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1/05/09--First day of class.  Send me an email.

12/29/08  Welcome Winter Quarter students.  The course begins January 5th.  Send me an email as instructed. The notes below contain guidelines and examples to clarify many questions you might have. Be sure to read them at least once a week and before you turn in your homework. Some of you may need to scroll right to find the writing assignment links in the Course Guide. There is an example first assignment in the Course Guide under Assignments. Write about what you think, not about what you think others think or should do. Follow the assignment instructions for format and content. Always try to improve--Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow-----Plato.

General Note

Put Humanities 100 in the subject line of all your emails.

Please use formal email format when you submit assignments, e.g.,

Hi Dr. Casad, (Salutation with comma)

My first set of assignments is attached.  I look forward to your response. (standard capitalization and punctuation)

Regards, (Thanks, Sincerely, Regards, etc.) (Complementary close with comma)
First and Last Name

Again, welcome to the Humanities 100 Internet class. If you have looked at the course guide and assignment examples, you will know by now that each week's assignment comes in three sections-- read and respond to the readings (quickly summarize the reading assignment, quote from the reading, and describe your reactions); respond to the writing task; and select and comment on a quote from resources.  To get full points for the quote from resources, you need to explain the relevance of the quote to the week's topic.  Remember to attach your word processed document file (your journal/your homework) to the email. You see, I open the document, read it, make comments, assign points, save it, and then reattach it to an email reply to your email. Be sure to fill in the subject line of your email, e.g., Humanities 100, Assignment 1, etc. Do not send a folder (send a file). Send all three week's work in one file.   If you cannot properly attach a file, you will loose points or receive no points at all since I will not be able to read and mark your material. I do not accept late work unless you have made arrangements beforehand (usually you would just send the work in before the due date). 

Here are some more tips for getting started:

 I look forward to a great class and some insightful writing.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The notes below contain examples and advice from previous quarters. Check them weekly.  There is a wealth of information in the previous notes,  so please take some time to read them.  You can use the notes to post relevant questions to the class after the second week of the quarter.  

 Student Note on Getting Started  Thanks Milan.

This class consists of 11 weeks of  work (done in 8 weeks during summer). These 11 weeks are divided into 5 sets of assignments.  There are three weeks in the first set of assignments, three weeks each in the second and third set of assignments,  one week in the fourth set, and a final extra credit assignment.  Every week (except for Week 10) has a reading assignment, a writing assignment and a quote from resources. Every week (except for the very last week, which is extra credit) has 10 possible points. This way you can get up to 104 points if you do the extra credit (4 points), but you need at least 97 points for a 4.0 grade.

In the reading assignment you are supposed to read the given material, summarize and quote from it, reflect on it,  and answer any questions from the directions. Since some reading assignments are difficult to understand, try analyzing them by reading topic sentences of paragraphs and trying to understand the main point. Then you can decide which part is the most interesting, so you can spend some more time summarizing that part. For doing this correctly you can get up to 3 points.

Your second task has 4 possible points. The writing assignment is usually totally different from the reading assignment. It may even include separate reading or analyzing. If you find the writing hard, you should always go back and re-read the instructions. Also you should read the Notes link for extra help. If you are still confused the best thing to do is email Dr. Casad with your questions.

After you have done this, you should go to the resources link on the website and find a quote from any one of the resource files. This quote is supposed to have something to do with the week's topivc   For a  quote relevant to the Week's topic from one of the resource files (Author and File Number) and an explanation of why you chose that quote,  you will get 3 points. 

If you read the instructions properly, have time to do your assignments, and turn in your work on time, you should have no problems in getting a good grade in this class, and as my old science teacher would say: “Good luck, even though luck has nothing to do with it.”

Week One

When you do your homework,  imagine that your audience wants to know your thoughts about how you think and act, not what and how you think others think and should act. It may be best for some of you to avoid the second person point of view (you), or at least reserve it for instruction and standard procedures.

You do not need a book. Lay out your work. Schedule time each week for reading and writing.  Have fun, but keep yourself on schedule. If you devote ten hours a week to computer reading and writing at the web site, the only hitch might be that you may want to spend more time on some parts.  Don't let writing style throw you off.  Scan. Keep a vocabulary list. Check for new notes at least once a week and when you access the website.  I may put extra credit in the notes (but only a few points).

Spend 10 or so hours (break into smaller units) on the computer at the web site to get started. You must be able to get the assignments from the web site.

Divide your weekly work into sections:  reading response, writing/task response, and quote response.  Remember to put your work into one file, i.e., smith1.rtf or doc. 

Be sure to quote the main thesis/idea in the reading assignments to get maximum points.  Also, when you are explaining the relevance of your quote from resources, make sure it is not a platitude or overgeneralization by explaining the conditions under which it is not true.

Do not forget to send a standard email when you attach your file (salutation, short message, close).

The journal entries include a response to the reading, a response to the weekly task (varies) and a quote from resources. So, each week will have three entries.

Class procedures/grading--I will put the weekly points immediately under the relevant section in the assignments, with a maximum 3 points going to your response to the reading, 4 points going to the task/writing assignment and 3 points going to the quote each week.  For those students who are still having some difficulty, do not give up!  Don't miss the whole point of creative and critical thinking--success!

Class procedures-- By now you will have read examples at this site.  In some cases the examples are only partial answers or hints.  They do not spare you from doing your own reflecting and extended reading.  Please follow a consistent format each week.  For clarity, you could use the headings-- Reading Assignment, Writing assignment, Quote from Resources.  Do not forget to chose a relevant quote, explain why it is relevant (if not obvious), and explain the circumstances wherein the quote may not be true (so that you develop the habit of questioning truisms and over generalizations).  Remember to spell check, grammar check, edit, and proofread your writing (and this includes the salutation, short message, and close in the email).

Class procedures--I do not accept late work unless you have made
arrangements beforehand (usually you would just send the work in before
the due date).

Class procedures--If you are not using Word, save your files (rich text format, abbreviated rtf.)

Class procedures--When you submit your first journal assignment, save it as your last name, plus 1, plus .rtf (unless you are using Word for Windows and then it is .doc).  For example, I would  save my journal as casad1.rtf and attach or insert the file to an email. The email must contain a salutation, short message, and close.

Quotes--I have posted a new page, analyzing claims.  Take a look and apply this map to analyzing your quotes.

Class procedures--if you just print off some of the pages, you are going to miss the hyperlinks.  Plan to spend time hitting all the links. Visit the site frequently. Please follow correct email procedures. Hi/my name; short message; regards (or some complimentary close/your name.  Do this even when attaching a file.

Grade Scale: Over the course of the quarter, you can accumulate 100 points not counting extra credit.  The points will produce a decimal grade like this: 100-97(4.0), 96(3.9), 95(3.8), 94(3.7), 93(3.6), 92(3.5), 91(3.4), 90(3.3), 89(3.2), 88(3.1), 87(3.0), 86(2.9) ...57(0.0).

Week 2

When you have scanned and read "The Tragedy of the Commons", put in your homework a description of the tragedy in your own words--hint (a combination of two principles--personal right to procreate and moral obligation to help the less fortunate).  

Reading Assignments-- Not only comment on the reading assignment but directly quote at least once.  Also, when you choose a quote from resources, not only indicate its relevance (if not obvious) but also describe a condition under which the claim may not be true.  Finally, maintain an introspective point of view and tone.  Write about how you think, not about how you think others should think.

Rob's sixth rule: Pick up after yourself.

Every fool can make a rule and every fool will mind it.-----Henry Thoreau
(Does Henry define the set of fools' rules?  Unless one defines the character of the set, then the statement simply says,  fools mind their rules.  I guess this implies that wise men neither make rules nor mind them...?)

Week 3

The trail I followed at the Project Zero website was Research Projects, Adult Multiple Intelligences Study, AMI teacher research reports (click on link), AMI Study, AMI Sourcebook, MI Basics (the theory behind the practice).  Write a short summary of the theory in your third week journal.

Remember that when you are looking through the Project Zero web site, you are interested in the Theory of Multiple Intelligences, but  that need not limit your surfing.  

Week 4

UNDERSTANDING SELF/OTHERS

Week 4: Reading Assignment

It is much simpler to do the course assignments if one reads the previous notes. Interpersonal consistency and self knowledge maintained their positions as the overall most sought characteristics in others (and self).

Be sure to document all of your sources.  When you quote from a reading (or any other composition including these notes), be sure to indicate the primary source and how to find it (including Internet urls). If you do not indicate the source of your quote or paraphrase, you will not receive credit for the assignment.  This includes the file reference in your quote from resources (e.g., Resource File 5) the course guide, and material in the notes.   Consult a college English handbook to get the documentation and format right.  Proofread and edit carefully since you lose points for rough compositions.  I do not accept late work, so be sure to send your homework correctly by the due date.

Week 5

You will need to find and use current  statistics to do and get credit for the Week 5  task.   Be within +/- 5 million for world population.  Use the US Census Bureau for current US Population. Use 2006 data for energy production and consumption.  Simplify, but not too much.  This is an Internet class so I expect you to do the research and find the data on the net.  What I want you to do is to make some true and valid inferences about the human condition using the facts about growth in population and energy production and consumption.  This does not entail discussion of greater efficiencies which is part of an administrative, congressional, and environmental debate now.   

Week 5--Here is a student product on consumption and available resources. Notice the change in population in just 8 years.  Still, world population is increasing at a decreasing rate and world production (the pie) is growing.  Be sure to use current figures (at least 2006 BTU's and October 2008 Population) when you do the calculation. 
 

Current world energy production – 382.18 quads BTU (Use 400)

Current US energy consumption – 94.79 quads BTU (Use 100)

Current US population – 274,297,970 (Use 275)

Current world population – 6,046,196,184 (Use 6.1), then

400/100 times 275 equals 1.1 billion--about 5 billion short of the mark.

Number of people able to be supported = 382.18 quads/94.79 quads x 274,297,970 = 1.106 billion people

Some other facts of interest--

If present population growth, domestic food consumption and topsoil loss trends continue, the U.S. will most likely cease to be a food exporter by approximately 2025 because food grown in the U.S. will be needed for domestic purposes. The groundwater that provides 31% of the water used in agriculture is being depleted up to 160% faster than its recharge rate. Even if water management is substantially improved, the projected 520 million Americans in 2050 would have about 700 gallons/day/capita, considered the minimum for all human needs, including agriculture.

On a per acre basis the United States now has 1.8 acres  (1999) of cropland resource per capita to provide Americans with an ample diet of plant and animal products. The average American consumes about 2,175 pounds of food per person per year. Americans currently use about 1,450 gallons/day/capita (g/d/c) of water for all their needs. Hydrologists consider 700 g/d/c minimal for human needs, including water for adequate food production. 1,300 gallons of water, 1.8 acres of arable land, 2.3 acres of pasture land and 2.2 acres of forest land is available per a person per a year.

 Estimates are that about 20% of U.S. land area (about 450 million acres) would be required to support a solar energy system that would supply but one-half (37 quads btus) of our current energy consumption (80 quads btus). This land requirement can be expected to diminish arable, pasture, and forest lands to some extent, with the most critical loss being arable land.

Thanks Brandon (1999)

Week 6

You need only have read one of Emerson's essays in Week 6, but do identify the essay, its thesis and main points, and your reaction. 

The egalitarian fallacy is a term coined by Barbara Herrnstein Smith to critique the
notion that "relativism" implies all opinions are equally valid. In
her 1998 book, Belief & Resistance, she describes it as
follows: "much of the sense of intellectual and moral scandal
evoked by the charge of "relativism" derives from a supposed
implication . . . that, according to the skeptical or unorthodox
doctrine in question, everything-every opinion, every scientific
theory, every artwork, every social practice, and so on- is
'just as good' as every other

I call this general supposition and argument the Egalitarian
Fallacy. It is a fallacy because, if someone rejects the notion
of validity in the classic (objectivist) sense, what follows is not
that she thinks all theories (and so on) are equally valid but
that she thinks no theory (and so on) is valid in the classic
sense. The non sequitur here is the product of the common
and commonly unshakable conviction that differences of
"better" and "worse" must be objective or could not
otherwise be measured. When appealed to in the argument
the conviction is obviously question-begging" (77-78). 

Week 7--I hope this note will clear up some confusion about myth.  Thrall, Hibbard, and Holman in their A Handbook to Literature make the following distinction:

     Myth in its traditional sense is an anonymous, non-literary, essentially religious formulation of the cosmic view of a people who approach its formulations not as representations of truth but as truth itself; myth in the sophisticated literary  sense in which it is currently used is the intelligible and often self-conscious use of such primitive methods to express something deeply felt by the individual artist which will, he hopes, prove to have universal responses.

    When we approach literature as myth, or examine literature through myth, we look for a framework that embodies the general beliefs of a culture, social class, or nation; a cosmic view (like in Blake or T. S. Eliot); or some set of  unconscious values.  We look to see if and how the poet or writer touches something deeply felt with a power akin to the traditional anonymous myths.

    Let's go one step further.  Let's say that advertisers are myth makers (or myth reinforcers) when they promote one can of peas over another can of peas or one make of SUV over another make of SUV.   The modern myth is that there is a positive relationship between the object's  dollar cost and the object's utility, namely the more you pay the more (of something) you get.  This simply is not true for canned peas and what you get with SUV's is more maintenance costs, higher insurance costs, and higher fuel costs.  So what is the advertiser to do.  Touch them deeply.  Dig into the unconscious values and beliefs of the consumer-- strength, vigor, social status, sexual readiness (dancing babe/Pepsi/Dole/dog).  

       Many students are confusing fictions with myths.  Authors create fictions.  Cultures create myths (a least in the traditional sense).  Fictions are, but are not. Myths are not, but are. Myths are part of a belief structure and often not connected to facts.  Fictions are fact based or reality based (verisimilitude) or you would not understand the characters or the story line. We believe myths; we suspend disbelief for fictions. Hope this helps.

Thanks to Katie Perman for the Week 7 example below.

Week 7, Reading assignment

Words are very powerful.  We may use a word to conjure up many images, themes, feelings, or ideas.  However, we are often unaware of the true meaning of the words we use, or what they may imply.  Because of certain words, phrases, and ideas that have been repeated to us through our lives we may not think twice when someone says “Don’t go outside with wet hair or you’ll catch a cold.”  We believe these myths and take them as common knowledge.  It is not so hard to detect the myths when someone from another culture is around.  Then it may be difficult to explain just why wet hair and outside lead to a cold.  Of course, it gets even more complicated when it comes to explaining our cultural myths regarding religion, choice, independence, or morals.

Advertising and mass media seem to recognize our cultural myths and use them manipulatively.    Since we may not recognize the myths or the meanings they imply, they can unconsciously influence us.  I am the first to admit that I do not stop to think about the strange images in commercials or slogans in magazine ads.  I have the tendency to take things at face value until something is pointed out to me.  I am guessing that is how most people are, and that is why mass media can strongly influence us on an unconscious level.

Myths can be perpetuated in ways that affect our culture negatively.  Certain racial and cultural stereotypes fill our televisions, newspapers, and magazines.  For instance, a Nike commercial in 1996 in New York stated, "The revolution is about basketball, and basketball is truth."  It showed young African American men playing basketball, as if to say because some African American men can play basketball well, a revolution to end oppression has begun.  Displaying basketball--and of course basketball shoes--as a "truth" or "God."  Obviously, this is blurring and oversimplifying the big picture issues of racial discrimination and oppression.  However, it may speak to the unconscious of the viewer, appearing as though if only they would buy some Nike basketball shoes and play basketball they would be making a difference, joining the revolution.

Speaking of Nike, it was interesting for me to find out the meaning of the word Nike.  Nike is the Greek personification of victory; another image and word that has infiltrated our society without many realizing its mythological significance.

 I also read about the Greek characters Narcissus and Aphrodite.  Narcissus was an attractive man and many nymphs and girls fell in love with him.  After he rejected so many, there was a curse put on him that he would fall in love with his own reflection.  He stayed staring at his own reflection until he died.  The word narcissist or narcissistic is used commonly today to imply someone who is entirely focused on him/herself.  The myth of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, beauty, and sexual rapture, also still exists in our culture today.  She had a festival called the Aphrodisiac.  We commonly use the word aphrodisiac today as a type of food or anything that may get us in the mood for sex.  Her symbols were the dolphin, the dove and the swan.  This is interesting because we see doves and swans at weddings (expensive weddings), symbolizing beauty, purity and love.  In Roman mythology Venus is the goddess of love and Cupid is the messenger of love.  Of course, we still see the funny looking Cupid every Valentine's Day, and we hear it in songs, "Cupid, draw back your bow, and let your arrow go…."  Again, many people do not know the origination of so many of these mythological figures and words.  

Week 7, Task assignment

  I recently watched "What Dreams May Come."  I thought it was a phenomenal film that brought up many important questions, and alternative answers.  It went against the common myth that Heaven and Hell are definite, solid places like Earth.  Also, it went against the idea that Heaven and Hell are the same for everyone.  It did, however, contain mythological ideas about family, work, and love.  Along with that, it presented mythological themes about courage, endurance, regret, personal strength, and dreams.

As a collective American society we tend to believe that the perfect, "normal" family is a mother, a bread-winning father, a little girl, a little boy, and a dog.  That is the family presented in "What Dreams May Come."   The father is demanding and rather distant, spending most of his time with work.  The mother is giving, loving, and nurturing.  The movie explores the pain and heartache of death as first the children die, then the father dies, and finally the mother kills herself.  It implies that the main thing that matters in life (and death) is family.  It also brings up the concept of soul mates, a widespread belief our society seems to hold.  It attempts to explain the existence of soul mates and the extreme power soul mates have on each other's lives.  He has the courage to go to Hell to see his wife and try to be with her again.  He was willing to give up his Heaven because Hell with her would be better than Heaven without her.

In life and death, a major theme the father constantly reiterates is "Never ever give up."  I think this is another mythological theme we see as an important truth.  At least in my family, it was engrained in me to never give up.  Throughout life I have heard that if you give up you won’t be able to reach your dreams, success takes determination and persistence.

The father also experiences regret, for all the pressure he put on his son.  He wishes they could have been closer.  I think one common regret in our society is the way people have raised their children.  I’ve heard parents say they were too strict, too selfish, they didn’t spend enough time with their children, they were too demanding, they used their kids.  Parents often deeply regret the way they have or have not influenced their children.

And finally, the father demonstrated ultimate trust in love.  He trusted that his love for his wife would bring her out of Hell so they could be back together again.  The saying “Love conquers all” has been repeated to me throughout life.  Now of course it seems hard to believe that love conquers all when you look at the divorce rates, the abuse, and the infidelity in our culture. Still, I believe in it because it is a myth I have been taught and it helps me sleep at night.  This ideological belief was played out in the movie, conveying the idea that in life and death love does conquer all.

Week 7, Quote

 A lie told often enough becomes the truth.

-----Vladimir Lenin

It seems that myths are generated so freely, and repeated in so many ways that they become a truth, a reality.  That can be quite devastating if it is a hurtful myth.  It is also destructive when a lie becomes the truth because it becomes so hard to reverse the damage. 

To get full points on the quotes from resources, explain whether the quote is a truism, and, if not, under what condition(s) it may not be true.  For an extra credit point, go to writing resources at Casad.org and then to skepdic.com and pick the pragmatic fallacy under logic and perception and summarize what pragmatic fallacy means. Put this at the end of Week 9 under the heading Extra Credit.

02/18/07--Here's a response to a student about the reading assignment in Week 6 and whether one can use a fable:

You can find myths in fables.  Fables are fictions meant to tell a moral truth.  Myths are not fables unless the moral of the/a fable has become a group's cultural/ethnic explanation of creation, hope, life, death, and chance.  Myths are peoples' beliefs in explanations of events they did/do not understand or could/can not explicate/replicate.  Morals are lessons in values and virtues.  Knowledge turns myth to fiction through experience and analysis.  Heroes searching...life unfolding....  We don't believe fictions but we do believe in heroes and purpose in life. Many people believe a variety of myths.  Write about one of your favorites in the writing task, but be sure to describe one you find in the reading assignment and point to what it explains. 

03/4/08--Myths are not truth based as are fictions.  Myths are belief based, as fictions are not.  We do not believe the movie as fact (we suspend disbelief).  We do believe good conquers evil, however untrue given cultural conceptions of what constitutes good and evil.

Week 8
 

Reading Assignment
           In your next journal submissions, please make clear references to the reading assignments. You can copy and paste a short  passage that you like into your journal document. I know that the Mill essay is long and sometimes difficult, but find something in it, some insight, that is memorable and useful to your thinking.  This goes for the other reading assignments as well.  Also, choose quotes that are relevant to the week's topic.  Clear reference and relevance are worth as much as two out of the ten weekly points. Finally, some of you may be losing  a point each week on English grammar, usage, spelling, and punctuation errors.  Be careful.  Check your work twice before you send. 

Writing Assignment Sample
            I found some literature on the web that talks about how Evolutionary Psychology involves psychological adaptations that are universal among humans.  The goal of Evolutionary Psychology, then, is to discover and describe the functioning of our psychological adaptations, which are the mechanisms that cause our behavior.  Evolutionary Psychologists argue that our psychological adaptations cannot possibly be designed for modern life because this complex adaptation is a very slow process, typically requiring hundreds of thousands of years.   Instead, they must be designed to solve the adaptive problems faced by our hunter-gatherer ancestors. 

Throughout history, human cognition has undergone selective adaptation.  Skills and values that were important during the time of hunter-gatherers survived, while other non-useful elements were weeded out.  So, in essence we can assume that the qualities of human nature that we possess today must have held some importance in the distant past.  The next step is to identify those tendencies, and determine what purpose they served at that time, and how to best use them now. 

One example of an emotion I see in my life that remains from the “cave man” days is a certain resentment I have towards attractive women.  I consider myself to be a nice-looking girl, so I shouldn’t harbor ill will towards other pretty females.  However, so often I find myself scowling at the vivacious gorgeous blonde who walks by.  I think that this results from the competition that was involved with finding a mate.  I need to be ready to be the first to jump at a good male prospect, and prepared with certain hostility to defend myself should push come to shove (or scratching or pulling hair). 

Integrity is important to survival because survival is easier when you are in a group.  If you are consistently honest and sincere, and your actions coincide with your moral convictions, then others will trust you and stick by your side.  On the same token, humans need to be able to detect who is trustworthy in order to protect themselves from being tricked or taken advantage of.  For this purpose, I think humans have the skills to detect fakes or scams.  However, I feel that this skill has diminished somewhat over time as other elements of our world have been introduced (police, lawsuits) that provide more cushion.  We no longer have such a fine-tuned instinct, like the wild animal that can sense fear in its prey. 

It is true that humans are homeostatic in nature, maintaining stability and equilibrium in the social aspect of their lives.  Anytime we step outside this zone of homeostasis we create stress.  So why are we so fascinated with the extremes of the world?  Why are there hundreds of magazines devoted to exploiting the lives of big celebrities, who in no way represent the average person?  I believe that it is part of human nature to be fascinated with seemingly unattainable things.  I don’t believe that I will ever be a movie star, and I may not want to be, but I can’t avoid the fact that the movie star life fascinates me.  At the same time, the news is always informing us about the horrible conditions of poverty-stricken people in poor countries.  Humans need to have people with which to compare their lives.  Most people realize that the big and fabulous isn’t the norm, so they don’t expect their lives to ever be that way.  They can also be thankful that there is always someone who is worse off than they are.  As C. H. Spurgeon said, “It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy that makes happiness.”  Somehow they realize that where they are is the best place to be.  

Week 9

Be sure to read Virtue Ethics carefully so that you can define the difference between virtue and a rule bound morality to get full points.

As to virtue, here is a bit from Chaucer's Prologue to the Canterbury Tales, "A knight there was and such a worthy man that from the time he first began to ride out he loved chivalry, truth, honor, and courtesy."

Week 10

You do not need a quote from resources for Week 10.  

Here is an interesting article on the survival value of beliefs: http://www.csicop.org/si/2000-11/beliefs.html Do not use second person point of view in the world view statement and try not to preach. (But if you must say what ought to be, save it for the last few lines.)

You may put all of your work (World View, Self Assessment, and Site Assessment) in the 4th file, e.g., smith4.doc or smith4.rtf.  Otherwise you may send the self and site assessment extra credit separately (smith5) as shown on the course guide. Describe the progress you have made in your self assessment.  Use the 30 thoughts under "Beginning Thoughts" on the first page of the website.  

Science and technology can not define the nature of good and evil, but they can help us eat better, know more, and make room for learning.

The self and site assessments are extra credit so don't forget to send them also if you choose.  I do not return the last assignment "Smith4" but I do explain the points received, any extra credit points, and the points accumulated for the quarter.

Write the world view in the first person.  Do not slip into the second person.  Keep the self assessment within the perspective of "Beginning Thoughts" that you read at the very first of the quarter.