Module 4 Discussion: Philosophy of Religion (Aquinas and Paley)
Unit objective:
*To consider shared philosophical ideas (ontology, etc.) between multiple thinkersCourse objectives:
*Be able to write philosophically on a variety of topics;
*Understand the different contexts and criteria for knowledge;
In a post below, respond to the following prompt, . Then, you must respond to one of your classmates' posts. After you post a response, you will be able to see other responses. You are not required to post more than once, but feel free to respond to other posts and engage with your classmates.
Your first post is due on Friday by 11:59 p.m. CST. Your response to another student is due on Sunday by 11:59 p.m. CST.
Your first response should be at least 500 words long and have direct quotations from the philosophers referenced. A simple “I agree” or “Yes” or “LOL” will not count. Please think about the questions and your peers' responses and reply thoughtfully and courteously, according to netiquette rules. Use good English grammar, correct punctuation, and complete sentences. While the posts will mostly be judged by their thoughtfulness and completeness, I reserve the right to take off points for grammatical errors, especially if they interfere with the clarity of the post. No length requirement is needed for the follow-up post.
Forum Instructions
Prompt
Philosophy of Religion discussion board: Re-read Thomas Aquinas' five proofs regarding the existence of God. In a two-part response, first consider which of the five proofs seem most compelling and persuasive. On a basic level, provide some commentary on what the logic of his proof is. Then, in the second part, compare his proof to William Paley's 'teleological argument' in some creative way. Unpack a section from Paley and clarify its meaning in the process. Do the two philosophers approach religion and proof using similar methods and examples, or do they differ?
This forum is in a question-and-answer form. Students must post first before seeing classmates' responses. Try to respond to a classmate who hasn't received a follow-up, if possible.
Details:
A forum for discussion promotes peer-to-peer and student-instructor interaction. Questions should be thought provoking and encourage detailed analysis of module topics. Include a rubric.
If you do not want students to see other responses before they post, set type to "Q and A forum." For this type, you must create a post first for students to respond.
Subscription: Set to Auto.
Due dates: You cannot set due dates for forums, so be sure to tell students when to post above. These dates will not appear on the Moodle calendar.
Ratings: will place the forum in the gradebook. You can set set a maximum grade. Restricting ratings to a date range only affects when you can grade, and not when the activity is available to students.
Activity completion: You can select completion criteria and an expected completed date.