Instructions
See the general instructions in the Essay Discussion Instructions section of the course menu.
Once you choose which question you’d like to write about, write your essay and post it in the discussion board and also save it as a Word document.
To create your post, click the blue Create Thread button. To be able to read and respond to others’ posts, you will first need to publish your own post. Your first post is the one that will be graded–a blank post WILL be graded if it is your first post in the board. You can save your post as a draft, but it will not be published for students to view, nor will it be queued for grading until you click the Submit button.
When you refresh the board, after you publish your post, it will allow you to view everyone’s posts. If you hover your cursor at the bottom of a post, the button to reply to that student’s post will appear.
Use your course texts to help you respond to the topic, and when you quote and summarize from the course texts, include information about the page reference.
You are discouraged from using additional sources. If you do choose to use an outside source, be sure to cite your source, just as you do when you use the course texts. If you use a quotation or an example from a website, cite the website’surl and the date accessed.
Once you are ready for your classmates to read it, post the thread containing your essay. Then go to the TurnItIn dropbox section here in Blackboard and post your Word document into the dropbox. You do not need to include your response to another student in the file that you upload to TurnItIn.
Finally, read your classmates’ posts. A complete assignment includes your written responseto at least one essay besides your own–part of your score is based on your reply to at least one of your classmate’s posts. It should be a meaningful reply that continues the discussion, points out something good about the post, and makes a constructive suggestion for improvement.
Topics for your Essay, Choose A or B
Essay Length tips–To answer these topics completely, it takes about 500-600 words (required). Use the topic questions and the scoring rubric to see if your draft responds fully to all parts of the question. A complete thoughtful answer is more important than word count.
Topic A
What is Martin Gardner’s argument for the objectivist view of art? Do you agree? Why or why not?
Use Vaughn’s textbook to help you explain Gardner’s theory and its strengths and weaknesses. Choose an object, performance, or piece of writing as an example, and explain whether Gardner’s theory would classify the object as Art. Do you agree with objectivism about Art or do you find another theory more convincing? Defend your point of view.
Topic B
Explain Locke’s view of human nature. Use details from the textbook to support your description. Explain Hobbes’s view of human nature, again using details from the textbook to support your description. How do Locke’s view of human nature and Hobbes’ view differ? Which do you think is more accurate? Explain, and defend your answer.
