This is a first shot at developing a view on issues raised by this course. You should (i) sketch (in a few sentences) one way someone might distinguish the mind (or soul) from the body, (ii) say whether you think they are different in that way, and (iii) briefly offer reasons for your answer. I’m expecting no more than a few paragraphs in all (c. 200-400 words), so a single page is plenty (and you are making too much of this assignment if you give me more than two pages).

You will have plenty of opportunity to write on such questions at greater length, so don’t try to put everything you might have to say into this paper: you will have space to say a little more than you might say in one comment in class—but only a little more than that. On the other hand, if you think you are saying too little, imagine someone asking you in discussion what you meant by something you said or why you said it and then use the way you’d respond to fill out what you’ve written.

I’ll give you feedback on these, but I won’t grade them: you will get full credit simply for making a serious effort. While I’d be happy to accept your assignment on paper, it is more convenient for me to receive work electronically; and, since I won’t set up the course Canvas site for assignments, that means using e-mail—my address is helmang@wabash.edu. A short assignment like this could itself be the content of an e-mail message, but I’m also happy to get e-mail attachments.