First, focus on Ancient Mesopotamian and Ancient Egyptian and compare them (find similarities and differences). Use one or two cultural artifacts (literary work or artwork) from each of the two civilizations you are comparing. These artifacts should come from class notes. Think about values, religious beliefs, myths, practices, environmental (geographical) factors, and societal structures that shaped these cultures and influenced them. Make sure to answer the question: How were their cultural artifacts affected by the issues that they faced? For example, how did power structures influence their artworks (literature and/or visual art), or how did their religious beliefs shape their artworks (literature and/or visual art)?
Second, address the ways in which Aristotle defined a good or just society and/or a good person. Some questions to consider: What behaviors are considered ethical, and what are not? How do we know what is true? What does this person think is necessary for a person to be good? What part does education play in forming ethical people? What does this person think is necessary for a society to be good? How might this person think about our contemporary American culture?
Third, focus on your own values and address them. Some questions to consider: Do you agree with the ideas of the person you wrote about in the second part of the paper? Why or why not? What do you think makes a good or just society? What do you think makes a good person? Does a good society make a good person or vice-versa? What happens when individuals are not socially responsible? You should consider how social issues affect us, think about the causes of societal collapse, and consider what the future problems for humanity might be. In doing this final part, you should choose at least one cause of societal collapse that you think we should be most concerned about avoiding and what we might do to avert societal collapse.
