Optional Assignment for Mr. Monge’s Classes

Introduction to Philosophy

This is not a mandatory assignment. No one is required to complete this assignment, but if your course grade is lower than you desire, and you think you are capable of better work, then you are more than welcome to complete this assignment, and the score on this optional assignment will be added to your course grade. Note that this is not straightforward extra credit. If you score lower on the optional assignment than your current grade, your percentage for the course will go down, which might lower your letter grade. You should only complete the assignment if you are confident that you can get a better score on it than your current course grade..

Your assignment, should you decide to accept it, is to obtain a copy of Mr. Monge’s book: Why I’m not a Democrat, and write a paper conforming to the following guidelines. Your school bookstore should have copies of the book, and you can also get a copy at http://archimedespublishing.com (be sure to use the discount "student"). If you cannot afford the book, please let me know and we can make alternative arrangements.

You are to determine what Mr. Monge’s political philosophy is, and articulate it using the categories found in chapter two of Washburn’s Philosophical Dilemmas textbook. Would you classify him as an organicist or contractualist (Chapter 2.1), libertarian or paternalist (2.2), an egalitarian or an elitist (2.3), a capitalist or a socialist (2.4), essentialist or non-essentialist(2.6?), and an individualist or a relationalist (end of Chapter 2).  Ensure that you use specific quotations from the book to back up your claims.

Your paper should have a title page, be at least four pages, typed, double-spaced, with one inch margins. Use a basic 12 point font. You should properly cite any quotations you use.

Your paper will be graded on a variety of factors: length, grammar, spelling, completeness, conformity to the instructions, style, clarity, and accuracy. The cogency of your reasoning and the presence or lack of fallacies will also be a factor. In general, an “A” paper is complete and meets all guidelines given.  It will look professional, and will not have any major errors or mistakes.  A paper which is deficient in any of these areas may receive a “B.”  A paper which is deficient in any two areas may receive a “C.”  A “D” will be given to any paper with a major deficiency in any one area, or minor deficiencies in all areas.  Generally, an “F” will be reserved for an incomplete paper, or one which has major deficiencies in multiple areas

As an example of how the grading works, let's say your overall course grade is a 76%, and you score an 85% (B) on the paper. I will add the 85% to your grade. So, 76% and 85% would equal 161%, but then I have to divide by 200%, which would equal 80.5%, which could be a B. If you scored a 61% D-, however, your grade would become (76+61)/200 = 68.5%, which would make it a D. So your grade could go up or go down. Don't forget that fact when you decide whether to write the paper and, if applicable, while you are writing it.

For Fall 2013, the paper is due December 10th.