There are several essay topics from which you can choose. But I want to be informed of the topic you choose and general outline of it. The topic addresses readings we’ve done in class: Descarte’s Meditation, Gettier’s case, Anselm’s ontological argument, Theodore Sider’s Free Will and Determinism, and Jackson’s Knowledge Argument. Any standard reference style is fine.
1. What is the best objection to Cartesian skepticism? Defend your objection against a possible reply.
2. Each of Gettier’s cases appears to depend on the agent in the case being “luckily correct” in believing what he does. Does this point to a solution to the problem raised by Gettier’s paper?
3. How can the Evil Genius deceive me about my basic mathematical beliefs? Can he make it “false” that 2+3 =5?
4. Discuss the freewill or character-building replies to the problem of evil. Is either or both sufficient reply to the problem?
5. Does omniscience conflict with free will? If not, what’s wrong with the considerations that appear to show that it does?
6. What is compatibilism (‘soft determinism’)? Discuss the problems facting a compatibilist account of freedom.
7. In his article, Sider discusses the idea that indeterminacy in nature might open the door for free action. Sider thinks the idea is mistaken. Is he right?
8. Assess the ontological argument for God’s existence. What are its main strengths and weaknesses?
9. Defend physicalism against Frank Jackson’s “knowledge argument”.
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