Write an essay (of roughly 4-5 pp. or 1200-1500 words) on a topic concerning one of the texts since Plato. Although a bit longer, this should have a format similar to your first paper though I ask that you explicitly discuss the relative strength of the two views you consider. That is, your essay should include

As in the first paper, the views mentioned in the first element should appear in a short passage or of a few related brief passages. Each of the next two elements could also take the form of an exposition of something in your reading but might be something you to add to what you have read. Be sure that you make the evaluation of the two sides a significant part of the paper: it should be more than a brief closing comment.

My advice on finding a topic remains the same. Think back to ideas or issues that you found in the reading or that came up in discussion about the reading that were interesting and that you would like to think about further. And be careful to keep the topic you choose fairly narrow since this is still a fairly short paper and your should aim at depth of thought and clarity of writing rather than breadth of coverage.

Also be careful in your exposition of others’ views to think through what is said and design an account of it to suit the topic you are addressing and the space you have available. An attempt to follow the order of the text you are discussing (either by paraphrase or summary) will rarely work well.

As before, 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.