FILA 120 Paper One

In epistemology, a common concern with respect to knowledge is what sources of information are capable of giving knowledge.

Let’s think about this quote from the Shane Dawson “Flat Earth theory” video (linked on our Bb page). Shane’s brother says,

“On a flat earth with a dome on top of it or just the heavens above, all of a sudden we have purpose….What if the universe was for you? But instead the government wants you to feel like it’s all unpredictable…you really don’t matter anyway; we’re just a rock flying through space. So it just makes you feel insignificant. And the best way to take over people is to create complexes and to get people to obsess over things that don’t really matter to their existence.”

This speaker identifies an authority he does not trust (the government) as the source of a false knowledge that is widely accepted, but which leads to negative feelings about life and, even worse, to the feeling of being manipulated.

Therefore, the speaker critiques one source of knowledge, but doesn’t really explain what trustworthy source offers the “flat earth model.” At one point in the video, he offers the corroborating evidence of “what it says in the Bible” to support the flat earth theory, but the true source of his knowledge seems actually to be “SCEPTICISM” of the scientific world view, and a belief that this other model (flat earth) is known to the government that is hiding it from us. (But they’re already untrustworthy!)

Is your head already hurting? Let’s simplify. Here is your 3-part question:

1) What source or sources of knowledge are most important to YOU in how you live your life? 

2) What feelings do you associate with YOUR “Way(s) of Knowing” about the world?

3) Based on your readings so far, how do you think TWO of these authors would respond to those same two questions? Find QUOTES from the works to support your ideas. Choose from William Paley, Wangari Maathai, the Elohist (writer of Genesis I), Charles Darwin, Rachel Carson, Pope Francis

Write a coherent and unified 2-3 page essay that incorporates the answers to these three questions.

This indented section is meant to HELP you think about ways of knowing. You don’t need to include all of these in your paper; Also – you and the authors may be using MORE than ONE of these at a time!

As you are thinking, consider these categories: these are some Sources of Knowledge that we’ve been talking about – there are others!

Perception/Experience — that which can be perceived first-hand through the experiences of the physical senses. [Scientific method: first-hand observation, experiments]

Artistic/Poetic/Mystical/Religious Senses: Knowledge based on feelings and intuitions evoked by art works, stories or symbolic expressions that ring “true” to your internal sense of life’s meaning [art works, myths, some religious writings, stories, poems, music]

Reason — Reason can be considered a source of knowledge, either by deducing truths from existing knowledge, or by discovering necessary truths (such as mathematical truths) through pure reason. [Philosophical thought; the development of scientific theories based on what you observe]

Authority – What we have learned from others and trust to be true; Authority relies on others to acquire knowledge and communicate it to us. [Eye-witness accounts passed down; Teachings of Institutions – (Church, Government, Schools); what we judge to be verifiable and true from our research – videos, photographs, records)]. 

Paper Length: 2-3 pages, well-structured and with a clear thesis

MLA format, 1-inch margins, double spaced, 12 pt. Times New Roman font, correct in-text citation of quotes (at least one from each author you discuss) and Works Cited page

Deadlines: 

Wednesday, September 19 – Writing Workshop I Bring: 2 full pages of notes, ideas, brainstorming, quotes you’ve found – don’t skimp! Hand-written or typed. Bring laptops if possible for starting to draft your paper.

Monday, September 24 – Writing Workshop II Bring: TYPED and PRINTED OUT full First Draft of the paper (or you will lose 5 points on the final paper grade)

Wednesday, September 26 – Bring: Final copy of Paper One printed out with all earlier drafts stapled behind.