Western Thought Homework
Homework 58
We are finishing Nietzsche's Beyond Good and Evil. Please read Part 9 and the Aftersong.
Please enter questions here before 11:59pm Tuesday night.
-Due Wednesday, June 6th
Homework 57
Continue in Nietzsche's Beyond Good and Evil. Please read Part 8.
Please enter questions here before 11:59pm Thursday night.
-Due Friday, June 1st
Optional Final Assignment
If you wish, write me an essay of 2-3 pages (though you can go a bit longer if necessary) about a topic of your choice. It is suggested that you write either about Nietzsche and Beyond Good and Evil or a summary of how the readings and the discussions of the course have shaped your thinking and (perhaps?) changed your outlook.
If you want to do this, please upload it into our shared Dropbox by June 16th. Please express at the beginning of the paper if you want me to grade it or not grade it.
-Due Friday, June 15th
Homework 56
Please read Part 7 in Nietzsche's Beyond Good and Evil. .
Please enter questions here before 11:59pm Tuesday night.
-Due Wednesday, May 30th
Homework 55
Please read Part 5 and 6 in Nietzsche's Beyond Good and Evil. .
Please enter questions here before 11:59pm Thursday night.
-Due Friday, May 25th
ADDITIONALLY: Please bring me a check or money order made out to Stuyvesant High School in the amount of $32 to pay for this term's books. Thanks!
Homework 54
Please read Part 3 and 4 in Nietzsche's Beyond Good and Evil. .
Please enter questions here before 11:59pm Tuesday night.
-Due Wednesday, May 23rd
ADDITIONALLY: Please bring me a check or money order made out to Stuyvesant High School in the amount of $32 to pay for this term's books. Thanks!
Homework 53
Please read Part 2 in Nietzsche's Beyond Good and Evil. .
Please enter questions here before 11:59pm Sunday night.
-Due Monday, May 21st
ADDITIONALLY: Please bring me a check or money order made out to Stuyvesant High School in the amount of $32 to pay for this term's books. Thanks!
Homework 52
We are going to begin Nietzsche's Beyond Good and Evil. Please read Part 1.
Please enter questions here before 11:59pm Wednesday night.
-Due Thursday, May 17th
ADDITIONALLY: Please bring me a check or money order made out to Stuyvesant High School in the amount of $32 to pay for this term's books. Thanks!
Homework 51
We are finishing On Liberty. Please read chapters four and five, which can be found on pp. 79-124. Or, if you prefer, listen to Chapter 4 or Chapter 5 (mp3 courtesy of Librivox.org).
Please enter questions here before 11:59 Monday night.
-Due Tuesday, May 15th
Homework 50
ASSIGNMENT CHANGE! Please read only Chapter Three of On Liberty, which can be found on pp. 58-78. Or, if you prefer, listen to Chapter 3 on Librivox.
Please enter questions here before 11:59 Thursday night. Note that this homework contains an extra field--name one social convention that you'd like to get rid of!
-Due Friday, May 11th
Homework 49
Please read Chapter Two of On Liberty, which can be found on pp. 16-57. Or, if you prefer, listen to it (Chapter 2, Part 1, Chapter 2, Part 2,)
Please enter questions here before 11:59 Tuesday night.
ADDITIONALLY: Please bring me a check or money order made out to Stuyvesant High School in the amount of $32 to pay for this term's books. Thanks!
-Due Wednesday, May 9th
Homework 48
We are starting John Stuart Mill's On Liberty. Please read the first section, "Introductory," which can be found on pp. 3-16. If you prefer, you can listen to it (mp3 courtesy of Librivox.org)--though this is slower than reading, I find.
Related to Mill, here's an argument that is IS acceptable to deny a platform to "hate speech." And here's an attack on that argument.
Please enter questions here before before 11:59 Sunday night.
-Due Monday, May 7th
Homework 47
Please finish the Communist Manifesto (pp. 20-41). Book can be found here.
Please enter questions here before before 11:59 Wednesday night.
ALSO: Check out this New York Times "Room for Debate" on the question "Was Marx Right?"
AND: Your brain on love--similar to your brain on drugs.
ADDITIONALLY: Interesting piece by Cass Sunstein on choice.
-Due Thursday, May 3rd
Homework 46
We are beginning Marx and Engels--The Communist Manifesto--please read from page 5 (the intro) up to page 19--"Bourgeois and Proletarians." Here is a PDF of the whole book
Please enter questions here before 11:59 Sunday night.
-Due Monday, April 30th
Homework 45
Please read Book Four--the final book of the Social Contract--pages 112-146. (The whole book as a PDF is here).
Please enter questions here before 11:59 Wednesday night.
-Due Thursday, April 26th
Homework 44
Please read Book Three of the Social Contract--pages 60-109. (The whole book as a PDF is here).
Please enter questions here before 11:59 Monday night.
-Due Tuesday, April 23rd
Homework 43
Please read Book Two of the Social Contract--pages 26-57. (The whole book as a PDF is here).
Please enter questions here before 11:59pm Wednesday night.
-Due Thursday, April 19th
Homework 42
Please read Book One of Rousseau's Social Contract--pages 1-23. If you want the PDF, it can be found here.
AND: Proof that our class will make you happy?
Please enter questions here before 11:59 Monday night
-Due Tuesday, April 17th
ALSO:
Reflection Essay 5
Having read John Locke and Thomas Hobbes, who do you think made the better argument about commonwealths and the state of nature? How did these arguments make you feel? Did any of them change your mind or challenge any of your previously held notions about the world? Please write an essay of two to three pages by Monday, April 23rd. Please save it as a PDF entitled Your Name, Essay 5 and upload it to our shared Dropbox account by 11:59pm, Sunday night.
-Due Monday, April 23rd
Homework 41
We are finishing Locke. Please read from page 98 to the end of the book. Or you can check out the PDF here.
Please enter questions here before 11:59 Thursday night.
-Due Friday, April 13th
Homework 40
We are continuing with Locke. Please read pages 67-98 in your book. Or you can check out the PDF here.
Please enter questions here before 11:59 Tuesday night
-Due Wednesday, April 11th
ALSO: Check out this interesting article by a theoretical physicist about the feasibility of time travel--it hits on many of the themes from our earlier discussions on the matter.
Homework 39
We are continuing with Locke. Please read pages 28-66 in your book. Or you can check out the PDF here.
Please enter questions here before 11:59pm Wednesday night.
-Due Thursday, March 29th.
Homework 38
We are beginning John Locke's Second Treatise. Please read pages 1-27 in your book. Or you can check out the PDF here.
Please enter questions here before before 11:59pm Sunday night
-Due Monday, March 26th
Homework 37
Here is the fourth (and final) reading from Hobbes's Leviathan.
Please enter questions here before 11:59pm Monday night.
-Due Tuesday, March 20th
Homework 36
Here is the third reading from Hobbes's Leviathan.
Please enter questions on the third reading here before 11:59pm Wednesday night.
-Due Thursday, March 15th
Regarding Governor Kasich's Visit: At the moment, to the best of my knowledge, the event is on during 4th period in the theater. If you wish to attend please click here to print out the Stuy absence note. Obviously you can only come if the teacher lets you go. Please apologize on my behalf to your teacher for the lateness of the request--I just got the go ahead at about 5:30pm. Thanks, and hope to see you there!
Homework 35
Here is the second reading from Leviathan.
Please enter questions on the second reading here before 11:59pm Thursday night.
-Due Friday, March 9th
Homework 34
Here is the first reading from Hobbes's Leviathan.
Please enter questions on the first reading here before 11:59pm Thursday night.
-Due Friday, March 2nd
ALSO
Here's a review of a new book that deals with a lot of the issues we have spoken about in class. Worth your time!
AND
Reflection Essay 4
What is your reaction to Machiavelli's Prince? How did it make you feel? Did it change your mind or challenge any of your previously held notions about the world? Make sure you anchor your statements in the text! Please write an essay of two to three pages (DOUBLE SPACED). Please save it as a PDF entitled Your Name, Essay 4 and upload it to your Dropbox account by 11:59pm on the night of Sunday, March 11th.
-Due Monday, March 12th
Homework 33
Please read The Prince, from Chapter 21 (p. 94) to the end (p. 112).
Please enter questions here before 11:59pm Monday night.
-Due Tuesday, February 27th
Homework 32
Please read The Prince, from Chapter 17 (p. 71) to the end of Chapter 20 (p. 93).
Please enter questions here before 11:59pm Tuesday night.
-Due Wednesday, February 14th
Homework 31
Please read The Prince, from Chapter 11 (p. 49) to the end of Chapter 16 (p. 70).
Please enter questions here before 11:59pm Wednesday night. IMPORTANT FOR THOSE WHO MOVED PERIODS: Please list your new class when entering your name.
-Due Friday, February 9th
Homework 30
Please read The Prince, from Chapter 7 (p. 28) to the end of Chapter 10 (p. 48).
Please enter questions here before 11:59pm Sunday night
-Due Monday, February 5th
Homework 29
We are moving on to Machiavelli. For background, please read the timeline entitled "The World of Niccolo Machiavelli and the Prince," on page ix of our book. Also, please read the introduction (though it is about 30 pages, they go quickly).
Read The Prince, from page 5 (the dedicatory letter) up to page 26 (the end of Chapter 6) Also, please read Machiavelli's description of Cesare Borgia's slaughter at Senigallia, found here (entitled "A description of the methods adopted by the Duke Valentino when murdering Vitellozzo Vitelli, Oliverotto da Fermo, the Signor Pagolo, and the Duke di Gravina Orsini").
Please enter questions here before 11:59pm Monday night. NOTE: For now, please list the period you attended during the FIRST term. Thanks!
-Due Tuesday, January 30th
Interstitial Assignment 2: Time Travel
Ethical Puzzles of Time Travel
Science Solves the Grandfather Paradox
Space and Time Warps by Stephen Hawking
The Sound of Thunder--a short story about time travel by Ray Bradbury (you can ignore the discussion questions at the end)
The Skull, by Phillip K. Dick
4 Scientific Theories for Actual Time Travel
All You Zombies, by Robert Heinlein
-Due Friday, January 19th
Hey all... I've decided to push Machiavelli back to the beginning of the next term. Instead, we're going to focus on some interesting topics using the tools from the philosophers that we have read. So... without any further ado:
Interstitial Assignment 1: Rise of the Machines
Check out this video: Humans Need Not Apply
Also from the Wait But Why blog: The AI Revolution: The Road to Superintelligence part 1 and part 2
-Due Wednesday, January 17th
Homework 28
Please read the fourth (and final) excerpt from Augustine's City of God.
Questions due here by 11:59pm, Thursday night.
-Due Friday, January 12th
Homework 27
Please read the third excerpt from Augustine's City of God.
Think of three questions and enter them here by 11:59pm, Monday night.
Also, check out this interesting piece from The New Yorker: What if parents loved strangers' children as much as their own?
-Due Tuesday, January 9th
Homework 26
Please read the second excerpt from Augustine's City of God.
Think of three questions and enter them here by 11:59, (next) Monday night.
-Due Tuesday, January 2nd
Homework 25
Please read these excerpts from Augustine's City of God.
Questions due here by 11:59, Tuesday night.
-Due Wednesday, December 20th
Homework 24
We are beginning a short unit on Augustine. Please check out Augustine the African in preparation for class.
-Due Tuesday, December 19th
ALSO
Reflection Essay 3
What is your reaction to Aristotle's Politics? How did it make you feel? Did it change your mind or challenge any of your previously held notions about the world? Make sure you anchor your statements in the text!
Tips
-Please remember to proofread your paper! Reread it, or have a friend read it.
-Use clear, simple and easy to read sentences.
-Don't be afraid to assert your own opinion.
-If you want to Aristotle, that's okay, but you should have a reasonably good idea of what he believes if you want to argue against it.
Please write an essay of two to three pages (DOUBLE SPACED). Please save it as a PDF entitled Your Name, Essay 3 and upload it to your Dropbox account by 11:59pm on the night of Monday, January 1st.
-Due Tuesday, January 2nd
Homework 23
Please read Book 8 of Aristotle's Politics. Think of three questions and enter them here by 11:59pm tonight.
-Due Tuesday, December 14th
Homework 22
Please read Book 7 of Aristotle's Politics. Think of three questions and enter them here by 11:59, Sunday night.
-Due Monday, December 11th
Homework 21
Please read Book 6 of Aristotle's Politics. Think of three questions and enter them here by 11:59, Tuesday night.
-Due Wednesday, December 6th
Homework 20
Please read Book 5 of Aristotle's Politics. Think of three questions and enter them here by 11:59, Sunday night.
-Due Monday, December 4th
Homework 19
Please read Book 4 of Aristotle's Politics. Think of three questions and enter them here by 11:59, Monday night.
-Due Tuesday, November 28th
Homework 18
Please read Book 3 of Aristotle's Politics. Think of three questions and enter them here by 11:59, Monday night.
-Due Tuesday, November 21st
Homework 17
Please read Book 2 of Aristotle's Politics. Think of three questions and enter them here by 11:59, Wednesday night.
-Due Thursday, November 16th
Homework 16
We are beginning to read Aristotle's Politics. Please read Book 1 (this reading should be about 26 pages)
Please enter questions here by 11:59, Sunday night
-Due Monday, November 13th
ALSO:
Reflection Essay 2
What is your reaction to Plato's Republic? How did it make you feel? Did it change your mind or challenge any of your previously held notions about the world? Make sure you anchor your statements in the text!
Tips
-Please remember to proofread your paper! Reread it, or have a friend read it.
-Use clear, simple and easy to read sentences.
-Don't be afraid to assert your own opinion.
Please write an essay of two to three pages (DOUBLE SPACED). Please save it as a PDF entitled Your Name, Essay 2 and upload it to your Dropbox account by 11:59pm on the night of Sunday, November 19th.
-Due Monday, November 20th
Homework 15
Please read Book X of Plato's Republic. Think of three questions and enter them here by 11:59, Tuesday night. Here's an article entitled "Democracies end when they are too democratic," by Andrew Sullivan--written prior to the election of Donald Trump, it's worth a read.
-Due Wednesday, November 8th
Homework 14
Please read Book IX of Plato's Republic. Think of three questions and enter them here by 11:59, Wednesday night.
-Due Thursday, November 2nd
Homework 13
Please read Book VIII of Plato's Republic. Think of three questions and enter them here by 11:59, Thursday night.
...and by popular demand, Socrates memes!
-Due Friday, October 27th
Homework 12
Please read Book VII of Plato's Republic. Think of three questions and enter them here by 11:59, Monday night.
-Due Tuesday, October 24th
Homework 11
Please read Book VI of Plato's Republic. Think of three questions and enter them here by 11:59, Wednesday night.
ALSO: If you haven't already done so, please turn in a check or money order made out to Stuyvesant High School for $30 to pay for our books.
-Due Thursday, October 19th
Homework 10
Please read Book V of Plato's Republic. Think of three questions and enter them here by 11:59, Monday night.
ALSO: If you haven't already done so, please turn in a check or money order made out to Stuyvesant High School for $30 to pay for our books.
-Due Tuesday, October 17th
Homework 9
Please read Book IV of Plato's Republic. Think of three questions and enter them here by 11:59, Thursday night.
ALSO: If you haven't already done so, please turn in a check or money order made out to Stuyvesant High School for $30 to pay for our books.
-Due Friday, October 13th
Homework 8
Please read Book III of Plato's Republic. Think of three questions and enter them here by 11:59, Monday night.
ALSO: I need you to pay me for the books that I have distributed. You should have received Plato's Republic, Aristotle's Politics and Machiavelli's Prince; the total cost is $30. Please pay with a check or money order made out to Stuyvesant High School.
-Due Tuesday, October 10th
Homework 7
Please read Book II of Plato's Republic. Think of three questions and enter them here by 11:59, Wednesday night.
-Due Thursday, October 5th
Homework 6
Please read Book I of Plato's Republic. Think of three questions and enter them here by 11:59pm, Monday night.
-Due Tuesday, October 3rd
Also:
Reflection Essay 1
What is your reaction to the Socratic dialogues (Meno, Apology and Crito)? How did they make you feel? Did they change your mind or challenge any of your previously held notions about the world? Please write an essay of two to three pages (DOUBLE SPACED) for NEXT Tuesday. Though this is expected to be a casual essay, I still want to see you excerpting and reacting to specific arguments or points in the texts.
Please save it as a PDF entitled Your Name, Essay 1 and upload it to your Dropbox account by 12 midnight, Monday night.
-Due Tuesday, October 10th
Homework 5
Please start reading Plato's Crito. Please enter your three questions into this form by 11:59pm, Thursday night.
Also check out this piece from today's New York Times "The Dying Art of Disagreement."
-Due Friday, September 29th
Homework 4
Please read Plato's Apology. We will discuss on Wednesday and Thursday. Think of three questions and enter them into this form. Please do so before 11:59pm Tuesday night. Here's a much shorter version of the Apology in comic form!
ALSO: For those of you who wonder whether formal logic can be used to prove mathematics, we proudly present "Harry Potter and the Set of All Sets the Do Not Contain Themselves."
-Due Wednesday, September 27th
Homework 3
Please read Plato's Meno. It is 36 pages long, but I think you'll find it's pretty entertaining reading. Please enter your three questions into this form by 11:59pm, Sunday night.
-Due Monday, September 25th
Homework (No number)
Please read the following article (PDF) on the Presocratics. This is taken from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
ALSO, check out these cartoons about the Presocratics.
-Due Tuesday, September 19th
Homework 2
Please read the Melian Dialogue from Thucydides's History of the Peloponnesian War. Think of three questions and enter them into this form. Please do so before 11:59pm tomorrow (Thursday) night.
-Due Friday, September 15th
Homework 1
(1) Check out this brief history of Athens. Also, look at this very brief overview of Athenian democracy
-DUE Tomorrow (September 12th)
(2) Please read the Funeral Oration of Pericles. Think of three questions about the Oration and enter them into this form! Please do so before 11:59pm tomorrow night.
-Due Wednesday, September 13th
Homework
You should do the following:
1) Make sure you have a Dropbox account--if you've entered your information into the Google form, and you don't have a Dropbox account, you will have received an invitation from me to create one.
2) Share a folder with me. The format should be as follows: If your name were David Hume, and you were in my sixth period class, the folder would be entitled: David Hume 6, WPT. My e-mail address for sharing is mpolazzo@gmail.com
3) Upload a headshot of yourself that (a) is not too large and (b) actually looks like you. Place it in the shared folder. Name it davidhume.jpg (substitute your first and last names). Please note that all headshots should be in JPEG form!
4) All uploaded data is due by the start of your class on Monday.
ALSO
This Monday is the anniversary of the September 11th attacks. These actions triggered many debates about the appropriateness of vengeance and a discussion on justice in the philosophical community. To that end, please read two short pieces "The Cycle of Revenge," by Simon Critchley--published in the New York Times's The Stone section and an article by Thane Rosenbaum entitled "The Nonexistent Line Between Justice and Revenge." If you want more info, you can listen to or read this interview with Rosenbaum on NPR. Be prepared to discuss!
FINALLY
I'm not usually one to post scholarship stuff, but this one seems pretty good: the Jack Kent Cook foundation pays $40,000 a year and is for seniors with some financial need. Here's a link with more info--though the application process doesn't open until Thursday, September 14th
-Due Monday, September 11th
Homework
Please go to this form and enter in all information! Please read this comic. And also this comic. Be prepared to discuss!
-Due Friday, September 8th