You will be required to write an 6-8 page paper on a topic related to the course. After picking your topic, you must develop a thesis on it. Your paper must then argue in support of that thesis by utilizing academic citations from course readings. You may use outside sources, but these are not required.
Your topic can be strictly abstract, dealing with an issue solely in philosophical terms. You also have the option of developing a philosophical thesis about a real-world issue. News events, films, television shows and personal experiences may be incorporated.
Term Paper Rubric
▪ Introduce the issue, presenting both sides of the debate. (10 points)
▪ State your thesis on the issue. (10 points)
▪ Explain the arguments on each side of the issue. (30 points)
▪ Quote readings from the course on each side of the issue. (20 points)
▪ Cite page numbers when quoting text. (10 points)
▪ Explain why your thesis is the best way of approaching the issue. (20 points)
1. Pick a topic you find interesting. This can be a real-world issue like capitalism, censorship, gun control, abortion rights, environmentalism or capital punishment. It can also be purely academic: Buddhism v. Aristotelianism, Eastern Philosophy v. Western Philosophy. It can also be a blend of the two: What would Kant say about capitalism?
2. Then, explain both sides to the argument, quoting authors on each side of the debate. Explain what the people on one side think, then explain what people on the other side think. Use the text to support your characterizations. Buddha would say this… or Kant would say that…
3. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each side of the argument. Explain what you think are good ideas and which you dislike. Here, you can really make the paper your own. Incorporate news events, movies, books, personal experiences and your own views. This will result in you deciding which side of the argument seems most correct to you. This will be your thesis statement: “I think this is the most appropriate way to view the issue.”
4. Conclude the paper and then go back to the beginning and write your introduction. Your introduction should lay out the debate that’s going to take place within your paper. The last sentence of your first paragraph should be your thesis statement.
This is the topic -The Ethics of Euthanasia: Explore the moral principles underlying the debate on euthanasia, examining arguments for and against the practice from various ethical perspectives.
