Notes from Underground Lesson Plan

Free Will Debate

Kind of Activity:

Group Work

Objective:

Students will engage with some of the philosophical questions raised in the text.

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.4, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.6

Structure:

Before the activity, have students read the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy’s entry on Free Will (http://www.iep.utm.edu/freewill/) for homework.

To begin the activity, explain to students that, according to philosopher David Hume, the nature of free will is “the most contentious question of metaphysics.” Philosophers have been dealing with this question for millennia, so it makes sense that there would be some confusion or debate about...