Welcome to Your Interview Assignment!
You will be conducting your own Aristotelian interview of a friend, family member, colleague, or stranger!
Instructions:
Use a phone to record an audio conversation with somebody that asks the kinds of questions that Aristotle thinks we should ask about life. What does the person think are the features of a good life? What does doing really well in life look like? What should we be “aiming at” – and why! Also: what kinds of character traits does that person think we should have – what kind of person should we try to become? And why!
Be sure to ask at least one follow-up question each time you get an answer to a specific question. For example, if the person tells you that it’s important to have the goal of getting a good job, ask them to say more about what having a good job means for a person’s life. (Even if it might seem obvious what somebody might say, ask them anyway! You might be surprised.) And, at the risk of being annoying, remember that it’s almost always possible to ask: “But why would you want that?”, every time the person gives an answer to a question. Try to uncover the deeper reasons behind the answers this person gives you.
DUE DATE: We’re asking you to submit the audio file from your interview by the end of the Monday after your Module 7 Zoom day. Your teachers will point you to the folder for uploading the files.
ALSO: Then, as part of module 8, you’ll be asked to submit in writing a few highlights from your interview – highlights from what the person said and/or highlights about your reactions to doing the interview.