Library Research Developing philosophical foundations for Lord of

							Library Research: Developing philosophical foundations for Lord of the Flies

Your job today is to research three philosophical ideas: Jean Jacque Rousseau’s idea of the
“noble savage;” Thomas Hobbes’ theory on the social contract; and “tabula rasa.” These are
complicated ideas, and you will have to work hard to understand what you are reading. You
will also have to scan through sources until you find clear explanations of the terms. For each
of the three above you will:

   1. Consult two different sources for each concept. You may not use Wikipedia. (You will
      consult at least 6 sources.)
   2. Read about each idea and then paraphrase or summarize (in your own words and style)
      the source’s main points
   3. If you use exact wording from your source, you must use quotation marks around the
      words. Do not use more than three quotations total!
   4. For each source you consult, you need to write down the title of the source and the
      name of the author (please see me, if you cannot locate the author’s name).

When you are finished, write a paragraph that explains which idea you agree with most and
why.

Bonus points if you finish early:

      Which philosopher is given credit for developing the idea of “tabula rasa?”
      What is Leviathan?
      What are three facts about William Golding that you didn’t find on Wikipedia?
      What is “the ghost in the machine?”