Philosophical Essay

This assignment will be submitted to Turnitin®. Instructions Task: This 4 – 5 full page (not to exceed 6 pages) Philosophical Essay you will be writing due Week 7 is designed to be a thoughtful, reflective work. The 4 – 5 full pages does not include a cover page or a works cited page.

It will be your premier writing assignment focused on the integration and assessment relating to the course concepts. Y

our paper should be written based on the outline you submitted during week 4 combined with your additional thoughts and instructor feedback. You will use at least three scholarly/reliable resources with matching in-text citations and a Works Cited page.

All essays are double spaced, 12 New Times Roman font, paper title, along with all paragraphs indented five spaces. Description: You will pick one of the following topics only to do your paper on:

According to Socrates, must one heed popular opinion about moral matters? Does Socrates accept the fairness of the laws under which he was tried and convicted?

Would Socrates have been wrong to escape (CO3)? Defend a view and support your thesis. In the context of the movie, The Matrix, discuss the philosophical issue of either (1) skepticism or (2) the mind-body problem. Explain how the movie raises questions similar to those found in Plato’s and Descartes’ philosophy (CO5 & CO6).

Do not give a plot summary of the movie – focus on the philosophical issues raised in the movie as they relate to Plato and Descartes, and defend a thesis related to one of the philosophical issues (skepticism or dualism). Socrates asks Euthyphro, “Are morally good acts willed by God because they are morally good, or are they morally good because they are willed by God?” (1) How does this question relate to the Divine Command Theory of morality? (2) Is Divine Command Theory and accurate or plausible moral theory? Defend a view and support your thesis (CO4).

Explain (1) the process by which Descartes tries to refute skepticism (including discussion of The Cogito), and (2) what first principle does this lead him to? (3) Was Descartes successful in refuting skepticism? Defend a view and support your thesis (CO2).

Your paper will be written at a college level with an introduction, body paragraphs, a conclusion, along with in-text citations/Works Cited page in MLA formatting.

Students will follow MLA format as the sole citation and formatting style used in written assignments submitted as part of coursework to the Humanities Department. Remember – any resource that is listed on the Works Cited page must have an in-text citation in the paper to match or this is considered plagiarism.