Write an essay that discusses and clarifies how Plato sees the relation between objects – like keyboards, cars, etc. – and ‘objects of knowledge.’

Due date and length of essay: Your final exam is an essay assignment. It should be approximately 1200 words.
Essay topics: This final exam assignment is an essay and not a long research paper. You must write your essay on ONE of the following topics – as you can see below, there are two topic options to choose from.
Option 1: We have explored the basic elements of Plato’s philosophy, through his theory of morality and the state. In many ways, Plato’s philosophy is based upon his theory of the ‘objects of knowledge.’ For example, the keyboard I am writing at is clearly an ‘object.’ In a certain sense; according to Plato, there are also ‘objects of knowledge.’
Write an essay that discusses and clarifies how Plato sees the relation between objects – like keyboards, cars, etc. – and ‘objects of knowledge.’ Make sure your essay includes content on why this relationship is important to Plato in the first place. Also, organize your essay so that it incorporates one of the relevant Platonic arguments (epistemological, metaphysical, or semantic) that the text treats. The best essays usually incorporate just one of these arguments rather than trying to handle more than one of them; for the purposes of this essay, a solid interpretation of one of these arguments is quite sufficient.
Finally, conclude your essay by discussing the extent to which you agree or disagree with Plato on the objects/objects of knowledge issue (and explain why!)
Option 2: Re-read p. 455 – 458 (8th edition; p. 410 – 414 in the 7th edition) in our textbook (The Great Conversation by Melchert Morrow). These pages deal with Hume’s position on the issue of God. In your own words, discuss the argument from design, and then summarize any two of Hume’s critiques against this argument. In the concluding part of your essay, discuss whether you accept the argument from design, or Hume’s critiques (there is room for a qualified position here). As you write your essay, you should be able to provide some insight into how Hume’s position sees the relationships among science, religion, and philosophy. A good essay would make a solid attempt at discussing these relationships as they emerge according to Hume (and as we see this in the Hume chapter), and please write about this especially in the concluding part of your essay. Be sure to give reasons for your position!
Citations/references: Research that extends beyond course content is not required for this essay. As you write your essay, I would strongly suggest that you keep your references under control by limiting yourself to the readings we have covered in this course. Always be careful about reaching out to other primary and secondary sources that we have not used in the course because to do this in a way that improves the quality and final grade of your essay is harder than it looks, especially as this is an introductory course.
In any case, if you do make citations or references, then please do so in a simple fashion: in-text parenthetical citation (last name of author, page number, such as ‘Melchert, 409’). If you do use other sources, then in addition to the in-text parenthetical citation, put a list of the other sources cited at the end of the essay.
If you do make citations and prefer to use a more formal citation/referencing format, then please use either the APA format or MLA format.

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