Overview
Many philosophers have had something to say about the correct human attitude towards death. For this essay, you will select two philosophers. You can choose any two philosophers we have talked about or that we are going to talk about. For each philosopher, you will:
Explain what they believe the correct attitude toward one’s own death should be—you can also talk about their view on the correct attitude toward the deaths of others, if relevant (with reference to their own work, i.e., the primary sources);
Lay out the reasoning they offer to support their claim that this is the correct attitude—in other words, give their argument in your own words, as you understand it (with reference to their own work, i.e., the primary sources); and,
- Evaluate their claim and reasoning—e.g., what do you think they get right, are their assumptions correct, do their conclusions follow from their assumptions, etc.?
- Finally, you will explain what you believe the correct attitude toward one’s own death should be and give reasons to convince your reader that your view is the right one, or at least a reasonable one.
- Your essay must refer to primary sources and include citations (at minimum author and page number), but should not consist of just a series of long quotations. It should be clear that you have read and understood the material and are able to explain it to a reader. My lectures and slides are not a primary source and may not be cited in your essay.
All work must be your own. Presenting the work of another as your own is a serious ethical matter, and will be treated as such.
Your essay should include a title, an introductory paragraph, and a concluding paragraph that summarizes your work.
There is no strict minimum or maximum length for the essay, but something in the range of four to six pages is probably just about right. Grammar and presentation are important. It is always good practice to have someone else read your work before you submit it.