As Kant defines it, the Enlightenment is an optimistic philosophy and the full title of Voltaire’s story is Candide or Optimism. Pick two of the following works – Candide, Gulliver’s Travels, and the Discourse on Inequality – and write a thesis-driven, evidence- based paper in response to these questions: Is it possible to be happy in this world? How would that happiness be defined? If happiness is not possible, what should we do? You need not answer each of these questions separately; they are intended as prompts to inspire a single, coherent argument in a well-written essay. Only cite from the assigned editions of texts
1. Jonathan Swift, Gulliver’s Travels (Oxford World Classics, 978-0-19-953684-9)
2. Voltaire, Candide, or Optimism (Penguin Classics, ISBN 978-0140 4400 41) Please keep the focus on the books themselves and do not waste time with broad speculations about the nature of the Enlightenment or the meaning of life. A counterargument is required. Avoid block quotes, padding with extended quotations, or stretching a short paper with huge margins or triple spacing. Finally, try to come up with a succinct title that summarizes the main idea of your essay.
#happy #world #happiness
