Description
Our reading selections from this semester attest to the many ways that human beings have thought about various “ends” (limits, boundaries, etc.)—the ends of oneself or others; the end of a society or a way of life; the end of the world and all life within it. Consequently, we can say that “the end,” however understood, has been and remains a well-spring of human creativity.
In our most recent example—Octavia Butler’s The Parable of the Sower—Lauren Olamina develops “Earthseed” both as a collection of truths to understand and as a series of lessons to follow as the world as we know it comes to an end.
Drawing from our readings and our class discussions from throughout the semester, what enduring insights should we consider and what lessons are we urged to follow as we approach the limits of our own lives and the world in which we live?
Your paper should not be composed in the style of a reflection or otherwise be based on opinions separate from our class materials. Instead, your paper should be rooted in an analysis of our materials and our in-class discussions of those materials. Your paper should reflect an understanding of this course’s broader themes and the linkages evident between our many authors and readings. In essence, your response should represent a concise catalog of answers our authors have given to the following questions:
- What are humanity’s limits?
à In other words, how do our authors define (= ascribe limits to) humanity; what do they identify as fundamental limiting aspects of human nature? - Can any of them be transgressed or overcome, and how?
à In other words, what do our authors think a human must do to become superhuman? - How should we live when faced by the limits of human existence, both those we can and cannot overcome?
à In other words, what lessons have our authors provided to help us confront, navigate, or accept our limits and/or “the end?”
Responses must include citations from at least three (3) of the readings from Units 1 and 2 each (six total), as well as from both of the novels from Unit 3 (two total).
You have up to 6 pages (~1900 words) in which to craft your response, using 12-pt. Times New Roman font, 1.5 spaced.
Papers are due no later than 10:30 am Thursday, December 12, 2019
A hard-copy of your paper is preferred (delivered either directly to me or placed in my mail box—located on the 7th floor of Faculty Hall, suite C). If this is not possible due to travel or other reasons, a Canvas submission is acceptable.
Late papers will not be accepted, no exceptions. Don’t even try it.
Citation-Abbreviation Guide
Ecclesiastes E
St. Augustine’s Confessions C
The Book of Chuang TzuBoC
Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave”AoC
Plato’s “Meno”M
The PhaedoP
Montaigne’s “To Study…”TSP
AntigoneA
Bartleby the ScrivenerBS
“The Intruder”I
The DhammapadaDh
The Kaṭha UpaniṣadKU
Poems by RumiPbR
Whitman’s “To think of time…”W
The MahābhārataMBh
The Bhagavad GītāBhG
Shelley’s “Ozymandias”O
Moore’s “The Watchmaker”WM
The RoadR
Parable of the SowerPoS
Sample Solution