Journal

Instructions

Your journal should be a composition book that is separate from your binder/notes.  Each question should be started on a new page.

For each question, list the following at the top of the page:

• Question Number
• Topic
• Prompt
• Date

Part of your grade for each journal check will be meeting these formatting requirements.  Take your time and write neatly.  If I can't read it, you won't get points.

Questions

1. Plato's Apology - Socrates was put on trial for his life unjustly.  He had to choose between being honest and avoiding punishment.  Please choose one of the following prompts to respond to:
• Describe a situation you faced in your life that was similar to Socrates' choice.  What did you do and why?  Was it the right choice, or a mistake?
  
    OR
• If you were in Socrates situation, what would you do?  Be honest.  Do you think your choice would be the correct one?
2. Determinism - Do you believe people have free will?  Explain your answer.
3. Life of Pi - Can we truly choose to "believe the better story"?  Which is the better story, anyway?  You can talk about this in terms of Pi or God.
4. Eastern Religions - Write about an experience from your life that you can relate to a belief found within either Buddhism or Taoism.  Evaluate that idea - is it true?  Is it useful?  Why or why not?
5. Friendship - Describe your most valued friendship.  Would it meet Aristotle's definition of friendship for utility, pleasure, or complete friendship?  Explain why. 
6. Love - Share an opinion about any event in the film 500 Days of Summer *and* relate that idea to any philosopher, source, or idea we've studied in this unit.  If possible, offer a constructive argument about how one could act more wisely then the characters did in the situation you described.
7. Ethics - BSG #1
8. Ethics - BSG #2
9.