Read A Fragile Life
Specific assignment: Read A Fragile Life and answer this question: If you could take a pill that would allow you to become invulnerable (in Todd May’s sense) would you take it? Why or why not? Give the reasons for and against taking the pill and explain why you would or would not take it. Would you take the pill if it made you temporarily invulnerable? Would you take the pill if it made you invulnerable for a lifetime? Would it be better to take a pill for instant invulnerability or would it be better to gradually become invulnerable through Buddhist or Stoic practice?
Requirements: The term paper should be 5 to 7 pages typed and double-spaced in Times New Roman (or equivalent) 12-point font. Longer is fine, but shorter is not. Do not mess around with margins. Do not even think of plagiarizing! Staple the paper once in the upper left-hand corner. No title pages, covers, or other excess baggage. Your name should be on the first page only. No running headers with your name on subsequent pages. Do a good job—this counts for 20% of your grade. Spelling, punctuation, clarity, and style all count. This is not a research paper, and so you are not expected to do any outside reading or cite any sources. When you quote from A Fragile Lifebe sure to give page numbers parenthetically in the text.
Due Dates: It is highly recommended to take your papers to the writing lab. A hard copy is due in class AND an electronic copy is due on the same date. Please send a Word document as an e-mail attachment. Late papers will be penalized 10 points per calendar day.
Questions/Issues to Consider
*You do not need to answer all of these questions in your paper. But after reading the book you should be able to answer these questions.
What does May mean by “invulnerabilism”?
What does May mean by “vulnerabilism”?
What are projects? What are ground projects or central projects?
How is Buddhism a philosophy of “invulnerabilism”?
How is Taoism a philosophy of “invulnerabilism”?
How is stoicism a philosophy of “invulnerabilism”?
How is Epicureanism a philosophy of “invulnerabilism”? How is it not?
In rejecting “invulnerabilism” what does May say about politics, death, failure, and loss?
How does May distinguish between acceptance and affirmation?
How does May distinguish between Small Matters and Large Matters?
What does May say about acceptance and vulnerabilism? What does May say about acceptance and invulnerabilism?
Answer preview Read A Fragile Life 
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