Overview
Pages paper, please address one of these paper topics. Remember, I am only giving you your paper topic and rather not your paper’s argument. You are required to come up with your own argument stated in the appropriate format: I argue that…. Your paper topic and your paper’s argument should be written in the first paragraph. Finally, your paper must be properly quoted and referenced in either MLA style or Chicago style. If your paper does not directly quote the text, you will not earn a passing grade. Turn in your paper in the First Essay drop box on Angel. The file extension of your paper document should only be “.doc “.docx” or “.rft”. If you do not use Microsoft Word, then cut and paste your paper and send it in the First Essay drop box on CANVAS.
1. Please select the work of either Plato, Aristotle, or Kant and explain what ethics is for one of them. Do you agree with their views on ethics? Or what is missing for you in their views on ethics?
Grading Rubric for Philosophy Papers
It is a common and worthwhile question for philosophy students to ask - how are written assignments graded? After all, there is rarely an “answer key” (outside of areas in formal logic) and it might seem that it is “all a matter of opinion.” This is unduly pessimistic. Philosophy has clear, and objective, standards for critical thinking and argumentation. I will expect your papers to strive for, and hopefully achieve, these standards.
The purpose of this document is to lay out how these standards are applied to papers you write in the courses I teach. For a fuller explanation of how to write philosophy essays, with additional information on my evaluation of your written work, please see the document Writing Philosophy Essays. Below you will find some of the standard questions I ask while evaluating your written work. You will also find a rubric spelling out some of those standards according to widely used evaluation stages.
I encourage you to use this rubric to help construct your argument, and not just to evaluate your own writing.
Thesis (a) Does the paper have a clear thesis? (b) Is the thesis presented in the introduction? (c) Is there a roadmap outlining how the author will establish the thesis?
Analyzing Arguments
(a) Explaining the arguments of others
Are the arguments of other thinkers clearly and charitably stated? This includes not only stating the premises and conclusion, but showing how the conclusion follows and providing any necessary arguments for the truth of the premises themselves.
Are the technical terms used in the argument explained? (b) Evaluating the arguments of others
- Is the argument evaluated for cogency? Are the premises acceptable? Do the premises provide sufficient grounds for the conclusion?
ii. If objecting, is the objection clearly stated and clearly argued for? In order to do this, you should not only provide good reasons for believing your objection applies, but you should explain precisely how it applies to the opposing argument, and what the consequences for that argument are.
Making Arguments (a) Are the premises of the argument clearly spelled out?
Are the premises supported by appropriate evidence? (b) Are all empirical claims backed up with supporting evidence? (c) Are the inferences leading from premises to conclusion cogent?
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- (d) Does the conclusion claim more than the argument shows? For example, be wary of making a bold or controversial claim that goes beyond your evidence. It is good to be bold, but only if you have the argument to support it!
(e) Does the paper consider and respond to potential objections?
Document Structure (a) Does the paper have an introduction which spells out what the paper will argue for? (b) Does the paper have a conclusion which summarizes what has been established? (c) Does the paper relate the central arguments back to the thesis?
- Style
(a) Is the prose clear and to the point? This includes avoiding flowery language which does not help you establish your argument. More often than not, this will simply introduce additional confusions to your argument.
(b) Does the paper employ proper spelling and grammar? I do not expect perfect grade school grammar. Rather, what I expect is that the grammar is clear and avoids introducing unnecessary confusions and is (at the least!) syntactically correct.
(c) Is the language used specific rather than vague? Vague language usually indicates vague and confused thoughts! If your language is vague, ask yourself what you really mean. If you are not sure, then work out that aspect of your argument in more detail!
(d) Are all claims based on outside sources cited?