The purpose of this exercise is to set a baseline so you can track your own intellectual development as our class proceeds. (We will discuss all of the following topics during the semester, and then revisit this same set of questions at the end.) I'd like you to answer these questions totally on your own, without looking anything up. The point of this is to write just what's already in your head. If some of these questions prompt no deep thoughts from you whatsoever, that's okay. Most students will probably be able to fit all five answers in one to two properly formatted pages. If any question motivates you to gush for pages and pages, that's great! Keep that one to just half a page for this assignment, and then let's talk about the rest of that excitement face to face. (I am very interested!) But in general, just write as briefly or as thoroughly as each question moves you. Last thing: before you start writing, read "Instructions for Writing Well in This Class," which you will find in Resources on Isidore. So, with all that in mind, please answer the following questions: I. What does philosophy mean to you? II. What's your stance on the morality and legality of abortion? III. Define the word knowledge as best you can. IV. How would you describe the relationship between your race and gender and your experience in the world? How do you feel about this? V. Do your religious beliefs contain any contradictions? (That is, do you hold any religious beliefs that cannot be true at the same time?) How do you feel about this? Now do one more quick little thing: Go back and give each of these questions a number indicating how much time you've spent thinking them before this exercise. This has nothing to do with your grade; it's just to record where you were compared to where you are at the end of the semester. Use the following scale: