augustine

Position Paper #2 – Augustine

Due Saturday, 10/16/21 via Brightspace (must be submitted as a Word document)

Please choose one of the three topics below and address the questions in that topic. If you use any terms that were specifically defined by Augustine (viz., terms that were on the TQRS), then you must define that term, which requires the quote to define + interpretation. The citations provided in class on the “overhead” for the quiz definition can help you locate a good quote to use in defining. Be sure to watch the “Shopping List” video uploaded to Brightspace on 10/8. Also, be sure to go through the attached checklist before submitting the paper.

A. Thriving! – First, argue for Augustine’s position concerning what all is required so you can thrive and live the happy life.[footnoteRef:1] Second, apply three aspects of this Augustinian argument you’ve just presented to one statement concerning one action from the Good People in an Evil Time testimonies that we read during Augustine[footnoteRef:2] to show exactly how that individual[footnoteRef:3] succeeded or failed with regard to living the happy life, why, and a lesson this gives you for your own pursuit of the happy life. Third, provide your own argument, your own terms and concepts (building perhaps from past OAs, not Plato or Augustine), concerning what it means to live a thriving existence (must define and argue), what virtue (define the specific virtue and argue its role) is specifically required to do this and why. [1: Please be sure that you are completely arguing for the position. These is a clear risk in this topic of ‘going light’ on Augustine.] [2: These would be “There Would Never have been a War,” “These are the Balkans,” “Out of the Hell of Mostar,” If Your Own Won’t Take You, I Will,” Tuzla, Above the Hatred,” and A Sarajevo Mosaic.” If you use another chapter, your Body Two will not be accepted, meaning there will be a -25% penalty on your paper.] [3: Note that this is very often the person being talked about rather than person speaking.]

B. Misery and Negativity – First, argue for Augustine’s position concerning what specifically it means to live a miserable, unsatisfied life with an evil will, how turning away from wisdom itself is the cause of such a will, and how pride ultimately lies at the root of such disorder. Second, apply three aspects of this Augustinian argument you’ve just presented to one statement concerning one action from the Good People in an Evil Time testimonies that we read during Augustine to show how the good desired by one individual shows him/her to have turned away from wisdom itself, how this stems from pride and must result in the wretchedness, including also a lesson for your own choices of what you love above all else. Third, provide your own argument, your own terms and concepts (building perhaps from past OAs, not Plato or Augustine), concerning what it means to “live poorly” (must define and argue) and how this bad life will be the result if you fail to consider “the true” (include definition and argue connection).

C. Love – First, argue for Augustine’s position on why wisdom itself is the most lovable or desirable good for you as a rational being, including in your answer the three most important reasons why you ought to cling to this good above all others. Second, apply three aspects of this Augustinian argument you’ve just presented to one statement concerning one action from the Good People in an Evil Time testimonies that we read during Augustine to show how the good desired by one individual shows s/he rightly or wrongly loved, also including in your application two of the three reasons you have argued from Augustine, and what lesson you are taking away for the goods you love. Third, provide your own argument, your own terms and concepts (building perhaps from past OAs, not Plato or Augustine), concerning what it means to “love to inquire” (must define and argue) and the importance of “the good” (include definition and argue connection) to avoid merely following the crowd.

Detailed Checklist/Rubric for Position Paper #2

General Requirements:

· My paper is not shorter than three full pages and not longer than six pages, double-spaced, 1” margins all around, in Times New Roman 12-point font without extra space between paragraphs. Short or long = -10% penalty

· I have run spell-check and grammar check.

· I did not use ‘feel’, ‘believe’ or ‘opinion’ to give an argument.

· I have written this paper in the first person singular, viz., I have used ‘I’ and ‘my’ throughout unless the use of ‘Augustine’ or the Good People individual would be required. There are no plural pronouns, no he/she, no you, etc. I am arguing in the style of reporting back on what Augustine said about how I ought to use my will since that is his whole issue.

· I have written a philosophy, not theology or doctrine, position paper as this is how Augustine is considering the issues involved.

· I am remembering to use the “purple” approach to Augustine, taking his position altogether, not chronologically, so likely most of my quotes are from Books 2 and 3.

· I have cited Augustine correctly by book.chapter.section (e.g., 2.IX.100). I didn’t do a works cited as it is not necessary (save time).

· I DEFINITELY HAVE NOT GONE ONLINE FOR ANY “HELP” WHICH IS ACTUALLY NON-HELP!!!!

Intro and concluding paragraphs:

· I have a thesis statement[footnoteRef:4] and that is all for my intro paragraph. [4: Thesis statement format: “In this paper I will argue that Augustine’s position on [X] will show [Y] and this means [Z] for [Good People person]. Then I will give my own argument concerning [A] and the importance of [B].” This is merely to show that all three parts of the paper ought to be in the thesis.]

· I have a conclusion which ‘concludes’, but then poses a question for Augustine, asks about something that seems either missing from the investigation or maybe overemphasized or ??? (just a couple sentences on this – it’s to be developed in evaluation in the final).

Body One – answering “First”:

· I have no mention of Good People in this paragraph.

· I addressed the “First” question completely, all parts, everything on the shopping list. This is a big job; my Body One is two+ pages long. It’s still all one paragraph because I need to argue the connections between the concepts.

· I argued from quotes, using these as evidence which I have interpreted thoroughly (see examples in coursepack, WDTM questions, and QIs).

· At some point when good or goods came up in a quote, I argued why – logically, so that I don’t commit an appeal to authority fallacy – some goods are more or higher than others, so that I avoid an appeal to authority fallacy. But I only have to do this once.

· I did not go into more than one virtue, if any, from Augustine. Of course, wisdom itself is not a virtue.

· I have defined any Augustine terms (see TQRS) I have in my paper using a quote + interpretation. (see coursepack as well)

· I have 4-8 quotes in body one.

· I did NOT put quiz definitions in because that is just a paraphrased version of the real thing. These would be “hearsay” in court. In terms of class, this is plagiarizing Prof. Waterstradt.

· I have used the amount of the quote that I need. This means that I did not break up quotes into little pieces to be stuck in mid-sentence, nor did I use huge block quotes. Both stand in the way of interpretation.

· I am not paraphrasing anywhere either. This stands in the way of interpretation.

· I argued the connections that I see between Augustine’s concepts to address “First” because these connections are not really there in the book; these are left for me to make which shows my understanding.

· I did not narrate in my paper.[footnoteRef:5] [5: Narrating is talking about what you’re going to do or cover. E.g., “I will now go into being wise as Augustine argues it.” What purpose does that serve? Absolutely none. If you think that argues a connection, you are not correct. If you have a solid interpretation for the previous concept, you then need to argue what the connection is to the next concept. Check out the coursepack question that ask you to connect ideas, and you’ll see that you’ve been doing a lot of this already.]

· I am not including examples because these stand in the place of an argument rather than giving it.

· I did not add any more quotes or additional ideas from Augustine in Body Two; what I will apply is provided here completely.

· I did not bring up Augustine or his concepts in Body Three because this is my paragraph, all mine, my ideas, me, me, me.

Body Two – answering “Second”:

· I do not have any added quotes or concepts from Augustine in this paragraph because I already provided everything in my very lengthy Body One.

· I have one and only one quote from one individual concerning one action, choice or attitude from him/herself or another individual from one of the Good People chapters assigned during Augustine. I placed the quote at or very near the start of this paragraph.

· I am staying focused on this one individual and applying Augustine, starting from the good thing that was desired because I am likely to have that desire as well.

· I have applied at least three points from Body One to what the individual and his/her desire, answering the specifics asked about in ‘Second’ and any additional application of other concepts I wanted to include. I am staying focused on the one individual and the good it shows him/her desiring, so I can get specific.

· I have drawn out a lesson for my own life because I have the same desire as is shown in the man’s statement.

Body Three – answering “Third”:

· I have no mention of Augustine or Good People or anyone else in this paragraph since it is only concerning my own argument. Me, me, me!

· I have provided my own argument specifically addressing what was asked in “Third” and building that answer off of my own argument assignments for previously defined and argued terms.

· I did not cut and paste from OA #1 or #2 because I will have to revisit and reargue concerning my definitions because I am examining the issue in light of a different question. I certainly can’t ‘cut&paste’ from the OA since the questions are different, but I have the work solidly started.

· I have defined the terms asked about in “Third.” (definition and interpretation) If I’m using a term that I worked on in my OA, I am revisiting and developing the concept in relation to the question that is asked in “Third.”