Writing a Philosophy Paper
The following outlines how one should write one's philosophy papers in this class.
Reader
Take your reader to be your classmates. Thus, you can assume the reader is generally familiar with the class readings and discussions, but needs to be reminded about the specific details of the subject of your paper.
Goal
The goal of the paper is to convince the reader (your classmates) that your position on a controversial philosophical issue is correct, and to do so through clear, rational, and persuasive arguments. You may only choose a controversial philosophical issue that is covered in the required reading or in class.
Outline
I. Introduction: in this portion of the paper, the most important thing is to clearly state your thesis. That is, let the reader know what you will be arguing for. Your thesis must be about an issue that is controversial and philosophical (and one that we have covered). It is controversial in that people disagree (the disagreement can involve the authors of our readings, me, or your classmates). It is philosophical in that philosophical arguments are required to try to resolve it.
II. Exposition: here you want to get the reader ready for your upcoming arguments by bringing the reader up to speed on the relevant topic. You can assume the reader is familiar with class readings and discussions, but still needs to be reminded of the details. Since the goal of the paper is to convince the reader that your thesis is correct, give exposition only to the extent that it helps the reader to understand your arguments.
III. Arguments: here you argue for your thesis. Be original, clear, and persuasive. Be original in the sense that you must primarily use arguments that you have thought of yourself. If you do mention anyone else's arguments, you must give him or her specific credit for it. Be clear by leading the reader by the hand, so to speak, through your paper and your arguments. Your arguments may not seem as clear to others as they do to you. Use short sentences whenever possible. Always keep in mind that the goal is to convince the reader that you are right, so try to be as persuasive as possible.
IV. Objections and replies: Since your thesis is controversial, there is an opposing view. Let the reader know that you are well aware of this. Explain the opposing arguments, and then give a reply. Show how the opposition goes wrong. Doing this well can enormously increase the persuasiveness of your paper. Again, try to be original, clear, and persuasive in your replies.
V. Conclusion: sum up the paper at the end.
The most important sections are III and IV.
Note that presenting someone else's work as your own, in any manner, is plagiarism and constitutes academic misconduct. You must acknowledge any sources that you use. I encourage you, though, not to research extra sources for your paper. Instead, focus your energy on thinking up your own arguments.
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