Essay The Issue at Stake in Relation – Evaluate the Strengths and Weaknesses – Philosphy Assignment Help

Assignment Task :

Writing a Philosophy Paper  

Topic: What exactly do we human beings know about God? Compare the ideas of Boethius and William of Occam on this question.

Since the discipline of philosophy is distinct from that of other disciplines in the humanities or social sciences, it follows that a philosophy paper naturally should demonstrate a unique understanding of the purpose and meaning of philosophy.  Here are some tips on how to write a paper which does justice to philosophical inquiry.

1) Formulate a thesis in the introduction:  a thesis is the position which you take in your paper.  The entire paper is meant to defend your thesis. It is necessary to state your thesis by the end of the first paragraph of your paper, after making some introductory comments about the relevance and importance of your chosen topic.  This allows the reader (me) to understand what you will attempt to show in your paper. Here is an example:

“As I shall argue throughout this essay, Francis Bacon’s defence of science as the sole pathway to truth rests upon dubious premises.”  

It is imperative to stick with your thesis; avoid wandering off to another topic.  It is also advisable to focus on no more than two philosophers that we discuss in the course, for the sake of avoiding an overly ambitious agenda.  

2) Explain the issue at stake in relation to your topic:  the first half of the paper (following the introduction) should be devoted to explaining what the issue is, the ideas of the author in question, etc.  This is the “commentary” section of the paper, in which you demonstrate to the reader that you have understood your topic and choice of thinker.

3) Evaluate the thinkers: since philosophy is a process of critique, it is essential to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the thinker or thinkers in question.   This should happen in the second half of the paper. Which of their arguments are persuasive, and which are not? What are the implications of putting their ideas into practice?  Are these ideas compatible with a Christian morality or world-view? (These are suggested ways of evaluating the thinker.)

Remember that it is not sufficient to offer just an “opinion”; your evaluation must rest on thoughtful (rational) critique of the author or topic in question.  Proof-read the paper thoroughly so that your arguments make sense to you (and, ideally, to me).  

4) Conclusion:  in the final paragraph, summarize the arguments which you used to evaluate and critique your topic or thinker.  Do not add any new material.