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Unit commentaries

PHIL 202, Modern philosophy, Fall 2026

1 Description

For each of the four units in the course, you’re going to complete a 500–700-word response. Each response should focus on one text while also situating that text within the unit’s larger philosophical problem.

A complete response:

  • describes the problem the author is confronting or attempting to resolve;
  • explains how the author resolves or otherwise confronts that problem;
  • uses specific textual evidence to motivate this explanation; and
  • describes how the author’s response resolves the problem they address or leaves it unresolved.

I grade unit commentaries for completion only. For details on deadlines and substane, see the course outline.

2 Rubric

Commentaries are graded for completion; you get either a 1 (worth 7.5% toward your final grade) for a completed commentary or a 0 (worth 0%, of course). A complete commentary:

  • engages directly with a relevant text (as specified in the commentary assignment);
  • addresses the specific issue described in the commentary assignment; and
  • answers the specific question or prompt described in the commentary assignment.

Commentaries must be at least 500 words to be accepted for completion.