Write an essay (of roughly 2-3 pp. or 600-900 words) on an issue concerning the idea of free will. The point of this paper is primarily to give you a chance to explore further an issue of interest to you, so I do not require that you discuss a passage in the reading; but you may do that if it seems a useful way of exploring the issue.
Your essay should include the following elements:
• an introduction to an issue (i.e., something which might be formulated as a yes-no question),
• a statement of a position on the issue with some suggestion of reasons for this position,
• a possible objection to this position as stated, and
• a possible response to this objection.
Apart from focusing on an issue rather than a passage, much of what you need to keep in mind in this paper is much the same as for the last one. Your writing assignments and our discussions are possible sources of ideas, but don’t feel limited to them. As with the last paper, be careful to keep whatever topic you choose fairly narrow. That is likely to mean that you will be able to consider only one aspect of many issues you might address.
As with your assignments, I’ll be happy to accept your essay on paper, but I encourage you to submit it by e-mail (either as an attachment or, if there is no special formatting, in the body of a message). My address is helmang@wabash.edu.