PHL200 MIDTERM EXAM
YOU ARE TO WRITE TWO SHORT ESSAYS, ONE FROM PART A, AND ONE FROM PART B.
PART A: LOVING FOR REASONS
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION:
Inspired by the Platonic eros tradition, Robert Solomon in Why Do I Love You? argues that when we are in love, we love for reasons. But Solomon defends the contentious thesis that ones primary reason can be because-of-the-beloveds-money. And yet many would condemn such a reason as shallow or superficial, associating such love with Pausaniass notion of Vulgar Eros.
Provide a reconstruction of Solomon’s argument for what constitutes a good reason for loving, substituting your own property/reason for his because-of-the-money. In other words, as Solomon does, describe a scenario (narrate a story) using a fictional couple whose love is based on a single, contentious property/reason. The overall aim is to accurately explain Solomon’s argument, paying close attention to the key concepts (e.g. scheme of shared self-identifications).[20 MARKS]
– suggested length: 500-600 words (min)
PART B
ANSWER ONE OF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS
Love and Infatuation
1. How do Susan Mendus and John Armstrong distinguish between infatuation and love, and how does Halwani respond to each thinker? How does Robert Solomons discussion of unrequited love complement Mark Vernons view that infatuation is the same as unrequited love? Why does Halwani think Vernons view is mistaken? Do you think Halwani would agree with Solomons view of unrequited love? Explain. [10 marks]
– suggested length: 300-400 words (min)
OR
Aristophanes: Love as Union
2. In Platos Symposium Aristophanes provides a mythical account of Eros (love), concluding that love is the name for the desire and pursuit of wholeness. Give a detailed summary of this union theory (show how Aristophanes reaches his conclusion), noting the sense in which it confirms some of the clichs/intuitions we hold about love. What does Halwani find problematic with Aristophaness claim that Whenever one of the halves died and one was left, the one that was left still sought another and wove itself together with that? Is this a reasonable criticism or is Halwani being unfair to Aristophanes? [10 marks]
– suggested length: 300-400 words (min)
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