PHL 001 Western Philosophy 1.  Paper Topics

Dr. Christian Perring

For instructions about writing papers, including how and why to avoid plagiarism, see the GUIDELINES page.

First Draft: Due the week of Nov 15-18.  1000-1200 words.
Final Draft: Due Thursday Dec 16.  1500-1800 words.
 

1. Explain what the Dead Sea Scrolls are, and discuss what they tell us about the authorship of the Hebrew Bible.
2. Using some of the letters of Paul from the New Testament, describe his approach to morality, and discuss how it compares to the morality of modern Christianity.
3. Using examples, explain Socrates' method of discussion in dialog, and discuss whether or not it he is a bully in his arguments.
4. Compare and contrast the views and arguments about the nature of friendship of two of the philosophers in the book Other Selves.  Optional part: explain which of the two has the better arguments.

Books that may be useful for your research:

Dead Sea Scrolls : The Complete Story	The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English	Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls
Understanding the Dead Sea Scrolls	Who Wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls?	Mystery and Meaning of the Dead Sea Scrolls
The Dead Sea Scrolls : Understanding Their Spiritual Message	Dead Sea Scrolls : The Untold Story	Secrets of the Dead Sea Scrolls
The Life and Times of the Apostle Paul	Paul, Apostle of the Heart Set Free	Paul : An Introduction to His Thought
The First Urban Christians : The Social World of the Apostle Paul	The Origins of Christian Morality : The First Two Centuries	Paul : The Mind of the Apostle