Does Descartes really need to introduce the Deceiver argument in Meditation One? If no, why not? If yes, why? Paper guidelines: 1. Paper Guidelines Philosophy 307 The paper must be typed (double spaced and 12 font) and it should be six pages long. It must be clearly written and well organized and it must show your ability to comprehend, analyze and critically evaluate arguments. 2. A philosophy paper is an argumentative essay. What is that? An argumentative essay is an essay where you provide evidence not only of your mastery and understanding of the material but also of your critical skills and ability to argue for the view you want to defend. Example: Suppose you want to discuss Descartes’ dream argument. First you should present the argument. Then you should critically evaluate the argument by discussing either whether the premises are true or whether the conclusion validly follows from them (or both). Suppose you want to show that the argument is unsound because all the premises are false. You can’t just say that, you will have to provide reasons for why you think they are false. 3. The content of the essay will decide 85% of the final grade. The content of the essay will be determined by the following factors: (1) accurate interpretation of the texts (2) clear conclusion (or thesis) (3) clear evidence/argumentation for the thesis/conclusion you want to make (4) analytic skills (5) your own contribution 4. The remaining 15% of the final grade will de determined by: (1) spelling (2) grammar (3) and structure of the essay (introduction, arguments, conclusion). Extra notes: Recommended sources for getting help in how to write a Philosophy essay: 1. Lewis Vaughn, Writing Philosophy. A Student’s Guide to Writing Philosophy Essays. Oxford University Press, 2006. 2. Go to http://www.jimpryor.net/teaching/guidelines/writing.html The philosopher James Pryor, from NYU, provides useful advice on how to write a philosophy paper.
