Paper Topics for Philosophy 101

1.        Your assignment is to choose a suitable text from the list provided, buy a copy of it from Cal Copy, and write a short, carefully reasoned paper explaining what that text argues, and what are the strengths and weakness of that argument. You must be sure to include your own view of what the author of your text argues. This is usually called a “critico-expository essay.” You must choose one of the “canned topics” prepared by the instructor, included in packets II, III, or IV. Your paper should conform to the usual standards of good English style, grammar, format, and spelling, and should follow the instructions below. DO NOT do a comparison of two different texts. You may, however, use ideas from any place you choose, as long as you give a footnote or other clear reference to the source, and put any words you borrow in quotation marks.

2.        Length: 1500 to 2000 words, typing preferred but not required. If you write by hand, write on one side of the paper only, and skip every other line.

3.        Due Date: A complete first draft due April 21st. Final draft due the Friday of finals week, May 17.

4.        Use a clean cover sheet with only your name, class time, and paper title, leaving space for comments. Don’t provide plastic or cardboard covers.

5.        Your paper must have a clear thesis statement, which says what you are going to prove in your paper. That thesis statement must be on the first page, preferably in the first paragraph. Examples: (A) “Hill is right in arguing that servility is wrong even when the servile person is the only one who is harmed, but is criticism of utilitarianism is incorrect.” (B) “John Arthur shows that what is right cannot depend only on the arbitrary will of God, but he fails to show that morality does not depend on religion at all.”

6.        You must state the thesis of the text you are writing about, and summarize the main arguments for that thesis. Do not assume that your reader has read the text you are discussing. This explanation can easily take more than half your paper.

7.        Prove what you say! When explaining the positions that the text takes, give a few brief quotes or page references. Do not give long quotations. For example: “Plato not only argued that wrongdoing is harmful to the wrongdoer, he said that the wrongdoer should actually try to get himself punished, since “his soul is improved if it is justly punished.” (Gorgias, p. 43).

8.        You must comment on the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments in the text. This includes mentioning points that he or she should have considered but did not. It might help you explain what you think is missing if you can describe a specific (real or hypothetical) example (not Oscar on the island with the sadists) that shows how the author’s ideas might be applied.

9.        You should show your knowledge of moral arguments and theories that we have studied, where appropriate.

10.      Stick to the point. Every paragraph of your essay should support your thesis in some way. This support could be an argument directly in favor of the thesis, or trying to answer an objection that someone might make to your point of view, or a description of an example that shows something useful, etc. Do not pad, wonder off the subject, or make long summaries or introductions.

11.      Do not flatter the instructor by trying to agree with him. Make up your mind, give your reasons and stick to your guns. This strategy is not only more honest and more interesting, but it usually results in a better paper.