And I am stuck, needing some insight. This is 25% of my grade and I would like to finish the class out with an A. First question about what philosophical concept had the most impact on me? No problem. Second question? Ugh. Guess which is worht more points.

This is the second question for the final:
"Based on the topics covered this semester, thoroughly discuss and evaluate the issues which impact the relationship of the individual to society. Your answer should address the major issues raised by political philosophy, political theory, social philosophy, and ethics."

In the last part of the course, everything from utilitarianism to feminism to dual consciousness to Karl Marx's "alienation of the worker" was covered and he usually expects us to be thorough, yet concise, in 3 pages (I was docked for going over on my last paper).

I brainstormed on FB last time and it was quite helpful and I thought I'd try here for a minute before FB this time.

3 pages for that! Good lord. Can't help you but wishing you luck!

Hahahaha! Three pages is not difficult for me, I can usually write twice as much as asked, but condensing EVERYTHING important in that amount is a real challenge.

I love the subject and the class, but I am so glad it's just about over.

I wouldn't be able to cover such a subject in a mere 3 pages. I'd have to be very concise with every sentence.

Hey, Itz...

Only suggestion I have is to maybe (just maybe) use this as an opportunity to philosophically "vent" about...religion, cults, perhaps mormonism.

And how they impact the relationship of the individual to society. Sometimes negatively, sometimes positively (but usually not so much in the case of cults and mormonism). Demeaning the individual, for example...common in cults (including mormonism), reducing the individual's place in society in favor of the controlling organization.

Just a thought.

Go get an A. You'll get it, I'm sure :)

I just wrote one page of this question so far. I think I might write a bit about the Industrial Revolution's impact on philosophy, go into feminism, then detail the other stuff towards the end. I wish I could just do a good 'ol rant about what you mentioned, but it will probably have to be a couple of sentences. ;)

How flexible are the rules?

Can you, say, write your normal-length paper, then decrease the font size until it fits into 3 pages? Did the prof say you *couldn't* do that? Well?!?

Is it 3 pages single-sided or double-sided? Hey, it's the prof's fault for not being clear, right?

I've heard that Reformed Egyptian is a really concise language, where one "caractor" can stand for whole phrases, sentences, even paragraphs! (But if it were me, I'd leave out anything from 2 Nephi.)

Oh, you wanted USEFUL comments? Oops.

That actually made me laugh, so not totally useless. Nope, he was clear about the font and all that.

It sounds to me like finding what to leave out will be important. You're given sub topics and asked to address major issues. Maybe if you could identify the most controversial theory in each of the four sub topics, and write from that? Just a thought.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/02/2017 10:55PM by donbagley.

That's what I was thinking, address the main concerns facing the individual's experience in the social philosophies. I guess my thesis is turning out to be "How does each philosophy affect the individual? It depends on the individual and his or her circumstances." Now if I can get this black waif of a kitten that wandered into my life to stop bugging me while on the computer, I can get things 5done.

As a writer, Don, do you find you have specific times you can sit down and really write well?

For awhile I was writing first thing every morning, and that seemed to go well. But I write all times of day, so my schedule didn't last. I do tend to write from ideas rather than deadlines. But deadlines are useful for motivation.

I guess I just write whatever I have whenever I can. I'm retired, so I have all the time in the day.

identify what to leave out-

make one paragraph about each main point you're addressing-
--------------- statement re individual:society
then relevant point from X__philosophy
(in parathesis following the relevant point give a pg or paragraph citation)
then give another illustration example or point in the next sentence end the sentence with your supporting citation (in parenthesis giving the paragraph page title author source)

you can do a citation per statement within each sentence, could have three cites a line to data charts, like my daughter writing geological data up for environmental impact statement.
or you could have a citation per example, or one for each specific idea- a minimum of one per paragraph.

While they make be looking for synthesis, it doesn't seem like only an opinion paper. They may not be asking what you want to think ultimately as an ideal or belief or hope. They may want to see what you comprehended and can articulate about the philosophies they covered- on the idea, of individual:society
individual in society, individual part of or separate from or serving society or being served by society individual nested in via role by gender or by occupation or by class. So many threads in the tapestry aren't there.

HAve fun with it, its such a fascinating subject. My spouse did a minor in philosophy was invited urged to the entire major. Its made marriage and conversation enjoyable- such a vantage point, thinker. HAve fun- be the thinker.

I wish I could help you, but the morg has caused me to become like a little child and all I understand is that popcorn pops on apricot trees. Oh, and I can make farting sounds with my armpit.

That's not very reverent. You're making Jesus cry.

1. The grammar in that second question makes me twitch. Impact should never be used as a verb; it's hyperbolic. That's one of the most horribly written exam questions I've ever read.

2. It's sort of impossible to help you without knowing which topics were covered.

3. What issue doesn't affect (NOT impact!) the relationship of individuals to society?

Basically, I would just outline the entire last half of the course.

It's a LOT of topics and we're expected to cover them all in three pages. I'm talking everyone's theories from Bentham to Hobbes to Nozick to Rawls to Marx to Stanton to DuBois to Malcolm X to Chavez to Douglass to Delany to de Beauvoir to Perkins Gilman to Lorde...See what I mean about being stuck? It is SO much to cover in 3 pages.

I really wish this teacher had taken a cue from other professors and instead asked to compare and contrast 2-4 different theories. that would be a better final IMNSHO. This class has been informative, but a total clusterfuck with his organization and his expectations because he is beyond vague and disorganized at times. I had to pull a Cher Horowitz on the midterm because he gave me a low grade and I argued to up to an A. IDT I can pull that with the final since grades are due next week.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/03/2017 10:54AM by Itzpapalotl.

I do see what you mean and I think your prof is lazy and probably a shitty prof. That's WAY too much to basically summarize in three pages.

Oh, that is a problem that I would like to have. Got 5 test in the next week. I definitely would rather be writing papers.

But anyways, I like a lot of the suggestions already. I really like Don's idea about picking the must controversy issue in each subtopic.

Good luck with all your papers and test as your semester comes to an end. I will be plugging away trying to figure out what I need to remember for my classes.

Katvicky- Have you heard of quizlet.com? You can make your own flash cards to help with studying and depending on what texts you are using, as student may ahve already made some flashcards. Ihat site has helped me pass biology and geology with flying colours. Chegg study is good, too, and see if you can get a two week free trial (just cancel before the paid membership starts.)

oh goodness, I love Quizlet. I wouldn't be making it through my medical terminology without it. I have used it a lot with my homework and stuff. I just got done with my first exam and going to be going home to take two more exams online that I can do in the comfort of my living room couch.

The impact that the great traders and discovers had on the culture of Western Europe has always been one of the major factors in the political and philosophical revolutions of France, England, and the American Colonies. There was a huge shift from the rights and privileges of the society to the same for individuals. By the time the industrial revolution was warming up many western societies were migrating to the idea that government and society existed to enable the rights of the individual. The industrial revolution changed that, to some extent. Moving from an economy that operated on the contributions of the individual to one that required the cooperation of many individuals caused a slight shift in our philosophical view of society. Sacrifice for the whole became more valuable than self preservation intrinsically contributing to the whole.

All of this led to a more focused revolution. Like the Age of Enlightenment led to classical liberalism, the Industrial revolution led to a bit of backwards movement in the rights of the individual. As society began to value the whole, again, there cropped up many movements from segments of society that were suffering more than others. This time period birthed Labor Unions, children's rights, a new and reinvigorated women's suffrage movement, and civil rights.

One wonders if Adam Smith's invisible hand will assert itself in the coming decades or centuries. It seems that whenever the rights of the collective and the individual become out of balance something happens to rebalance them.


BTW, I'm not classically trained and so everything I think may be way off base, illogical, and wrong.

That's actually the direction I'm taking to the current impact on the individual. :)

Itzpapalotl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ...he usually expects us to be thorough,
> yet concise, in 3 pages (I was docked for going
> over on my last paper).

Is the social studies teacher I had in 1969 still alive and teaching, having switched to philosophy?

Since the teach wants to see if you have a good grasp of the subjects he/she covered, you're going to need to put in as many of them in your answer as you can. This is guaranteed to produce an incoherent mess, unless...

Try to find some overarching idea (maybe two) and discuss how the subjects that were covered during the semester tie into this/these. You'll definitely get an A if this overarching idea (1) was not discussed in class, and (2) can be linked to current events,

Lemme throw in a suggestion. I'm assuming postmodernism wasn't covered in this class. Briefly read up on it (30 minutes max) and take that as your overarching idea (a set of fixed truths/beliefs vs. we can know nothing and not even that). As for a current event, I suggest Trump's election (both the campaign and the liberal reaction).

That should be more than enough for three pages. Hell, I can think of three books that were published on the subject just this week.

Good luck!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/03/2017 01:18PM by rt.

Postmodernism was not covered, which is too bad, I really like that set of ideas. I'm not sure that current events are supposed to be in the paper, he just wants to see if we have a "grasp on the concepts" this part of the semester, which is exasperating because we spent the last 4 quizzes answering 4-6 essay questions on the topics!

Since I am a member of the unemployed philosophers guild, you have my sympathy.