For your Term Paper, you must choose a contemporary issue and two professionally written articles on opposing sides of the issue and them perform close analyses.  These close analyses are intended to help you clarify the chosen commentaries for this term paper. I I will grade these analyses primarily on the detail and completeness of the analysis as explained in Chapter Four of your textbook.  You must provide a copy of the commentaries that you have labeled the language elements as done in Chapter 4.  Use the abbreviations as used in the textbook.

Thus this assignment requires the following:

1. In no more than one page, double-spaced, summarize the first chosen article.

2. In no more than one page, double-spaced, summarize the second article for your paper.

3. In no more than one page, double-spaced, explain as succinctly and completely as possible the contemporary issue for this paper.

4. A copy of your first article within which you

Instructions
1. Choose a contemporary issue from the media which you will explain to provide context for the paper.

2. Choose two commentators on the above issue who provide written opposing views and arguments that you will analyze and to which you will respond.

3. Complete a Close Analysis  for each of the commentaries you have chosen by the required due date and time.

4. Your paper must accomplish two objectives:

A. present, analyze, and critically evaluate opposing views and arguments on the issue using the logical principles and methods of critical thinking discussed this semester. That is, describe the views of the commentators you have chosen concerning the issue in question. Explain the arguments for these views provided by each. A thorough analysis will also include some explanation of the consequences of holding this position. Remember to apply the principle of charity--give the argument the most positive portrayal possible!

B. Give

Objective: Practice assessing audience and using inferences to identify the form, focus, and rhetorical approach for your writing; to explore and reflect on practices for developing arguments; effectively integrate information from other texts to support your argument; gain experience writing for real-world audiences.

Description:
The use of social media as a means to address political, social, and economic injustice has increased dramatically in the last ten years as more and more people are turning to online platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to get their messages across. However, such use has also led to debates over whether or not the internet actually helps or hinders the pursuit of real, meaningful change.

Instructions:
Write a FIVE paragraph essay that responds to the following question:

Should we rely on the internet and social media to promote social justice?

This essay serves multiple purposes. First, it is an opportunity for

1.    Read Affirmative Action Pojman Reading Guide
2.    Read The Case Against Affirmative Action
3.    Read the example of how your page should look like Example
4.    Read all instructions attached.
5.    Write a RAOR commentary which includes the four parts discussed above. 200-300 words

Assignment Objective:  Develop an audio-narrated PowerPoint presentation based on the research you have conducted about your chosen topic. All APUS students have access to PowerPoint and the rest of Microsoft Office (for Windows or MacOS) through the Resource Center link on the left.

Assignment Instructions:  Using the course project steps completed to date, you will develop your presentation based on the work you submitted for Assignments 1 and 2 as well as the feedback you were given.

To prepare for this assignment, I recommend that you do the following:

Read these directions carefully.
Review the grading rubric below. The grading rubric is a detailed evaluation that I will use to assess your performance. It also will help you understand what is expected of you as you prepare your assignment.
Message me with any questions!
Presentation requirements:

Your presentation will be submitted as an audio-narrated PowerPoint. It must narrated by

1) Read the article by Jean Paul Sartre, Existentialism is a Humanism

(2) Watch the video

Paper:

(1) after reading Existentialism is a Humanism formulate a thesis about the text that addresses one of the major philosophical themes, such as the idea that human beings are entirely free, existence precedes essence, and bad faith. For example, you can address questions such as:

--Are we free? What does it mean to be free?

--Does freedom mean we can do whatever we want? Do we still have moral responsibility?

(2) after exploring one of themes in Sartre's Existentialism is a Humanism, you will need to compare Sartre to Kant. For example, if you took up the question of freedom, how would Sartre's views on freedom compare with those of Kant?

(3) draw three conclusions and support them by the arguments you made in your paper

--Guidelines

Paper should not just contain summaries of the text by Sartre, but a unique engagement with Sartr

Read the Primary reading: Paul Taylor, Respect for Nature, Chapter 3: The Biocentric Outlook on Nature (69p).

Our textbook Sustainability does not refer to Paul Taylor or biocentrism explicitly.  If you would like to apply a biocentrism to a particular case study or topic that you find, feel free to do that.  Or, you may watch the video in the Content for the week and critique Garry Deweese's summary and critique of Paul Taylor and biocentrism.

Read the Primary reading: Paul Taylor, Respect for Nature, Chapter 3: The Biocentric Outlook on Nature (69p).

Our textbook Sustainability does not refer to Paul Taylor or biocentrism explicitly.  If you would like to apply a biocentrism to a particular case study or topic that you find, feel free to do that.  Or, you may watch the video in the Content for the week and critique Garry Deweese's summary and critique of Paul Taylor and biocentrism.

Write a four-part essay to explain and argue whether the rule of law is valuable.

The structure of this essay is the following:

Part 1: They say that the rule of law is/is not valuable because
Part 2: I say that the rule of law is not/is valuable because
Part 3: One might object that
Part 4: I reply that

Notes:
(i) The format of this assignment is essentially the same as the previous two, except that it is expanded from four paragraphs to four parts, and you will need to elaborate your arguments in greater detail. However, you still need to write concisely and should avoid writing long, multi-argument paragraphs.

(ii) Word limit: 600 words.

(iii) Include a word count.

(iv) Please draw upon at least one of the guest lectures to explain and/or support your arguments. (I made the essay question more general so that you would have more room to use what youve learnt in the guest lecture.)

(v) Make sure that the argument in part

Explain why Popper considers liberal democracy to be the best political system. Does he have a favourite version? If yes, which? How is his opinion connected to the epistemology of critical rationalism?

Text base:
"Aestheticism, Perfectionism, Utopianism" [Popper, K. (2011): The Open Society and Its Enemies. London/New York: Routledge, pp. 147-157]
"On the Theory of Democracy" [Popper, K. (1999): All Life is Problem Solving. London/New York: Routledge, pp. 93-98]

Goal: substantial and visual support of your presentation
- Scientific format (introductory outline; consistent structure; an indication of sources and
references)

Required to find at least two additional sources (articles, books etc.) besides of the PDF files I have uploaded.