SUBMIT YOUR PURPOSE PROJECTS THROUGH THE GRADE RUBRIC BY SUNDAY!!
YOUR TOP 10 PURPOSE PROJECTS WILL COUNT FOR YOUR FINAL GRADE. You can complete one project each week.
SEND ME A LINK TO YOUR GRADE DOCUMENT-- On the document, include a link to a different GoogleDoc that includes your interview. We will use this assignment to set up the grading system for the class.
The Interview Project: You will be randomly assigned to interview someone from the class and you will be assigned to participate in an interview with someone else from the class. You can conduct each interview in person or over text. Here are some questions for the interview:
1. For what in your life do you feel most grateful?
2. If you could change anything about your time at UR so far, what would it be?
3. In three minutes, tell your interviewer your life story in as much detail as possible.
4. If you could wake up tomorrow having gained any one quality or ability, what would it be?
5. If you could know the full truth about how others perceive you, would you want to know?
6. Given the choice of anyone in the world, whom would you want as a dinner guest?
7. Before making a telephone call, do you ever rehearse what you are going to say? Why?
8. What would constitute a “perfect” day for you?
9. Would it be worse to lose 10% of your intelligence or 10% of your physical health?
10. Would you choose to live for 5,000 years if it were possible?
11. What is one of your most treasured memories?
12. Is there something that you’ve dreamed of doing for a long time? Why haven’t you done it?
13. What would other people say is the greatest accomplishment of your life? Are they right?
14. What do you value most in a friendship?
15. When did you last sing to yourself? To someone else? What were the songs?
16. What is something you regret missing out on?
17. Name three things you and your interviewer have in common besides being in this class.
18. What would you change if you knew you only had 5 more years to live?
19. Do you think you want to have children? Why or why not?
20. What do you think is the purpose of college? Be honest!
21. Do you feel your childhood was happier than most other people’s?
22. Would you like to be famous? In what way?
23. If you had $1M that you had to spend this year how would you spend it?
24. What is the most disturbing movie you’ve ever seen? Why was it so disturbing?
25. Do you think you are more ethical than most people?
26. Tell your interviewer something that you like about them already.
27. What, if anything, is too serious to be joked about?
28. What is the one task you keep procrastinating and it continues to haunt you?
29. What sentimental or symbolic objects did you bring with you to college?
30. Ask your interviewer for advice on how to handle a problem you are facing.
You don't need to ask (or answer) all the questions, but ask most of them. You should cover enough questions that you can introduce the person in a way that doesn't just provide a biography.
For this week's purpose project, write at least 300 words introducing your assigned student to me. What did you learn about this person? What do you wish you had followed up on? What was the most surprising thing that happened during your interview?
The Trolley Project: Create 5 TikTok style videos where you survey people about a series of Trolley problems, both Thomson’s 3 (turning, pushing, transplant) formulations and at least 1 that you created yourself. Then write a response evaluating whether your 5 respondents’ assessments of various trolley problems were coherent and extensionally adequate.
The Singer Project: Make your phone background one of the pictures of a GiveDirectly recipient. As you spend money throughout the week, write a note to that person explaining why you need to make that purchase instead of giving them money. At the end of the week, write a reflection paper about your moral reasons for spending or giving throughout the week. Don't forget to provide screenshots of your background, lock screen, and notesapp journal with your reflection!
The Hedonism Project Think about the things that make you happiest while they are happening and the things that you want for your life. This assignment is designed to make you appreciate the paradox of hedonism and the potential appeal of utilitarianism. On one day, whenever you have the choice, choose whatever will make you happy at that moment (within reason, folks). On the next day, try to live in a way that contributes to the happiness of the people around you whenever you can. What are some examples of the differences between these days? What did you learn by reflecting on what would make you happy in the moment? How did you feel on the day you devoted to the happiness of others? Write a response paper where you evaluate how satisfying each day was and what you learned about the moral significance of happiness. Which kinds of days would you want more of in your life?
Don't forget to document your days and provide other evidence of completion!
The Honesty Project: Go a day where you try to avoid using any strategic speech. If you do use strategic speech, make a note of it and explain why it was justified. Then, write a reflection paper explaining what you learned about the ethics of strategic speech and whether you think Schapiro’s justifications for strategic speech are the right ones.
As evidence, keep a log of times when you actively refrained from strategic speech, and/or provide screenshots of you being less strategic online than you otherwise would.
The Paternalism Project: Choose a trusted friend or family member who cares about your wellbeing. Tell them your goals for yourself and identify the ways that you are falling short. Ask them to plan a day for you that they think will help you make progress on some of your goals. Follow their plan for the day and write a reflection about whether it actually did bring you closer to your goals? If so, why was your friend helpful here? If not, what information did they lack?
As evidence, provide documentation of your correspondence with your paternalist and/or the plan they prepared for you.
The Relationship Project: Reach out to someone you haven’t talked to in at least 4 months. You can tell them that it’s for an assignment. Check in with how they are doing and catch up with them for at least 20 minutes. Then reflect on the friendship in light of the readings by Velleman and Scheffler. What are your obligations to this person? What is the source of these obligations?
As evidence, provide documentation of your correspondence either as a screenshot, recording, or as a screenshot of your cellphone log.
The Community Project: Participate in two on-campus or off-campus community events or club meetings for two different groups that you have never joined but which you’ve always considered joining or learning about. Go to their meeting or consistently post on their online forums for at least three days. Do you think that either new community is the kind of community that Scheffler would say has intrinsic value? What moral obligations do members have in virtue of their participation in each community? Why do you think people joined each community and why do they stay?
As evidence, take selfies at the two meetings and/or screenshots of your posts on the forum.
The Bubble Project For at least 2 meals this week, sit with people in a public place (e.g. the dining hall) who you don’t know at all. (Try not to just interrupt people’s lunches, ask if you can join them beforehand!) Then write a reflection about the experience. Were people receptive to you joining your table or did most people discourage you from sitting with them? Why do you think they had this response? Did you learn anything new about other students? Did the experience of trying to meet new people change how you view the social dynamics of our campus? Write your response with reference to Hill and Joshi’s work.
As evidence, ask to include selfies with your new lunch buddies. If they do not want to be photographed, you can also have them email me to verify that they didn't know you before you shared a meal.
The Political Disagreement Project: To complete the disagreement project, you must talk to someone for 15 minutes about a political topic. You must disagree with the person you’re talking to. Record the conversation and write 700-1000 words about why you disagree. Then show your interlocutor the summary of the conversation, and ask them to email me to verify that you accurately described your conversation. Then write a reading response that follows the rubric, in addition to the summary of your disagreement.
As evidence, submit the recording of the conversation and have your conversation partner email me to certify your summary.
The Vegan Project: Try to avoid moral risk by going vegan for the week. Is it worth it? Additionally, try to be morally scrupulous and risk-averse in other ways. What did this involve? Evaluate the ethics of veganism and scurpulosity in light of both Parfit and Guerrero’s arguments.
As evidence, submit pictures at least 12 vegan meals (or non-vegan meals) that you ate this week, and any other photographic evidence of your moral scrupulosity.
The Job Search Project: Check out the 80k website. Look at the materials and consider their suggestions. Then search for jobs that you are qualified to do or graduate programs that you would be qualified to apply for. Make a table with three columns and 16 rows. In the first column, make a list of 15 post-graduation plans. Include links or screenshots of each option. In the second column, rank each potential path on a scale of 1-15 in terms of how ethical you think it is. In the third column, rank each potential path on a scale of 1-15 in terms of how much you would want to do it. In your response, explain your rankings in addition to the other requirements of the rubric.
As evidence, include links or screenshots to 15 specific job openings or programs.
The Obligation Project:
Part 1: I’m not saying you should break the law when you judge that the law is stupid, useless, and unjust, solely for the purpose of developing your anarchist spirit. But it’s at least worth thinking about the many laws you could break in this spirit! Make a list of at least 5 laws that are totally permissible to break, and explain why it’s fine (or good?) to break these laws.
Part 2: You’re probably a free rider. This week, spend at least 2 hours contributing to public goods in your home, community, or workplace (e.g. tidying common spaces, picking up trash, playing pleasant music for others, lending a helping hand at the gym, etc.). How did it feel to contribute to public goods when most other people were free riding? How did others respond to your contributions? Do you think you will continue to contribute going forward?
As evidence, submit photos of the public goods you contributed to :)
The Democracy Project: Think of a decision that you need to make in the next week. Gather at least 7 people to vote on the decision (you can use social media to do this with a poll) The more people voting the better! Let the crowd choose for you and follow the wisdom of the crowd.
As evidence, submit the poll results and any evidence you have to show that you made the decision.
The Equality Project: On Day 1, try to live as a distributive egalitarian by leveling yourself down in order to equalize. (For example, you might spend time that you'd ordinarily devote to your own studying helping a struggling student or you could buy lunch for someone who has fewer resources than you) On Day 2, try to relate to everyone as an equal. Pay attention to status hierarchies and work to combat inequalities of status and esteem in your life. Try to reduce status hierarchy as much as you possibly can. For example, you may act in ways that challenge relationships where you are subordinated or you may work to empower those who have less status than you. What did this entail?
As evidence, include photos of you promoting distributive equality on day 1. On day 2, keep a log of all the things you did to relate to others in a more egalitarian way.
The UBI Project: Research a budget for you as a single person to live on $1800 per month in a city you may feasibly live in after graduation Assume that you do not have savings/credit/wealth to supplement your income, and you cannot sell what you own to make more money. Try to create a budget that would make sense for you in the next few years. You can live with roommates, but you cannot live rent-free with family members. Research housing options and food prices and other cost of living considerations. Don't forget about internet service, phone plans, car insurance, Netflix, and other monthly expenses. Then spend one day living on the food budget that you planned for this income level. Why did you make the tradeoffs you made in your budget? Would this budget be feasible for you after graduation?
As evidence, include links for your price estimates, including screenshots of potential housing options, cost of living calculators, and food budgets. Take pictures of your day of low-income dining.
The Consumerism Project: Research where something you own comes from, how it is shipped, and how it is sold. Evaluate the ethical issues at stake for each part of the process. How should we compare labor issues for international and domestic workers? Is there a moral difference? What (if anything) should consumers do in light of the ethical issues at stake with their purchasing decisions?
As evidence, submit links and/or screenshots for all your research and a picture of the thing that you own.
The Longtermist Project: Let's participate in a class-wide debate between longtermists and presentists. The debate will take place over GoogleDocs (HERE) from Wednesday-Friday. Submit a brief reflection on how the debate went.
As evidence, I will look at your contribution to the debate and your reflection.
The Mercy Project: (Choose one option)
Option 1: Contact/talk to someone you’ve wronged and apologize. Be very specific about the thing you did that was wrong. Demonstrate that you know that it was wrong and that you understand why it was wrong. Take accountability without trying to justify or defend your behavior. Do not ask for forgiveness. You may consider explaining the ways that you plan to avoid wrongdoing in the future.
Option 2: Write a letter to someone you've wronged, apologizing and taking accountability for something you did. You don’t need to send the letter, but you must identify the ways that you acted wrongly, why it was wrong, and what you plan to do to avoid wrongdoing in the future. Then, write a letter to yourself, forgiving yourself your wrongful conduct.
Option 3: Forgive someone who has wronged you. What does this mean to you? Write a letter forgiving the person who wronged you (don't send the letter.) Then write a letter from the perspective of the person you are forgiving, either justifying their conduct or apologizing to you. You do not have to show me either letter, but you should reference the letters and describe the rest of your process of forgiveness in the response. How does forgiving that person change your relationship? How does it feel to forgive? How did forgiving someone change how you felt about yourself?
As evidence, include whatever you think would effectively show that you attempted an act of forgiveness.
The Perspective Project:
This is an exercise in self-forgiveness. For 3 days, whenever you feel angry or disappointed in yourself, record a voice memo on your phone where you talk to yourself as if you were talking to a friend. For example, if you feel disappointed that you missed an important meeting, you might record a memo saying something like,
"Hey [name], I know you wanted to go to that meeting and you are disappointed that you missed it because you are so overcommitted this semester. I think your friends will understand, especially when you get a chance to apologize and take responsibility. After all, you've seen them miss meetings before for this same reason. A risk of forming relationships where people rely on you is that sometimes you might let them down, and that feels really terrible. But don't lose sight of the fact that you're also contributing lot to this group and on balance your contribution is still positive."
Or it could even be something that doesn't even require forgiveness, like,
"Hi [name]. That was pretty embarrassing how you forgot that person's name when you saw them at the library! I know you feel bad about it right now, but think, do you remember all the people who forgot your name over the years? It's a way bigger deal to you than it is to anyone else. Probably everyone else has already forgotten about it."
As evidence, include at least 3 of your voice memos. In addition, write and turn in reflections that connect your voice memos to the readings for this week.
Write down a short summary of what you believe your reputation is among some group of people you care about or whom you at least need to work with. (Examples: Teammates, family, roommates, people in this class.) Then administer an anonymous poll (either online or through a trusted friend) which includes traits that you think describe how you are perceived as well as other traits that do not describe you. At least six people must take the poll. Submit the poll results and a reflection on what you learned from the exercise as it relates to the values described by Cocking and Kennett.
As evidence, provide screenshots of the poll.
Modify public spaces in a way that communicates a new message. Do not break any laws or university policies to do so. If you want to participate in this project but you cannot think of a way to modify public spaces in a way that communicates something new, see Dr. Flanigan by Tuesday for your public space assignment.
As evidence, provide photographs of whatever you did in public to change the public environment.
The Exemplar Project: Talk to someone who you view as a moral exemplar, in some aspect of how they live their life. Do they view themselves in this way? What sets them apart, in your view, as a moral exemplar. Are they especially morally motivated or do they have other reasons for their actions ?
Provide screenshots, recordings, selfies, or other evidence of a conversation with your moral exemplar.
The Meaning Booth: Book a time to staff the meaning of life booth!
The meaning of life booth will be on Friday from 10:30-1:30 at THC.
Spend time interviewing people about moral saints and the meaning of life and then write about what you learned.
As evidence, include a selfie of you staffing the meaning of life booth. Follow the rubric for the rest of the assignment.
The Regret Project: Make a table with three columns and 51 rows. In the first column, make a list of 50 things that you would do if you weren't afraid. In the second column write the thing that you would gain by doing it (e.g. fun, knowledge). In the third column, write the thing you are afraid of (e.g. death, embarrassment). Choose one thing on the list an do it.
As evidence, include your list and screenshots/photos of you doing the thing you were afraid to do.
The Pride Project: Make a table with three columns and 26 rows. In the first column, make a list of 25 things that you've accomplished that you are proud of. In the second column, In the second column list the biggest challenge you faced in accomplishing each thing. In the third column list the reason you are proud of this accomplishment. Were you surprised by the things that actually make you feel proud? What can you learn from this list?
Next, make another table with three columns and 26 rows. In the first column of this table, make a list of 25 things that you haven't done yet, but which you think would make you proud to do in the next few years. In the second column list the biggest challenge you think you will face in trying to accomplish it. In the third column list why it would make you proud.
Then choose one thing on the second list and write out a plan for accomplishing this goal. Make a phone background and wallpaper that is either the text of your goal or a picture that reminds you of the goal, and keep that background and wallpaper on your phone for at least two days.
As evidence, include your lists, plan, and screenshots.
The Meditation Project: Meditate for four days in a row for 30 minutes each day. Did this practice make you feel more compassionate or detached from your self-interest? Write about the lessons you gained from meditation (if any) in a critical response to the readings about the no-self view.
As evidence, provide screenshots of whatever meditation program you used and/or 4 photos of you in your meditation space.
The Religion Project: Attend 2 religious events or services this week. (See here for religious events on campus, or visit local faith communities) Why do you think people go to these events? How does this relate to Scheffler’s argument?
As evidence, provide selfies outside the two religious events or services and any programs or materials from the religious place.
The Midlife Crisis Project: Talk to someone who is (plausibly) older than 35 years old for at least 20 minutes. Ask them to reflect on whether they think they have achieved their goals for themselves and what has made their life most meaningful. What would they have done differently? What advice do they have for you? Then write about whether you think their advice was good advice and whether (in your view) they have an accurate view of their own lives.
As evidence, submit a record of the conversation
The Pointless Project: Spend 90 minutes counting blades of grass outside of Jepson Hall. Use your phone to record the entire 90 minutes of counting. Write a reflection about what this taught you about the meaning of life
As evidence, submit your video recording of grass-counting
The Life-Lab Project: Consider a different class you’ve taken at UR. How would you turn that class into a life-lab like this one? Attach the syllabus and an explanation of the assignments you’d create for the class.
As evidence, include the syllabus of the original class and your revised syllabus