Purpose of the Assignment The purpose of this assignment is to demonstrate understanding of the moral philosophies on happiness discussed through writing an original, creative myth in the form of a Cosmology, Theodicy, Eschatology, or the monomyth/Hero’s Journey style. This assignment includes three steps: 1. Choose a moral philosophy to be the basis of your myth: Hedonism, Epicureanism, Stoicism, and Utilitarianism. Choose which type of myth you are writing: Cosmology, Theodicy, Eschatology, or the monomyth/Hero’s Journey style. It may be useful for you to review theMoral Philosophy section of your textbook, which starts on page 310, as well as class notes and/or PowerPoints. You should also review the Myth and Mythology PowerPoint as well as pages 262-264 in the textbook, which focuses on Joseph Campbell’s monomyth/Hero’s Journey theory. 2. Identify the main characters of your myth and create an outline of the story by identifying key plot points you will use to portray the moral theory of your choice. Keep in mind the goal of each type of myth: • Cosmology: explanation of the creation of part or all of the world/universe/living things • Theodicy: explanation for why suffering (or evil) exists in the world • Eschatology: explanation for what happens after humans die or how the world/universe will end • Monomyth/Hero’s Journey: heroic journey with a clear separation/departure, initiation, and return 3. Using your outline, write your myth. When you are done, make sure it does not include any errors and that it meets the minimum word count. Try reading your myth as if you were not the author (or read it to someone else); does is clearly communicate the message of your chosen moral philosophy. General Requirements & Deadlines • Length: at least 300 words long • Proper grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc. (i.e., well-written) AS YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED, NOR EXPECTED, TO CONSULT ANY OUTSIDE SOURCES THERE IS NO NEED TO INCLUDE A WORK’S CITED PAGE. Two Pitfalls to Avoid • DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Assignments that contain plagiarism will receive a grade of zero. • Do NOT consult any sources beyond the textbook, class notes & PowerPoints. Questions to Consider • Is the type of myth you wrote clear (cosmology, theodicy, eschatology, or monomyth/Hero’s Journey)? • Is the moral/lesson/message of how to attain happiness clear by the end of the myth? o Is the above moral/lesson/message clearly connected to Hedonism, Epicureanism, Stoicism, or Utilitarianism? Is my myth logically coherent (does it have a beginning, middle, and end or at least a clear progression of events)? Does your myth have correct spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc.? Is your myth at least 300 words long?
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