Unintelligent Internal Systems of Reasoning

Instructions:

Write six (and only six) pages on one of the following essay topics.

As a general rule, approximately four pages should be careful and sympathetic exposition of the relevant positions or arguments. Approximately two pages, at least, should reflect your critical or reflective engagement with the relevant positions or arguments. Exposition and critical engagement can be intermingled. But, as a rule, first write four pages of exposition. Then write at least two pages of critical discussion. Do not neglect either task; doing both well is essential for the assignment.

Use helpful examples and apt quotations. Carefully organize the flow of ideas. Above all, strive for clarity.

1. Immediately after Socrates’ leaky jar analogy, Socrates and Callicles disagree

over what makes a person’s life good. Present at least two of Socrates’ arguments against Callicles’ position, being sure to carefully formulate them and situate your reconstruction with reference to the text. Give reasons why you think each argument does or does not succeed. Pose and answer potential objections.

2. Using an example, explain why Ryle believes there is a fundamental difference between “knowing how” and “knowing that.” Explain Plato’s view that moral knowledge is knowledge that. Explain Aristotle’s view that moral knowledge is instead a matter of know how. Give reasons for either Plato’s or Aristotle’s view, considering objections and offering replies.

3. Plato and Aristotle accept what Parfit calls an “objective list” view of the good life for a person. Explain that position and explain how both experientialism and desire-based theories differ from it and from each other in view of Parfit’s and Nozick’s discussions. Make a case using one or more examples for one of the views in view of problems you develop for the others.

Class reading only

Politics and the English Language

The reading: https://www.orwell.ru/library/essays/politics/english/e_polit

Write a nano essay- that means No MORE than 4 paragraphs, but not less than 2 paragraphs! It will be the following:

Part one of the Assignment:

– What have learned from the reading that you DID NOT know before – that is BOTH Interesting AND Important-and:

Then you write:

1. Tell me what that is;

2. Tell me WHY you picked that;

3. Say WHY it is interesting;and

4. Tell me WHY it is important!

Part two of the Assignment:

Then – on your own – you will pick a term that is to be your identification. That you define from the reading, and you say why it is important in a sentence or two.

Please Check the PDF attached below for more information about the reading.

Irvine Bureaucracy The Court and Interest Groups

Please respond to each of the four short response questions posted below. Your answers should be short, focused, and complete, ranging from one to three paragraphs. Please make sure to answer each specific part of every question. Successful answers will provide details and context that support your arguments and explain your position to the readers. You may also want to provide real world examples taken from the readings, lectures, group discussions, or your own independent thinking. These illustrations can be from the course materials or your own ideas. Providing this context and being able to apply the material to YOUR OWN understanding of politics really shows us that you have mastered the material.

Each answer will be worth 25 points, for 100 points total. The Question Set is due on Canvas at 11:59 pm on Tuesday, May 26th (Monday, 5/25 is Memorial Day, so the deadline is shifted back one day). You should upload your response as a docx file or PDF to the Question Set #4 assignment tab.

1. Who controls the bureaucracy? How do they do so? How does this competition affect the bureaucracy? Why and when do elected officials delegate power to the bureaucracy?
2. How do judges decide cases? Highlight several types of factors that contribute to their rulings. Why are the courts often considered the weakest branch? Why might this be wrong?
3. Highlight the types of benefits politicians and bureaucrats receive from interest groups. What is the pluralist defense of interest groups? What might undermine this perspective? Why might it not be so bad?
4. Describe the difference between insider and outsider lobbying tactics. What types of interest groups generally use each? Under what circumstances will one by more impactful than the other?

 Democracy in the Middle East Article

Review the articles by Imai and Zeren (2017), (Links to an external site.) Gaffar (2017), (Links to an external site.) and Battaloglu and Farasin (2017), (Links to an external site.) which are required reading for Module 3. Based on the articles, respond to the following:

• What challenges and opportunities exist for Middle Eastern nations making the transition to liberal democracy?
• What can Middle Eastern nations do to successfully make this transition?
• Should the United States and other countries work to promote liberal democracy in the Middle East? If so, how, and if not, why not?

Be sure to post an initial, substantive response by Thursday at 11:59 p.m. MST and respond to two or more peers with substantive responses by Sunday at 11:59 p.m. MST. A substantive initial post answers the question presented completely and/or asks a thoughtful question pertaining to the topic. Substantive peer responses ask a thoughtful question pertaining to the topic and/or answers a question (in detail) posted by another student or the instructor.

theories of Power in The American Political System

Module 1 Discussion Question: Which theory of power, elitism or pluralism, do you believe best describes the American political system?

To answer this question, click on Reply, and type in your answer. Your answer should illustrate an understanding of these theories and should be at least 5-10 sentences long. Check for grammar.

To submit your answer, click on the “Post Reply” button.

Once you have submitted your answer (known as your “post”), you will be able to see and read what your fellow students have written. You MUST first post your answer before you read what others have written.

To complete this discussion, come back into this discussion and read what your fellow students have written.

Choose two students with whom you wish to have a discussion or debate. Click on “Reply” at the bottom of their post. Type in why their post interests you (4+ sentences) and then click on “Post Reply”. ONE OF YOUR RESPONSES MUST BE WITH A STUDENT WITH WHOM YOU DISAGREE.

Your responses to other students in this class MUST always be thoughtful and professional. Anything I deem inappropriate will not receive credit and the student writing the response will be contacted by me.