phil 1301 introduction to philosophy term paper
TERM PAPER TOPICS
See the syllabus for my policy on plagiarism. You do not get another chance if you cheat. You get a zero and I enter your name into our institutional tracking system. Period.
Select just one topic.
1. Present one of the following two interactions: Kant and Anselm, or
Descartes and Hobbes. This requires you to present both the argument
from Anselm or Descartes and the criticism from Kant or Hobbes.
Evaluate the interaction. Is the critic’s objection a good
philosophical objection? (You should have a rough idea what that means
by now. If you do not, you’re in trouble.)
Given your evaluation, should Anselm/Descartes have believed in God’s
existence? Justify your answer. What does your answer mean for the
rest of us? May anyone be justified in believing in God’s existence?
This is a 4 to 5 page paper, though you may certainly write more than
that. Cite the text to support your claims. Write the paper is if it
were a college paper. See the rubric for guidance.
2. Suppose someone argues for skepticism like this: People have
different beliefs. People disagree about how old the world is; whether
there is life on other planets; and even whether Bigfoot exists. So
there’s really no truth about how old the world is; whether there’s
life on other planets; or even whether Bigfoot exists.
Use the relevant course readings to evaluate the force of this
argument. (You should be able to determine which are relevant.) Is
this argument for skepticism a good one? What does your judgment with
respect to that last question mean for belief in skepticism based on
arguments like the one I just presented? Should we form beliefs based
on arguments like this?
This is a 4 to 5 page paper, though you may certainly write more than
that. Cite the text to support your claims. Write the paper is if it
were a college paper. See the rubric for guidance.
3.Suppose someone tries to show that we should believe God exists like this: Any proposition is either true or false. Thus, there is a 50% chance that any proposition is true. Since “God exists” is a proposition, there is at least a 50% chance that God exists. If there’s a 50% chance that God exists, it makes sense to believe that he does. Thus, we should believe that God exists.
Put this argument in your paper. Then, explain whether it lives up to the standards of philosophy. If you say it does, explain why. If you say it does not, explain why.
This is a 4 to 5 page paper, though you may certainly write more than
that. Cite the text to support your claims. Write the paper is if it
were a college paper. See the rubric for guidance
Rubric
Grading Rubric
1. Does this paper identify have a clear thesis? (5%)
2. Does this paper contain only relevant information? Are the citations completed properly? (5%)
3. Does the paper attribute the correct view to the philosophers in question? (10%)
4. Is/are the philosopher’s view presented with the appropriate level of detail?
(For example, does the author explain concepts and arguments in a tight manner, or are the arguments and concepts merely sketched?)
(25%)
5. Does the author present a clear argument in his/her discussion? (15%)
6. Does the paper cohere? Or, is the paper a hodgepodge of disparate ideas? (10%)
7. Does the conclusion tie together the different phases of the paper? Or, is the conclusion a
non-sequitur? (5%)
8. Are the spelling, grammar and syntax on the college level? (5%)
9. Does the author make appropriate and accurate use of course concepts in constructing his or her discussion? (20%) Intangibles: Is the paper on the assigned topic? Is it the author’s own work?
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You can choose any topic that you want to do. Just please do not plagiarism.
