Overview
Reply to both questions below about God Ch. 1 (pp. 1-16). Then end your post by asking a question about the reading. I will use this discussion to inform our in-class discussion so remember what you wrote in case I ask you to elaborate or if your question gets answered.
- Give an example of one of the "lights of the virtue" listed by Augustine (pp. 13-14). Do agree that your example is "eternal and unchangeable" and perceivable by all who exercise reason?
- Briefly summarize Augustine's argument for the existence of God (HINT: he seems to signal it on p. 8 and then recaps it at the bottom of p. 15).
Again, make sure to end your post with a question about the reading to your instructor or classmates. After Thursday's class, feel free to return to this discussion and reply to your classmates as much as you'd like. This is optional, but may afford extra credit if your replies are thoughtful and accurate. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________Submit your reading response for God Ch. 1 (pp. 1-16) here as a PDF.
Your submission should consist of a brief SUMMARY of part of the reading and an ANALYSIS in which you take a stance on a particular interpretation of what you summarized.
Important criteria for your SUMMARY —a quotation or short passage along with clarifying remarks, definitions, and contextual info.
- Relative Length: Each summary should be no more than 50% of the entry
- Terms: Make sure to briefly define any special terms when you introduce them
Important criteria for your ANALYSIS —an argument for an unobvious interpretation or a practical application of the text
- Relative Length: Each analysis should be more than 50% of the entry
- Thesis: There should be an easily-identifiable thesis (your 'stance', position, or interpretation of that part of the reading you summarized)
- Argument: Justify your thesis with a brief argument (i.e., why you're taking that 'stance' or why you think your interpretation is helpful)
- Examples (optional): Provide examples from your own life if you think they'd be helpful. In general, I'm fine with first-person pronouns.
Important TECHNICAL criteria:
- Overall Length: At least 300 words per entry (not longer than 600 words please)
- Citation: Use proper citation of any quotations or paraphrases
- Format: Use proper formatting (double-spaced, neat paragraphs, grammatically coherent)