reading response journal

For this component of the module, you are to have read the primary sources related to the content of the lectures in this week's modules. Upon completion of the readings, you will need to complete a reading response journal. Reading response journals provide opportunities to practice understanding and evaluation of philosophical conceptions of the good life we consider in the course.

After reading "The Discourse to the Kalamas" and "The Greater Discourse on Cause" from the Pali Canon and the first half of Laozi's Tao te Ching reflect on the ideas, arguments, conceptions, and perspectives offered. Consider one of them that you find intriguing, compelling, or essential to your understanding of the reading. In doing so, ponder the specific reasons for why you find it intriguing, compelling, or critical. Possible considerations to contemplate is the strength of an argument in terms of its validity, its truthfulness in terms of evidence that can support it, its coherence with other ideas presented in the reading, its relatability to your own life (especially the specific values and beliefs you hold--not just a story about how one time...), and how it compares with other philosophical perspectives you have encountered elsewhere. Be sure to explain the argument you choose, define philosophical concepts that you use, and provide examples to support your points. Your explanation should include textual support with citations; any citation style can be used so long as the page number of the quote or paraphrase is provided. To earn full credit and have appropriate philosophical depth, your response should be at least 500 words.