Paper Assignment

Paper assignment

Winter 2013

Professor Davidson

Give the traditional analysis of knowledge, as discussed in class. Give two Gettier-type counterexamples that we discussed in class and explain why they are counterexamples to the traditional analysis of knowlege. Give two fourth conditions on knowledge discussed in class that purport to solve Gettier problems, and explain how they do or don't solve the Gettier problems discussed in class.

Rough draft due Thursday March 14th in class.

3 pages. The final draft needs to be in my mailbox in VA 105 by Friday 12 noon of finals week. If and only if the office is locked, turn the paper in under my office door at VA 228.

The paper should be typed, double-spaced, and in 12 point Helvetica or Arial fonts.

Writing a philosophy paper is different from writing other sorts of papers you've written. Your goal is to convince the reader that a particular claim is true. Your writing should be clear and concise; you should include only what you need to make your claim. Begin with a short introductory paragraph in which you briefly summarize what you will argue in the paper. Then lay out the general argument you will defend/attack, and explain clearly how the argument is supposed to function. Next, you will critique the argument, and show why the critique is or is not successful.

The Introductory Paragraph

The introductory paragraph is crucial in that it will provide a structure in which you'll write your paper. Begin with a short statement of the position you will defend in the paper. Then list and briefly explain the argument(s) you will consider in the course of the paper

So, one might say,

William Paley gives a teleological argument in which he argues that based on order in nature it is probable that God exists. David Hume gives several "responses" to Paley's argument. In this paper I will investigate Paley's argument by considering four of Hume's objections to it. I will conclude ____.

Then you will follow in your paper what you've said in your introduction you're going to do. Your introductory paragraph should serve as a sort of map for you to guide you through the rest of the paper. It should provide a structure for your paper so that your paper is a coherent whole.

You should spend most of your time planning what you will say in the paper. Do this in a quiet environment where you can concentrate and think hard. Don't go right to the computer and start composing. 90% of your time should be spent in preparing what you will say, not in typing it out.

Read the paper aloud to yourself and/or have someone else read the paper aloud to you. This will help you to know exactly what you have written and whether you have communicated what you wanted to communicate.

Then you should revise the paper after reading back through it as described above. You cannot write a good philosophy paper with just one draft.

If you use outside sources, make sure you cite them.

Also, have a look at this site.