Compare and contrast various philosophical positions

Critical Essay Assignment
Analyze various philosophical arguments to determine how they are used to support the overall positions and systems of particular philosophers and philosophies
Compare and contrast various philosophical positions, and their supporting arguments, to determine which position is more valid, sound, and persuasive
The student will craft their own original arguments and examples to harmonize with and support the overall positions and systems of particular philosophers and philosophies
The student will express their original arguments, explain philosophical positions, and critique and evaluate philosophical arguments, all while using good grammar, spelling, and writing technique to the best effect possible
Students must use one primary source text and at least one secondary source text.
A primary source for our purposes is an original philosophic work, such as any of the writings of Plato, Aristotle, Marcus Aurelius, Kant, Nietzsche, etc.
Secondary sources involve analysis, synthesis, interpretation, or evaluation of primary sources. They often attempt to describe or explain primary sources. Secondary sources include our textbook, peer-reviewed academic journal articles, etc. Non-scholarly sources, such as Wikipedia, History.com, or the dictionary, are unacceptable.
While paraphrasing is fine, the body of your paper should not contain more than 10% worth of direct quotes from outside sources. I want to seeYOUR analysis in YOUR own words.
PARAMETERS
A critical essay is a written assignment in which analysis and close reading of a philosophically significant, short passage is undertaken in order to illuminate a philosopher’s meaning or message. It is related to—but very different from—a persuasive essay (where a student makes an argument in order to persuade) or a research paper (where a student compiles information for various sources to support a thesis). Each philosophy student must complete a critical essay in order to successfully complete PHIL 1301.
The essay must be 500 words long plus a Works Cited page. The essay must be formatted in standard MLA format: 1” margins, Times New Roman font, 12-point font, double-spaced, pages numbered at top right with last name, first page formatted with information and centered title. Citations should be parenthetical and follow MLA conventions.
Here’s a link that explains MLA format you can refer to:
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/24/
Students should decide on three elements to create a proper thesis to explore in their critical essay:
Choose a philosopher.
Choose a specific primary source written by the selected philosopher that addresses the chosen topic. Students should also use one secondary scholarly source.
Choose a philosophical focus/topic. Students must already have a passage in mind in order to choose something in that passage to focus upon.
APPROVED PHILOSOPHERS
Thales
Anaximander
Anaxagoras
Anaximenes
Heraclitus
Parmenides
Pythagoras
Plato
Aristotle
Albert Camus*
Augustine [philosophy of religion]
Blaise Pascal
Boethius† [philosophy of religion]
Christian Wolff†
Christopher Hitchens [atheism, political philosophy]
Copernicus
Cornell West
David Hume†
Edmund Husserl† [phenomenology]
Eugene Thacker [philosophy of horror]
Franz Kafka*
Friedrich Nietzsche
Fyodor Dostoyevsky* [existentialism]
Georg W. F. Hegel†
Giordano Bruno
Gottlob Frege†
Graham Harman [speculative realism]
Hannah Arendt
Immanuel Kant
J. C. Friedrich Hölderlin*
J.J. Rousseau
Jacques Derrida
*Individuals marked with an asterisk (*) are not generally considered philosophers in the traditional sense, but have written works that may work for this assignment. Extra approval is needed by the instructor.
†Individuals marked with an obelisk (†) are particularly challenging and not necessarily recommended for beginning students in philosophy. However, students with a particular interest in them should consider them approved (and of course, more credit for the bold.)
SUGGESTED TOPICS
good and evil
justice [dike]
truth [aletheia]
Being [Dasein, Sein, presence, existence/existenz]
Becoming
spirit
soul
God(s) or theism
atheism
freedom
punishment
violence
beauty
property
meaning of life
purpose of life
history
nature [physis]
fear
horror
dread [Angst]
victory [nike]
prejudice
bias
humor
love
luck
destiny
fairness
fate
destiny
determinism
Logos
techne
blasphemy
secular/sacred
usefulness or utility
HIERARCHY OF SOURCES
Each critical essay must be centered on one primary source selection. However, you may want to consult one to three other sources. You must be very careful and selective about using sources other than your primary source. Remember, this essay relies on your interpretation of a source, not your opinions, nor is it a research paper where you collect sources to support your thesis. Support for your thesis comes from your close reading of a text, the primary source.
How should you pick sources to use? Here is a guide for the order of importance:
The primary source (REQUIRED)
Commentary on the primary source by a contemporary of the philosopher
A well-known, established philosopher’s commentary on the primary source
A well-known thinker’s commentary on the primary source (other than philosophers)
Any philosopher or thinker
You may also consult books on word origins, the history of (Germany, Austria, etc.) where your philosopher lived, alternate translations, and lexicons (if looking at an interlinear translation).
Do not cite from these (though you may consult them):
Encyclopedias
Dictionaries (unless you are specifying etymology)
General introductions or textbooks
Do not cite OR consult from:
Wikipedia, Yahoo answers, or anything open-sourced or crowd-sourced online
Strangers you meet on the street
Friends, relatives or roommates who once read a book or saw a documentary on philosophy

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