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Unit commentaries

PHIL 317, History of American philosophy, Fall 2026

1 Description

For each of the course’s four units, you’re going to complete a 600–800-word commentary. Each commentary should relate at least two thinkers or texts and advance a claim about their historical or philosophical relationship. A complete commentary:

  • identifies a significant point of continuity, conflict, appropriation, or change;
  • supports that claim with specific textual evidence; and
  • articulates important differences between the two texts or authors.

I grade unit commentaries for completion only. For details on deadlines and substance, 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 two or more relevant texts from a unit. Commentaries must be at least 600 words to be accepted for completion.