The topic is the following claim:

"Everyone has a unique private truth and a unique private reality."

Your task is to write a short polished essay (2 pages or so) critically analyzing this claim. The claim seems true in some ways, but false in other ways, doesn't it? I'd like you to clearly explain exactly how it's true, and how it's false. The readings for Part 1 of this class directly address this claim.

Please do not attempt to write ANYTHING on this topic until you have done the assigned readings for Part 1 and reviewed the guidelines for written work in the Syllabus (especially the sections "Criteria for Grading Written Assignments" and "Predict Your Essay Grade"). Your answer must reflect familiarity with the assigned readings, particularly the discussion of subjectivity and objectivity in metaphysics and epistemology.

Don't forget to look at the sample graded essays.

Compose and polish your essay outside WebCT, using your word processing program. The vast majority of students use MSWord. I can read MSWord files and insert comments within MSWord files, so I highly recommend that you use MSWord. Be sure to end your file name with .doc if it's a Word file.

If you don't have Microsoft Word, but you have a text editor that outputs text-only format or rich-text format (RTF), use .txt or (preferably) .rtf as the file extension (i.e., "save as" an RTF or TXT). Text-only format is like a typewriter — no font changes, fancy graphics. RTF has a few more text enhancements (bold, italics).

Microsoft Works is not the same as Microsoft Word. Microsoft Works is the word processing program that comes free with a lot of PCs. West Valley College provides my computer and software and they got me MSWord only. Sorry, I cannot read .wps (Microsoft Works) files. MSWord can read MSWorks files ONLY if the MSWorks files are saved in a special way. So if you are using Microsoft Works, you must "save as" .doc or .rtf. Please check the file extension before handing in your file! If the extension is .wps, then I CANNOT READ IT. Save your file again as .rtf or .txt, using the "save as" feature and resubmit.

Be sure your file is publicly readable AND writable. If you have set the file permissions to read-only, you will not receive any comments.

Name your file appropriately. WebCT is picky about filenames, so be sure to give your file a name WebCT will accept.

WebCT will NOT ACCEPT filenames containing any of the following characters:

tabs, line feeds, carriage returns
: ~ [ ] ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) + ` } } | \ < > , ? / ; ' "

Please check the list of special characters above and make sure your filename doesn't contain any of these characters. NOTE: Microsoft and Apple operating systems allow spaces in file names. You may have to remove spaces from file names before WebCT will allow you to submit the file.

When you are ready to hand in your essay, click on "Essay Exams/Assignments" in the WebCT Course Menu or Homepage for this class. The "Essay Exams/Assignments" screen appears. To read a description of the essay exam or assignments, click on the appropriate link. To submit your essay exam or assignment, click on "SUBMIT YOUR ESSAY" (look for the moving sun graphic), and choose the assignment you are handing in.

A new screen appears with the options "Student Files" and "Submit Assignment." Submitting an essay to WebCT is a two-step process:

1. Uploading the student file(s), i.e., putting your file into the appropriate assignment dropbox. This step is supposed to be like putting a letter in a mailbox.

2. Submitting the uploaded file(s) for grading. This step is supposed to correspond to the mailman collecting the contents of the mailbox and delivering your letter to the intended recipient.

Uploading Student File

So to upload your essay, click on "Student Files" and follow the directions to copy the file into the Assignment Dropbox.

Submitting Your Assignment

NOTE: You must submit essay assignments via the Assignment Dropbox. You CANNOT submit essay assignments by email within WebCT, nor by external email. I cannot put your assignment into the Assignment Dropbox on your behalf; WebCT's password protection does not allow that. Furthermore, WebCT's record-keeping system allows me to assign grades ONLY to items in assignment dropboxes. It does not permit me to assign grades to email.

It turns out you can't really read your files anymore once you've submitted them; in other words WebCT APPEARS to garble most files. WebCT thinks its job is done if it just transfers the bits; it can't display like MS Word. This is okay. Don't worry if you can't read your submission within WebCT.

Grades and comments for essay assignments will be available no later than one week after the due date. To check your grade, look in "My Grades." If you have submitted your file correctly, I will return it to you in a browser-readable format, graded, with hypertext comments. Please read the comments carefully!