. Do you see a coherent intellectual progression on Huxley’s part as he moves from condemning soma to advocating therapy with mescaline? If so, explain the logic of Huxley’s journey. If not, explain the error of Huxley’s ways.

-Papers should be typed, double spaced.
–Be sure to ground your observations and assertions with specific references to texts and/or events.
–You are not required to do outside reading beyond what this assignment specifies. All of the topics listed below can be addressed by reference to readings on the syllabus. (In a couple of the topics listed below, I direct you to a supplementary reading or film by providing a url.) Avoid using other outside sources. If you feel a pressing need to use an outside source, then you must discuss it with me.
–Wherever you quote the words — or draw on the ideas — of an author, you must cite that author. (This of course means that papers must have a bibliography or Works Cited list attached.) Use MLA citation style. The basics of MLA style are covered here: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/02/.
–In terms of paper format: don’t have a separate title page. In the upper left corner of the first page, have a heading that lists the following:
Your name
The course title
The instructor’s name
The date

Write about 500 words each on two of the topics listed below.

e. Reread Ursula Leguin’s very short story “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas,” found here: https://www.utilitarianism.com/nu/omelas.pdf Consider the ethical implications of the way the society of Omelas is structured. How does the society of Omelas look from a utilitarian ethical perspective? How does it look from a Kantian ethical perspective? (Note: For background on Kant, review Westacott, “Kantian Ethics ins Nutshell”; also, reread pp. 51-52 in Appleyard, “Eugenics 1: the Right to be Unhappy”.) What is the significance of someone walking away from Omelas?

f: Bearing in mind the role that soma plays in the World State, and John’s (which is to say Huxley’s) critique of it as toxic, consider Huxley’s later advocacy of psychedelic drugs (as recounted in Stevens, “Intuition and Intellect”). Do you see a coherent intellectual progression on Huxley’s part as he moves from condemning soma to advocating therapy with mescaline? If so, explain the logic of Huxley’s journey. If not, explain the error of Huxley’s ways. If you think we find a blend of good and bad ideas in Huxley’s career of writing about and promoting the supervised use of psychedelic drugs, then explain that. Factor into your discussion the findings summarized in this 2012 article from Scientific American — “Do Psychedelics Expand the Mind by Reducing Brain Activity?”, found at https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/do-psychedelics-expand-mind-reducing-brain-activity/.

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