PHL 001 Winter 2001

Christian Perring

Due on Jan 24

1500-2000 words

You can create your own paper topic, if you get my permission.

The point of getting you to write a paper for this course is to get you to think carefully and deeply about the issues for yourself, and then to express your ideas as clearly as possible. Writing a paper is a sustained piece of work that should take you several days. It is also your main chance in this course to develop your own ideas and think them through. In your paper, whatever the topic, you should pay careful attention to what the primary texts (i.e., in this course, the ancient ones).You need to show you have read them carefully and understand them. I recommend that you carefully select passages from them to support your interpretations and argument.

Your paper should be typed, with double-spaced lines, so there is enough room for me to add comments on each page. You must keep an extra copy of your paper (either hard copy or on disc) in case I mislay your paper. Good spelling, grammar, and writing style are necessary for clear paper writing, and you will lose points if your paper is unclear. It can be useful to do some research beyond the course book, and your paper should include references and a bibliography. You can do research on the Internet, but you should also use at least one book. The class web page will contain some links to relevant books and web sites. The Dowling Library staff will do their best to help you search for a book to help you write your paper, so do not be shy in asking for their help.
 

Important: if you copy any information from any source you need to acknowledge that source in your paper. If you directly quote from another source, you must make this as clear as possible. If a substantial portion of your paper (draft or final version) is copied from another source without acknowledgment, then you will automatically fail the course and I will notify the Chief Academic Officer. If I like your paper, or if I want to check that you have written and understood what you have handed in, I may ask you to meet with me to discuss your paper. You must be able to meet with me within 7 days of my contacting you.
 

On your paper (both draft and final version) you must write and sign the following statement:
"This work contains no unacknowledged writing by others. It has been written with academic integrity."
You must also provide a phone number, fax number, e-mail address or other way you can be easily reached.
 

For detailed information about my policy concerning plagiarism and hints about how to write a good paper, go to the web at faculty/cperring/guide.html
 
 

Your paper (draft and final version) must contain a bibliography.

Going into detail is better than a broad survey. Focus rather than breadth.
 

1. Compare the views of the Epicureans, the Stoics, and Buddhist thought about how to be happy.

2. Compare the teachings of Jesus with the ideas of Buddhist thought.

3. Is there any reason to take the ideas in the Book of Genesis seriously?

4. Are there any good arguments for any of the metaphysical views of Ancient Greek philosophers (the pre-Socratics, Plato, or Aristotle).

5. Is the advice of the Stoics useful?