questions to be relevant:
What is the avocado idea of the self? What is your understanding of Plato and Aristotle’s belief that reason is the core essence of human beings?
What is the artichoke idea of the self? What is your understanding of the existential idea that our existence determines our essence?
What do you make of the concern that the avocado idea of the self values reason over emotion? What are the implications of this view for women?
Are you an avocado or an artichoke? Or do you find the non-Western views of the self to be more compelling?
