PHILOSOPHERS PROJECT:

Who were they? Whom or What were their influences? What was their legacy?

GOAL:

To identify influential philosophers and analyze their impact on modern-day societies and governments

Materials:

  • Textbook
  • Notes
  • Atlases/maps
  • Computers
  • Research information: must use reputable websites only
  • Digital Camera
  • Digital Video

Introduction to activity:

During this unit of study you will be given one of the following philosophers:

  1. Francis Bacon
  2. Rene’ Descartes
  3. Cesare Beccaria
  4. Tycho Brahe
  5. Nicolaus Copernicus
  6. Denis Diderot Jean le Rond d’Alembert
  7. Galileo Galilei
  8. Edward Gibbon
  9. Thomas Hobbes
  10. David Hume
  11. Johannes Kepler
  12. John Locke
  13. Baron de Montesquieu
  14. Isaac Newtown
  15. Jean Jacques Rousseau
  16. Baise Pascal
  17. Adam Smith
  18. Voltaire
  19. Marry Wollstonecraft
  20. Margaret Cavendish
  21. Auguste Comte
  22. Emile Durkheim
  23. Immanuel Kant
  24. John Maynard Keynes
  25. Karl Marx
  26. Moses Mendelsohn
  27. Friedrich Nietzsche
  28. Baruch Spinoza
  29. Max Weber
  30. Giordano Bruno
  31. William Shakespeare

Each student must first researchhis philosopher and then create an audio-visual presentation containing each of the required components.

PART I: Research your assigned philosopher

For whichever philosopher you are assigned, there are characteristics of that person you are going to need to research prior to moving on in the project. These are only guiding questions; you should be looking further into it than just these…these are meant to get you started.

  • What is his background?
  • What was the PERSIAGT during his time?
  • Whom and/or what influenced the philosopher and the development ofhis theory?
  • What was hisideal form of government/society and why?
  • What were his major works, philosophies…?
  • What was his contemporary effect… impact during his lifetime?
  • Whom did he influence…?
  • What was/is his legacy?
  • What effects did he have on modern-day societies and governments…?

PART II: Technology requirements

All students must create a presentation that includes audio and visual components. Possible programs include(but are not limited to):

  • Google Docs
  • Word
  • PowerPoint
  • Excel
  • Wikispaces
  • Vodcast
  • Annomoto
  • Podcast
  • PhotoStory
  • Audacity
  • Notaland.com
  • Wordle.net
  • Blabberize
  • Voki.com

PART III:

  • First you need to know everything there is to know about your philosopher
  • Who he is, where he grew up –town/country/century…, what kind of family life did he have, where did he go to school…?
  • Then you need to know everything about the social, political, economic…structure of the society your philosopher lived in and his position in society (upper, middle, lower class…occupation…). Only then will you begin to see how his surroundings affected him, andshaped his thoughts and ideas…
  • After you figure out the contemporary effects, you will need to identify your philosopher’s contributions to his contemporary society, including those he influenced…
  • Finally, you need to look at your philosopher and identify what his legacy was and how his ideas are still affecting present-day societies, governments…around the world.

PART IV: The product

The finished product should be an audio/visual presentation that portrays who your philosopher is, when and where he lived, and why he is so important historically. Included in the presentation should be your philosopher’s ideas and theories and how he constructed those theories as well as how his theories have affected societies, governments…since his lifetime.

Presentations can be in the form of an interview, role-play autobiography, information piece…

Presentations must include:

Content:

  1. Background/history of philosopher
  2. PERSIA GT during philosopher’s time period
  3. Philosopher’s major works, theories, philosophies…
  4. Philosopher’scontemporary contributions, effects…
  5. Influences on philosopher
  6. Others your philosopher influenced
  7. Philosopher’s legacy

Audio:

  1. Voice recording
  2. Audio clips
  3. Music

Visual:

  1. Pictures
  2. Maps
  3. Movie/interview clips (BBC, History Channel…)

Other:

  1. Handouts to summarize main points of presentation
  2. Anticipate possible questions you will get, and be ready to field them
  3. Anything else you can add to make the project more visual/intellectual/interesting:
  1. Sound byte
  2. Web link
  3. Pictures
  4. 1 minute pod cast that summarizes who your philosopher is and what his contributions were

Due Date: Wednesday, February 10th