Write an essay (of roughly 5-6 pp. or 1500-1800 words) that explores an issue relevant to something you’ve read in this course. You should do three things
(i) explain the issue,
(ii) present a position concerning it, and
(iii) present a defense of this position;
and, in doing these, you should
(a) include an exposition of a passage read in the course and
(b) consider at least one objection to the view whose defense you present.
Previous assignments have included things like the elements (i)-(iii) above and the additional requirements (a) and (b), but I can say a little more about how these fit together in the case of this assignment. As on the last ungraded assignment, your explanation of the issue—element (i)—should included a discussion of its relevance to the freedom of will. The position whose defense you present—i.e., element (ii)—may be one you hold, but it need not be. The exposition of the passage required in (a) may serve you in any of several ways—e.g., to help set up the issue you will discuss, to present the defense of a position on it, or to provide an objection to this position.
Like your second paper, this paper places its main emphasis on your thinking about an issue, and you should plan what you write accordingly. That is, while your presentation of a position and its defense may involve an exposition of material you have read, the paper should not be focused on the description of others’ views. It will be easiest to think about the paper as concerning the issue rather than the description of someone’s views if either the position you present or the objection to it represents your own views; but it is certainly possible to present views on two sides of a dispute, neither of which are your own, without having the description of the views of a particular person as your main aim.
Perhaps I should emphasize two things I consider in evaluating papers that are more likely to be an issue on this paper than on previous ones. First, a variety of considerations in favor of the position you defend will count for less than a deeper consideration of a few or even just one. Also, be careful to give a fair and accurate account of the passage you consider even if it stands opposed to the position you defend.
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.