Philosophy 105
Paper Assignments

General Remarks

All papers should be typed double-spaced with one inch margins in a clear font. While no exact page assignment is specified, it is assumed that the topics warrant approximately five pages of development and discussion. In each case, you should identify the general issues involved, demonstrate an understanding of the relevant texts read in class, and develop your own approach and discussion for these issues. Please read my general discussion on writing philosophy papers.

Paper #1 Politics Project --- due October 4th

The Federalists and Antifederalists voiced issues that were central to the concerns of post-colonial citizens in thinking through the formation of an independent government and in avoiding the pitfalls and abuses of English rule as they had known them. Few of these issues have disappeared into unimportance. Most of them continue to drive political debates, today, though some of them have acquired new meanings in the context of a heavily urbanized society under the influence of powerful communications media.

The objective of this assignment is to create a close relationship between reading, discussion, and writing. Several short writing assignments (see below) will be given and will be submitted through the Conferencing Site so that others in the class can read and respond. During the last week on this topic, students will draft a position paper. The first draft is due on Wednesday, October 2nd, and class time will be used for peer reviews of these papers. The final drafts are due on Friday, October 4th, at 5:00 PM. Two or more students who wish to share a grade on this project may draft a position paper together. In this case, they will work with each other, on Wednesday, to perfect their draft as a peer review process.

The position paper should argue any one of four points of view --- independent sovereign states, a federation of independent states, the Constitution as adopted, or a single national government of the people. It should discuss those (2-3) issues that seem most important in this decision and argue why the particular choice selected would serve those issues best at that time. It should conclude (briefly) by suggesting how these issues have faired with the adopted Constitution and the advance of time.

The three short writing assignments are (a) an entry in either the Federalist or Antifederalist discussions tentatively considering these positions, (b) a 2-paragraph discussion of liberty, and (c) a 2-paragraph discussion of property, in particular, questioning the right to an unlimited accumulation of property.

Paper #2 Emerson & Thoreau --- due November 1st

Suggested topics:
(A) Write a reflective essay response on any one of the essays by Emerson or Thoreau. You should (1) establish a good understanding of what the essay says and (2) work with that material in some way, which could be (a) arguing a thesis pro or con with respect to one or more aspects or (b) connecting it with some other body of thought (something else that you've read or studied) or (c) personalizing it by giving illustrative examples that amplify the meaning in real experience.
(B) Remembering that Thoreau was strongly influenced by Emerson, compare and contrast the points of view expressed in Emerson's Essays and Thoreau's Walden and "On . . . Disobedience."
(C) Discuss the issues involved in civil disobedience, making reference to the context of the Constitution and our concept of liberty under laws that we have made and approved ourselves but also considering points that Thoreau raises regarding our economic institutions.
(D) It is sometimes claimed that Thoreau was America's first "environmentalist." Write an essay that argues for this proposition by discussing how Thoreau viewed the importance of nature to human well being.

Paper #3 Pragmatism --- due November 22nd

There will be two more short writing assignments on the WebCrossing Conference Site in connection with the pragmatism readings. The first is an assignment on the James essay, "Pragmatism and Humanism;" please see directions on the WebCrossing Site. This is due by Friday, November 8th. The second is an assignment on the Rorty essays, "Pragmatism and Poetry;" again, please see direction on the WebCrossing Site. This is due by Friday, November 15th.

Suggested topics:
(A) Pragmatism attempts to deal with problems of meaning and truth without metaphysics. Write an essay that clearly develops this philosophical position and suggest one or two clear examples which, in your mind, demonstrate how this position can be used to our advantage.
(B) Needless to say, the position of Pragmatism has been highly criticised by both Idealists and Realists --- traditionalists of diverse sympathies in philosophy. If you prefer, write an essay that criticises Pragmatism from one of these points of view.
(C) Discuss any one of the neo-pragmatists in relation to Peirce, James, or Dewey. Select specific essays and, preferably, use a specific example to illustrate similarities or differences.

Final Comprehensive Paper --- due December 16th

This paper should be approximately eight (8) pages in length and should represent a comprehensive reflection on American philosophy.

Select a specific issue in American life and discuss how this issue has been treated philosophically, how we have come to think about it today, and what may guide our thinking in the future. Some issues are: "democracy and liberty," "equality, property, and happiness," "land and nature," "science, religion, and truth," "war and civil disobedience," and "race, class, and prejudice."

What are the qualities of American culture upon which we can rely? What are the ideals that drive Americans toward cooperation and success?

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