Philosophy paper example introduction to an autobiography
Example introduction letter.
Originally published in Teaching Philosophy, 2006.
Autobiographical writing assignments can be useful tools for philosophy teachers who want to stimulate students’ interest in philosophy.
Philosophy paper example introduction to an autobiography
They can be delightful journeys of intellectual discovery for students. And they can be opportunities for students to develop some of the less talked about but essential skills of philosophical creativity: metaphorical thinking, reading one’s own questions into a text, and engaging readers in one’s own writing.
For teachers interested in using such assignments in the philosophy classroom, I offer examples of student writing, a theoretical foundation of the approach, suggestions for integrating the practice into courses, and comments on a few practical worries.
Examples of Student Writing
In 1998, I gave the following assignment to students in an Introduction to Philosophy course at a four-year state university.
[i]
In “Meditation Two,” Descartes finally r