Paper Topics and Guidelines

1. Assignment: Write an argumentative essay of 1500-1800 words (~5-6 pages), on some philosophical topic from this course.

2. Due Date: Due Friday, 4/27, at the beginning of class. By that time, please turn in a paper copy in class AND upload a digital copy to Blackboard (click on PHIL 232  Assignments  Paper  Scroll down to Attach File, and click Browse My Computer)

3. Late Penalty: Late papers will be penalized: Turn it in between 12:01 - 11:59pm, 4/27, –10 points (out of 100). Receive –2 points for each additional 24 hour period after that.

4. Suggested Topics: You will argue for or against some philosophical position in the context of the philosophers and texts we have discussed. Below are some suggestions.

Note: You may design your own thesis based on ANY topic from our course, but you must first get instructor approval for any topic NOT listed below.

1) Freedom and Foreknowledge: Present the problem of human freedom vs. divine foreknowledge, as well as Boethius’s solution to that problem. Then, argue either that his solution is successful, or unsuccessful.

Alternatively: You may defend or reject Ockham’s solution to this problem.

2) The Nature of Free Will: Present Anselm’s theory of the nature free will as laid out in his On Freedom of Choice & On the Fall of the Devil (especially his thesis of the dual wills) and argue that his theory is satisfactory, or unsatisfactory.

3) The Nature of Sin: Present Abelard’s view of sin (where sin is located solely in intentions rather than in actions—which, he says, are morally indifferent), and argue that this view is correct, or mistaken.

Alternatively: Present Abelard’s theory of the nature of sin, as well as the problem of moral luck (i.e., the fact that we often praise or blame people based on factors outside of their control; we even reward or punish them differently, though their sin, or lack of sin, is identical—and this seems unjust). Then, present his explanation for why this practice is nevertheless permissible, and argue that his stance is satisfactory, or unsatisfactory.

4) The Cosmological Argument: Present Avicenna’s cosmological argument for the existence of God, and argue that it is successful, or unsuccessful.

5) Divine Command Theory: Drawing on the writings of Scotus and Ockham, present the (Euthyphro) dilemma regarding the relationship between God and morality. Present their solution to that dilemma (i.e., Divine Command Theory), and argue that their stance is satisfactory, or unsatisfactory. (Be sure to assess the pros and cons of each horn of the dilemma along the way.)

5. How to Begin: First, decide which of the above topics you want to discuss. Then decide what stance you will take regarding that issue. Did any particular topic or reading excite you? Do you feel passionate about any of these issues? Write about that.

6. Structure: Once you have decided your topic, you will write a paper where you introduce some philosophical view, argument, or problem. As you explain it, be sure to motivate it (i.e., make it sound plausible to the reader that it might be a sound argument, or that the problem is a legitimate and troubling problem, etc.). Then, critically grapple with what you’ve presented by way of, e.g., raising objections to the argument you’ve presented, or problems for the view you’ve presented, or a potential solution to the problem you’ve presented, etc. You will then evaluate these objections, or this solution, by explaining why they are unsuccessful, or successful. Then add a concluding remark, explaining what conclusion the reader should draw from your discussion. For instance, if you were writing on topic #1, you may want to use something like the following structure:

Sample Structure for: Freedom and Foreknowledge (Boethius) (a) Write a brief introduction explaining what you are about to do. Be sure that your paper has a clear thesis. That is, you are trying to persuade the reader to agree with you about something (for instance, that Boethius has successfully solved the problem of freedom vs. foreknowledge). (b) Explain what the problem of human freedom vs. divine foreknowledge is. (c) Provide the details of Boethius’s solution to that problem. How does he arrive at his solution? And why does he think that his proposal has solved the problem? (Keep in mind that, as this is a course in the history of philosophy, one of your most important tasks will be to bring to life the words and ideas of some historical figure—in this case, Boethius.) (d) Critically assess Boethius’s proposal. Is he successful? Why or why not? Either way, the first step toward critically assessing his proposal is to come up with potential (and plausible) objections to that proposal. (e) How does (or, how might) Boethius reply to these criticisms? If you are defending Boethius’s solution, you will need to explain why you think that Boethius is able to give a satisfactory reply to the objections. If you are rejecting Boethius’s solution, you will need to explain why you think that any reply he might give to those objections would not be satisfactory. (f) Write a brief conclusion summarizing what you have just done.

You should also check out these guides on how to write a philosophy paper—especially if this is the first one that you’ve ever written:

 from CU Boulder professor Michael Huemer (sections A & B only)

 from W&M professor Aaron Griffith

7. Grading Rubric: Primarily, I will be looking for two things when I assign grades:

(1) Clarity: Do you explain yourself in a way that is clear, concise, persuasive, and well-organized? Imagine that you are writing for someone who has never taken a philosophy course. Your writing should be clear enough so that they would (a) easily understand you, (b) would learn something new about a philosophical problem and the ideas of a historical figure, and (c) maybe even be persuaded by you.

(2) Critical Reasoning: Does your treatment of the view demonstrate your ability to think critically? It should be apparent that you have thought about the view and the objections carefully, that you understand their implications, and that you have put some thought into your response.

8. Academic Dishonesty: As per the syllabus, any student caught cheating or plagiarizing will automatically receive an F for the course.

Plagiarism is defined as any case of presenting someone else’s work as your own (e.g., by copying an internet source, another student’s work or ideas, or any other source at all without citation). So, be sure to cite any and all ideas that are not your own.

Note: I will not require you to cite ideas gained from the assigned readings and/or my lectures. However, do not simply turn in a copy or a re-wording of the readings, podcasts, or my notes. That is still plagiarism.