RS 120 – Introduction to the Religions of Asia

Please read the instruction attached carefully. In order to write this paper, please find this book online: A Beginner’s Guide to the Study of Religion, 2nd ed., Bradley L. Herling (Bloomsbury, 2016) The other book you are going to use is attached, please ONLY have these two books as sources, do not have other outside sources.

Here’s some lectures you can look at in order to finish this paper (some attached as well):
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtsj23KQIsA&feature=youtu.be&t=12m47s
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c-ywGdAiAo

PLEASE NOTE I’M FROM EAST ASIA, just in case to prevent if you write this with a native western perspective. You can ignore the title, it’s just a clarification for myself.

RS 120 – Introduction to the Religions of Asia

Prof. Herling

Paper Turn-in Option #2 – Taoism

Write a 500-750 word essay in response to one of the following prompts:

1. Religion? Really? What exactly is “religious” about the Taoist sage? Present a definition of religion (your own, or one borrowed from the assigned readings), and analyze aspects of this “ideal type,” making an argument for the sage’s religious (or non-religious) nature. Your paper should integrate assigned readings in supporting your argument.
2. Analysis of the Qingming (Spring) Festival.Describe this example fully in the body of the paper, drawing upon the videos and textbook. For your thesis, present an argument for which theorist we have studied so far (Freud, Durkheim, Jung, or Eliade) best explains the nature of this ritual.
3. Hypothetical dilemma. Devise and describe a hypothetical moral dilemma. This dilemma can be relatively mundane (e.g., your friends are begging for you to go away for the weekend, but you promised to visit your elderly grandmother) or more serious (e.g., you’re engaging in a demonstration/protest for a cause you really believe in, and now the police are threatening to arrest you if you don’t stop…what to do?). How would the “ideal type” in the Confucian and Taoist worldviews, the gentleman and the sage, respond to the dilemma you have described? Argue for the significance of this comparison: what does it reveal about these two perspectives? (The answer to this question should form the thesis for your paper.) Be sure to draw upon our textual sources (handouts and textbook) in supporting your analysis/argument.

Guidelines and Evaluation

An outstanding (A-level) paper has these features:

• It responds to the assignment and follows its basic instructions (i.e., the paper actually does the assignment, addresses the chosen topic, is the required length, etc.) (Completing the Assignment: 50 pts.)
• It has a clear, complex thesis that reflects independent thinking and solid analysis (Thesis: 10 pts.)
• It displays mastery and comprehension of the relevant issues (Comprehension: 10 pts.)
• It contains careful analysis (not just summary) of the relevant readings and sources, in support the paper’s argument (Analysis: 10 pts.)
• It has an effective organizational structure that is signaled with effective transitions (Organization: 10 pts.)
• It has an almost total lack of writing problems (grammatical, mechanical, stylistic) (Writing: 10 pts.)

Additional pointers: 1) Cite your source carefully (using MLA or other citation styles).2) You may go over the recommended word count slightly, if necessary, but your paper should not be under its lower limit.3) Do not use any sources besides the assigned texts and resources for this course. 4) Leave yourself enough time to do a good final proofread of your paper to address any lingering issues in the writing. 5) Note that the guidelines for the site visit option are different, so see below.

The paper is due via turnitin.com on 4/3.