Kant believed that ‘the good’ resides in a person’s will.
Section 1 (Summary): In the first section of your paper, explain the Stoic “dichotomy of control”. Give an example of something we can control. Give an example of something we cannot control. Second, explain how the Stoic view of the will is similar to Kant’s (Hint: it has nothing to do with freedom or will-power).
Section 2 (Evaluation): In the second section, tell me whether you think the dichotomy of control is a useful approach to the world. Why or why not?
Your paper should be 300-600 words (about 1-2 pages). This is a target/suggestion, not a hard-and-fast rule.
Your paper should have two sections. Label them “Section 1: Summary” and “Section 2: Evaluation”.
The title of your paper should be “Short Paper 3: Deontology”.
Think through this on your own. Avoid using outside sources, but if you do use them, cite them!
As for the level of discussion: a good rule of thumb is to imagine that you are explaining this argument to a smart peer in the class who is otherwise up-to-date on the course readings, but has not read the chapter.
Clarity: Use simple, direct language; avoid complicated, elaborate prose. Explain key concepts. Use examples where appropriate. Avoid metaphor and figurative languag. Don’t use rhetorical questions; instead, state and defend your claims.
Concision: Don’t use many words where fewer will do, and avoid redundancy. Do NOT include an introduction; it’s a waste of space in a paper this short. Just immediately begin answering the assigned prompts. Likewise, there is no need for a conclusion that merely sums up your short paper.
Relevance: Stay focused, and avoid generalities. The point of this essay is for you to explain and evaluate a specific argument given by a philosopher. Stick to the point; avoid tangents; everything in your paper should be organized around the prompts.
Charity: Avoid distortive presentations of the arguments (or anyone else’s). Give every argument you discuss the strongest, reasonable interpretation.
Citations: Every paper you write should include parenthetical citations!
Citation Guide:
For your papers this semester, you will be encountering new material that you will need to summarize and evaluate. Because the information you will use is new, you need to cite your sources. That means that if you use the textbook or my powerpoints to help you summarize the material, you should cite those! Failure to cite class resources carries with it a five point penalty. Failure to cite outside sources results in a ‘0’ on that assignment, plus a report to administration. NOTE: EVERY PAPER YOU WRITE IN THIS CLASS SHOULD INCLUDE CITATIONS, NO EXCEPTIONS!
My citation formatting is simple! Just put your source in parentheses after the information you cite, and be sure to include the page number if it is the book. For example, you can use any of the following formats, depending on your source:
Philosophy literally means “love of wisdom” (p. 5). OR: Philosophy literally means “love of wisdom” (Powerpoint). OR: Philosophy literally means “love of wisdom” (video).
Thanks to modern technology, it is very easy to copy material from just about anywhere and paste it into a discussion forum post, essay, paper, or other assignment. But this is a temptation you want to be sure to avoid. Why?
Because it is plagiarism and the penalties for it are harsh (ranging from a zero on the assignment to an F in the course or worse).
Because it’s easier than you may think for instructors to detect it (plus we have tools to help us).
But most importantly — because it doesn’t help you learn. Reading material, thinking about it, and then doing the hard work of expressing it in your own words is an excellent way to understand and remember it.
Occasionally, it can be OK to quote another’s words to add emphasis to your writing. But think of quotes like strong spices in cooking: a little bit goes a long way and too much will ruin the dish.
If you must quote others, do so sparingly. Any time you use another’s words you must put them in quotation marks — no exceptions! And you must provide a reference to the source. For discussion board posts, if quoting the textbook, a simple MLA in-text citation will do – just note the author’s last name and page number in parentheses at the end of your quote, like this: (Volti, 189). If quoting another source, you’ll need to include details (such as a web address) to clearly tell readers where you got it. But again, in most cases it is better to state it in your own words instead!
