Write an essay (of roughly 1800-2100 words) developing your own views on an issue relevant to something you’ve read in this course. You should

In doing this, you should

Requirements (ii) and (a) can be met in more than one way. The position you defend may be one you hold, but it need not be. And your exposition of the selection may serve you in any of several ways—e.g., to help set up the issue you will discuss, to help present the position you wish to defend, or to provide an objection to it.

As with the previous papers, this paper will serve as a way for me to evaluate both your understanding of the material we’ve read and the depth of your thinking about a philosophical issue. But it differs from previous papers in placing greater emphasis on your thinking about the issue, and you should plan what you write accordingly. Thus, while your presentation and defense of a position may involve an exposition of material you have read, you should also speak for yourself. The position you defend need not be your own, but your defense of it should be through arguments you present in your own voice rather than ones you report. These arguments need not be original, and you should cite their sources if they are not (philosophers often use phrases like “this argument is based on …” or “a similar argument may be found in …” to refer to sources of their arguments). However, you should make these arguments your own in your presentation of them; that is, organize and state them as you think best, whether or not this agrees with the way the argument is presented in any source you use.

Let me also 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. And be careful to give a fair and accurate account of the selection you consider even if it stands opposed to the position you defend; your aim in a philosophy paper should be to advance an understanding of the issues you discuss, not to persuade someone that your views are correct.

As before, while I’d be happy to accept your assignment on paper, it is more convenient for me to receive work electronically; and, since I haven’t set up the course Canvas site for assignments, that means using e-mail—my address is helmang@wabash.edu.