Philosopher's Fanfiction

by AkaiHato

Aristotle, Lao Tzu, Plato and Confucius are the victims of academic fanfiction. [Two of them end up sitting by the road to study plants, and the other two yell at each other.]

2. Original Assignment Guidelines

Original Assignment Guidelines

I was in an introductory literature class. We were studying the old thinkers, and the professor gave this assignment:

1) Create a short scenario where two philosophers meet each other. Each philosopher ust be from a different area of the world.

2) Write an analysis of the scenario and explain the character's motives and actions.

Incidentally, I think my professor is awesome.

As I started writing arguments between characters, I realized I was going to have not two but four philosophers, a longer story, and a lot more research and learning to do. I ended up pulling an all-nighter (a strangely fun one, as all-nighters go), then turned in the essay under the title of "Philosophical Mess." I didn't think the professor knew what fanfiction was.

As you may have noticed, I didn't post the second (and actually academic) portion of the essay.

The professor liked the story.