The end of labor is to gain leisure.

Often attributed to Aristotle

Overview

Philosophers such as Aristotle, Bertrand Russell, and Joseph Pieper have argued that paid work is merely a means to leisure, that leisure is a higher good, which is essential for human flourishing, and that work merely for the sake of work does not contribute to human well-being. For this assignment, you will consider not only your opinion on work, but your opinion on the importance of leisure.

For this assignment, imagine this: your team at work is struggling to balance the goods of work with the goods of leisure; at the same time, management expects employees to work long hours and weekends—whatever it takes to get the job done well and on time. Your team asks you to prepare a presentation for management on the importance of leisure in maintaining a healthy work–life balance. You are asked to not only consider the concept of work, but the value and definition of leisure to an overworked and burnt-out team.

The deliverable for this assignment is to create a 5–7-slide PowerPoint presentation. Consider the opinions of philosophers from this week's readings and activities.

Instructions

Draft a presentation that addresses the following:

• Define the philosophical concept of leisure.
• Explain the difference between leisure and laziness.
• Discuss your opinion regarding whether paid work is merely a means to leisure.
• Describe how leisure should be valued in comparison to work.
• Discuss your opinion regarding the importance of leisure as part of a successful life.

Presentation Requirements

Your presentation should meet the following requirements:

• Length: 5–7 slides
• Format: The format of your presentation must be one that your instructor can access for review and grading.

Refer to the Presentation: The Nature of Work Scoring Guide to ensure you meet all expectations for this assignment.

Note: Your instructor may use the Writing Feedback Tool when grading this assignment. The Writing Feedback Tool is designed to provide you with guidance and resources to develop your writing based on five core skills. You will find writing feedback in the Scoring Guide for the assignment, once your work has been evaluated. Learn more about the Writing Feedback Tool on the course Tools and Resources page.

SCORING GUIDE

Your Work will be evaluated using this criteria.

VIEW SCORING GUIDE

Competencies Measured

By successfully completing this assignment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies:

• Competency 1: Define different interpretations of work.
  • Define the philosophical concept of leisure.
  • Explain the difference between leisure and laziness.
• Competency 4: Develop a personal philosophy of work.
  • Discuss whether paid work is merely a means to leisure.
  • Describe how leisure should be valued in comparison to work.
  • Discuss the importance of leisure as part of a successful life.
• Competency 5: Address assignment purpose in a well-organized text, incorporating appropriate evidence and tone in grammatically sound sentences.
  • Convey clear meaning through appropriate word choice and usage.