Site Network: Intro Home | thinkingshop.com | Media Studies | Non-violence

The Papers...

The paper writing tips below are designed to articulate the scope and requirements for all papers in PHIL 211-51. Be sure to look at the grading rubric on the paper writing tips page so that you know how your work is being evaluated..

Paper Ideas

The following paper suggestions were designed to help you get started on the first paper.  You do not have to use one of the ideas below, but make sure your paper examines only one idea in a clear, concise manner.

All papers should have a clear thesis statement and use quotes from the reading to support your argument. If you are unclear about this directive, please ask me to explain during our class.

First Paper: click on the essay you would like to use for you paper to view the possible starting points.  

 


Philosophy for Laymen

  1. Explain the difference between philosophic and scientific methods of investigation. (pages 1-3 of Russell's article) Describe one real-life ethical problem that would be best solved through the use of the philosophic method and another situation that is best addressed via the scientific method.

  2. Describe Russell's views on the positions of dogmatism and skepticism. Be sure to use quotes from the article to support your description. Why is dogmatism an enemy to peace? Why are skeptics rendered helpless by their own view that knowledge is difficult to obtain?  Provide examples and factual statements to support your thesis.

  3. Russell lists the intellectual virtues: philosophic spirit coupled with intellectual sobriety and the ability to remain impartial when faced with emotionally charged dialogue. Explore each virtue. What does it mean to be intellectually sober? Impartial? Why are these virtues necessary for anyone who will have to critically evaluate information in a work environment? Ask yourself: why are these virtues  critical for CEOs, doctors, educators, journalists, managers, lawyers, stockbrokers, etc.. Use real world experiences to illustrate your point. Remember intellectual virtue is significantly different from moral virtue.


Euthyphro:

  1. Are there actions/beliefs that are clearly either pious or impious? Is there universal human agreement on these matters? Each tradition/culture has a method of determining which actions are pious. Given Euthyphro’s definitions of piety, what problems would we face in mediating our differences? Are there any values that are universal (i.e., valid across all cultures)?
  2. Since life demands that we make moral choices, regardless of whether or not we absolutely define piety, how can we examine our actions to decide their moral content? What methods does Euthyphro suggest? Why do you think he is correct or incorrect in his assertions?
  3. Read the Dalai Lama’s essay on "Human Rights and Universal Responsibility" @ http://www.buddhistethics.org/1995conf/dalai1.html (print ready Word doc click here)and compare/contrast it with Euthyphro’s view that piety is achieved by pleasing the gods. The Dalai Lama asserts that piety is service to one another. Is Euthyphro practicing compassion/service when he prosecutes his father?
  4. Review three of the five definitions Euthyphro gives for piety and show how Socrates proves that each is inadequate. Do you agree with Socrates' critiques?  Use contemporary examples to support your position.top

 


Apology

  1. Compare Socrates’ defense (17a-35d) with either Thoreau’s essay "On Civil Disobedience" or Martin Luther King’s "Letter from the Birmingham Jail" and note the following:
  • What are their views on defying popular opinion and traditional views?
  • How do Socrates and Thoreau/King view the role of government in educating and corrupting the citizenry?
  • How are Socrates’ and Thoreau/King practicing civil disobedience? Why do they do it?
  1. We’ve noted many times during class discussions that the intellectual climate in Athens was hostile to Socrates’ activities because he challenged traditional beliefs. Compare the situation in Athens to the present political climate in the U.S..
  • Identify one or two groups that stand for traditional moral attitudes and one or two individuals/groups that challenge these beliefs. What are the specific ethical positions under the debate? How does each side justify its position?
  1. Socrates claims that "An unexamined life is not worth living." What is an "examined life"? How is examining one’s life related to being an individual in our culture? Is living an examined life always desirable? Is it possible to examine everything about our lives? (This question originally appears on the Evansville Plato project referenced above @ http://plato.evansville.edu/).

Crito

  1. Socrates’ presents Crito with a strong argument against following the influence of public opinion.  Discuss at his argument and provide one example of a situation in which it might be best to act based on ethical rather than poll-based concerns.
  1. Socrates presents a strong argument for non-violence in 49a-e.  Evaluate the premises and conclusion of this argument by finding one example of the effective use of non-violence to change to social policy.  Describe the situation in detail (by quoting your source) and explain why the technique of nonviolence was effective in the resolution of the problem.

home | guide questions | syllabus | contact dr. bowser