Overview
PHIL 100B Final Essay
Final Essay Task Sheet
Assignment: You are asked to (1) pick a topic from the list of questions below, (2) write a philosophical essay in which you critically evaluate argument(s) related to the topic, and (3) develop your own argument or counterargument coming to some conclusion in answer to the question you are considering.
As you raise objections to a philosophical argument, consider possible responses from the authors you are criticising.
Cognitive tasks: Your job is to contextualise, analyse, explain, and evaluate the arguments of the authors whose views you are examining. This is an application of the same skills you have developed in sections and in completing your nutshell assignment!
Note on the use of generative AI:
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic, and complex. While students may use AI technologies in collecting sources and preparation for writing the essay, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance. If AI is used for any purpose in writing this essay, it must be acknowledged where and how.
A failure to reference AI use may constitute academic misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI tools.
Generative AI tools produce false and misleading results leading to failure in courses. They have been tested on philosophy topics and have been shown to produce misleading and false information.
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TOPICS:
Anselm claims that although God has given Satan everything he has, still Satan is responsible for his abandonment of justice and his inability to regain it. Analyze, explain, and evaluate his argument. Include an account of 1) why it is important that Satan have two 'wills', 2) whether he retains both after his Fall, 3) why he cannot of his own will regain justice, and 4) why the angels who did not fall need not now fear that they will fall.
Aquinas claims that a human soul would naturally survive death while that of a dog would not. What is his argument for this difference? In the course of your discussion, explain whether he thinks the disembodied human soul would be a human being and why/why not? Evaluate his argument that the rational soul can be both the substantial form of the body and exist in the separated state.
Peter John Olivi claims that to be a person one must be capable of being totally reflected in oneself. Explain what he means by this and analyse, explain and evaluate why he thinks this is so. Compare Marguerite Porete argument that the self is not established by reflection but obliterated.
Although he apparently thought that there are conditions under which slavery might be justified, and at one time seems to have thought these conditions met in the enslavement of Africans, Bartolomé de las Casas argues that the Indigenous peoples of the Americas could not be rightfully enslaved. Explain and evaluate carefully what conditions he thought might justify slavery and why he thought these were not met in the case of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas. Explain why at different times he held this difference of opinion.
Descartes claims that it is impossible that we exist and not be thinking. Analyze, explain and evaluate his argument for this conclusion. Examine the relationship between Descartes’ cogito argument and Augustine’s view of the self and the self-affirming nature of first-personal thinking. Are these essentially the same argument or are there significance differences? Defend your answer by analysing and comparing the structure and purpose of their respective arguments.
Would Hobbes agree that Hobby Lobby should be exempted from laws that allow exemption if the person in question has religious objections to them? Explain and evaluate Hobbes’ account of persons and explain how it relates to ancient and medieval traditions of thinking about selves and persons
7. Pick one author we have studied and explain whether and how according to that author we can know ourselves. Analyse, explain, and evaluate the argument that author gives for their conclusion, What does that author think our self is? Can we know our self directly or do we need to know something else first? Why/ Why not?
8. Construct your own essay question based on the content and topics of this course. Get the approval of your section leader to write on it. Write on it! (Note that if you choose this option, you will be assessed on both the quality of your question andthe quality of your essay.)
(Please answer prompt #2 about Aquinas)
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- Criteria:
- Your essay will be assessed according to the following criteria:
- Ability to construct a well-reasoned argument.
Depth and breadth of knowledge and understanding of central issues.
- Ability to form a well-structured philosophical reflection.
- Engagement with academic sources and evidence.
Insight and/or creativity in interpreting texts or constructing a point of view or argument.
Capacity to produce a coherent and well-written essay using correct grammar and syntax.
Appropriately referenced, as per APA (or similarly acceptable referencing conventions).