Jones claims that about 500 years before he wrote his “A History of Western Philosophy”, our confidence in the power of “human reason” was revived. And that "...our understanding of the universe is essentially secular and natural like that of the Greeks.” Is Jones necessarily or even probably right that “our” understanding of the universe is “essentially secular” and natural like that of the “Greeks”?

1. QUESTIONS THAT YOUR POST SHOULD ANSWER In your premises (explained below) tell the reader: A. Why they should probably or necessarily be persuaded to agree with you that your conclusion/thesis is true. That is, tell the reader why Jones probably or necessarily is right or wrong that our current understanding of the universe is essentially secular and natural like that of the Greeks? B. When did Jones make this statement? Does that matter to whether he's right? C. Who is the “our” that Jones is probably referring to? Is it Americans? Is it the whole world? Is it Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) folks? Non-STEM folks as well? People with higher-education? D. What does Jones probably mean that our understanding is “essentially” secular? What is the probable explanation for Jones using the word “essentially” to qualify “secular”? E. What "Greeks" wasJones probably referring to? The Greeks of Homer's time? The Greeks of Hesiod's time? The Greeks of Thales's time? The Greeks of Socrates and Plato's time? Or, the Greeks of the 1950s-1970s when Jones was writing his A History of Western Philosophy? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. HOW TO RESEARCH AND STRUCTURE YOUR POST A. RESEARCH: You must read and cite ONLY writings that are themselves well researched. To help you get started with your research, here are some example sources: here (Links to an external site.), here (Links to an external site.), here (Links to an external site.), here, (Links to an external site.)here (Links to an external site.) and here (Links to an external site.), of example Google searches on our topic. B. CITE YOUR SOURCES: In a Works Cited at the end of your post, YOU MUST CITE your sources like this: i. (Author First and Last Name, Name of Article or Book, edition, Year of publication, website address if available, page number). No footnotes. Only cite at the end of quoted or paraphrased text notes like this when first citing an author's work: ii. (Author First and Last Name, Year of publication, page number if available, or website name if no page number available) YOU MUST PROVIDE BOTH (i) and (ii) ABOVE. Cite at the end of quoted or paraphrased text like this when subsequently citing an author's work that you've already cited: iii. (Author Last Name, page number if available, or website name if no page number available) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- C. KEY TERMS: Define important terms in a section entitled "Key Terms". (i.e. any terms that you use with a special meaning. A meaning that is essential to your argument making sense.) YOU MUST CITE your dictionary or other scholarly sources of your definitions. For example: “religious theories” means theories that talk about a personal God that intervenes in human and non-human affairs. (Oxford online dictionary) Terms that you must define are: ”modern society“, ”universe”, ”essentially”, ”secular”, and ”natural”. Terms that you may define are any other terms that you deem important to your discussion. You definitions must mirror the following style: “religious theories” means theories that talk about a personal God that intervenes in human and non-human affairs. In your premises below, talk about what you think Jones meant when he used the term "our". This will not be a dictionary definition. So, you will talk about this in the premises of your post. Not here in the Key Terms section. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- D. Write your conclusion/thesis:... Choose one of the following conclusions/theses: i. Our understanding of the universe is (choose one: probably/necessarily) essentially secular and natural like that of the Greeks. ii. Our understanding of the universe is (choose one: probably/necessarily) not essentially secular and natural like that of the Greeks. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- E. Write your premises:... For example: Premise 1:...First reason why your conclusion/thesis is true. Provide at least five sentences (i) explaining why this premise means that your conclusion is true, and (ii) explaining why this premise is actually true. You must say more than what your scholarly source says. For example, say why you agree with your source. Premise 2:...Second reason why your conclusion/thesis is true. Provide at least five sentences (i) explaining why this premise means that your conclusion/thesis is true, and (ii) explaining why this premise is actually true. You must say more than what your scholarly source says. For example, say why you agree with your source. Premise 3:...Third reason why your conclusion/thesis is true. Provide at least five sentences (i) explaining why this premise means that your conclusion/thesis is true, and (ii) explaining why this premise is actually true. You must say more than what your scholarly source says. For example, say why you agree with your source. You can either provide as little as one premise, or provide as many premises as you believe are necessary to prove the truth of your conclusion/thesis. Your premises must logically support your conclusion/thesis. And your premises must actually be true. You will not earn points if you merely paraphrase what the experts say. You must say why you agree with them. Or, why you disagree. Or, say more than what they say. You must add your own thinking. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. WHEN TO POST AND HOW TO PEER REVIEW A. You must post your writing prompt (file upload) response by or before Wednesday, January 20th at 7:00 PM. B. Also, your peer review must be completed by or before Saturday, January 23rd, at 11:59 PM. You must indicate whether you agree with their thesis/conclusion. Then you must talk about their premises to explain why you agree or disagree with their thesis/conclusion. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- EXAMPLE PAPER: KEY TERMS “religious theories” means theories that talk about a personal God that intervenes in human and non-human affairs. (Oxford online dictionary) CONCLUSION Our understanding of the universe is probably essentially secular and natural like that of the Greeks. Premise 1:...First reason why your conclusion/thesis is true. Provide at least five sentences (i) explaining why this premise means that your conclusion is true, and (ii) explaining why this premise is actually true. You must say more than what your scholarly source says. For example, say why you agree with your source. Premise 2:...Second reason why your conclusion/thesis is true. Provide at least five sentences (i) explaining why this premise means that your conclusion/thesis is true, and (ii) explaining why this premise is actually true. You must say more than what your scholarly source says. For example, say why you agree with your source. Premise 3:...Third reason why your conclusion/thesis is true. Provide at least five sentences (i) explaining why this premise means that your conclusion/thesis is true, and (ii) explaining why this premise is actually true. You must say more than what your scholarly source says. For example, say why you agree with your source. WORKS CITED 1. W. T. JONES, A History of Western Philosophy, 2nd edition, 1969, p. xix).