Write an essay (of roughly 1-2 pp. or 300-600 words) explaining an argument found in material we have read in the class and sketching a possible objection to this argument. The point of this paper is for you to get practice in a couple of aspects of philosophical writing and at the same time to think further about something in the reading that interested you.

You should choose a short passage, probably a paragraph or less and maybe just a sentence or two, and explain what is being argued in it. I don’t say “what the author is arguing” because authors sometimes present arguments that are not their own, and it’s fine to choose one of those. All that is necessary is that the passage somehow present a claim and suggest reasons the author or someone else might have for making this claim.

To plan the paper, you will first need to analyze the argument by identifying the claim being argued for and the reasons that being offered to support it. When giving an exposition of the argument, you should think of yourself as describing it rather than paraphrasing or summarizing it. Just include what a reader needs to know in order understood what is being argued and how it is being argued for.

The objection could also reflect something in your reading, but it may be an objection you would make or one you can imagine someone making. I describe what you should do as “sketching” the objection because the focus of your paper should be on the argument itself; however, you will need to say enough about the objection for a reader understand not only what it is but also why it might be offered.

Again be sure to give a full reference for any passage you speak about. That is, provide enough information for someone who knows nothing about the course besides what is in your paper to locate material you are referring to. So, for example, page references to the Rosenthal anthology would not be enough without information about its editor, title, publisher, and date of publication. What will count as a full reference to material on the handouts will vary depending on the handout, but it should include a reference to the work from which the selection you have in mind has been taken.

While I’d be happy to accept your assignment on paper, it is more convenient for me to receive work electronically, as an e-mail attachment (or as the content of an e-mail message)—or uploaded to your “group” on Canvas.