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I have HW in philosophy. the detalis and the recorment all in the file attached. I want the paper prompts to be Prompt 1: Culling on the Ark.
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PHIL 401
11 MARCH 2024
PROF. NINA WINDGÄTTER
Five Sentence Outline *Extended* Instructions
Formatting:
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At the top (before the sentences) include:
o Full name as it appears on Canvas
o Date
o PHIL 401.
o “Prompt” & chosen prompt number (“Prompt 1”).
▪ This helps with sorting before grading.
▪ Check the Concise Instructions (which also have the Prompts) to make sure
you have the correct Prompt number.
Each “Sentence” needs to be an actual sentence.
o Learn more about punctuation: Semicolons, colons, and dashes. You can use
these items to connect two related thoughts within the context of a sentence.
o Formatting for sentence text:
▪ Please use size 12 of a normal font (ex: Calibri, Times New Roman) or
size 11 of a big font (Garamond, Book Antigua).
▪ Please refrain from using ugly fonts.
▪ All outlines must be single spaced, and aligned to the left.
o If your paper is longer than 1 page, it should also have page numbers.
The sentences should each be labeled 1-5 to correspond with each sentence’s function.
o You need to include each sentence’s label (Ex. “2. Argument 1 Tagline:
”).
Skip a line between each single-spaced sentence, such that there is a physical space in
the form of an empty line of text between each sentence. This will help with grading!
The Bibliography should be labeled 6.
o Include the first entry on the next line, so that you have “6. Bibliography” on
one line, and the bibliography entries start on the next line.
o Look up how to do your citations correctly!
o You can use MLA, APA, or Chicago Style as long as you use them consistently.
o See below for what sources you ought to cite.
What follows is an explanation of each of the six components of this assignment:
1. Thesis Statement
2. Argument 1 Tagline
3. Argument 2 Tagline
4. Objection
5. Response
6. Bibliography
Click on the Bookmarks tab, on the left of the PDF, near the top to
jump to any section where you have a question.
The Prompts & Learning Objectives are in the Concise Instructions.
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1. Thesis Statement
Your thesis should not just state your opinion “X should do Y” in this case; it should say that
the conclusion is the case because of some specific reason that has to do with your chosen
theory/concept. (For example: In this paper, I will argue that one ought to walk away from the
Omelas, because walking is good exercise, exercise maximizes happiness for people, and people ought to
maximize their own happiness. Note: this is a structurally good thesis, but a bad otherwise.)
Your thesis should begin “In this paper, I will argue that…” and should be bolded
(and perhaps underlined too because it is so important: your choice about underlining!).
It should be a combination of your first argument & second argument, essentially
saying that “Because my first argument is true, my second argument is also true.”
While at the start of writing your paper you’ll have some idea of the why (Ex: utilitarianism), as
you write the paper, you’ll likely find that one or two aspects of the theory/concept are doing
the work (Ex: the importance of exercise and physical health to happiness). I advise revising
your thesis once you have a complete draft of the assignment, and perhaps again after you’ve
finished editing it so that it completely reflects the specific argument of your paper.
Another helpful verbal clue is to think of your thesis as the first paragraph in a clickbait
story: it should give away all of the specialness of your argument and convince the reader
that you have something important to say, so the paper is worth reading. After reading your
thesis, I should be able to anticipate Argument 1 & Argument 2, and perhaps your response to
the objection as well, because I should fully understand your take on this case.
While in some styles of writing, saving a surprise for the end is valued, in philosophy
we want our readers to critically engage with our text the entire time that they read. It is
much easier to do this if, as a reader, you know what exactly the argument is. So, put the whole
argument along with its special sauce as your thesis statement.
In writing arguments, it is easy to get wrapped up in the conclusion—what, exactly, you think.
In this paper, the conclusion only matters a tiny amount: what matters most is how you get
there. What plausible premises support your conclusion? Why should I, the reader, support
that view? If I agree with you on this conclusion, do I have to agree with other (perhaps
ludicrous) things? These are the questions that you should be asking yourself as you write this
paper, and these are the questions that your paper should end up answering.
With some assigned papers, the challenge is to fill the required word limit. With this
short outline, the challenge is often what not to say. You’re not just providing arguments for
your thesis; you’re making tactical decisions about what the best arguments are for your
stated position, and you’re eliminating everything that isn’t laser focused on your thesis.
I suggest having a second document where you cut and paste text that you do not use
in your final draft. I usually call mine “. Control X” (the cut command on
Windows).
2. Argument 1 Tagline:
Your first argument will be a defense of a theory or concept from the class. In it, you want to
both EXPLAIN and JUSTIFY the theory/concept. For the explain function, you’re making it
clear what the theory/concept says. For the justify function, you’re explaining why you (yes,
you!) think the theory is compelling, such that others ought to think that it is compelling.
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As I say in the Learning Objectives of this assignment, choose your Prompt and with it
your theory/concept well! I call this the “exam function” of papers: by picking your topic and
thesis, you’re picking what course content you want to become an expert in, and you’ll be
graded in part on your mastery of that chosen content.
Certain Prompts require certain theories/concepts, so make sure you look at the
Prompts carefully. The requires concepts/theories are under the bolded question, in bullet
point form. If you have another philosophically interesting approach to answer the bolded
question that doesn’t rely on the listed theories/concepts, see me in Office Hours before the
assignment is due for permission.
Like with your thesis, Argument 1 needs a tagline that perfectly encapsulates both what your
theory/concept says and why you think the theory is right. For the example paper, the tagline
would be something like One ought to maximize happiness because happiness is the only intrinsically
valuable thing. Be as specific as you can!
You ought NOT mention the case from the Prompt in Argument 1 (theory/concept
ONLY!), because if you were to actually write this paper, you would need significant words
to explain and justify the theory/concept. So, Argument 1 is all about laying the foundation
for Argument 2 in which you’ll apply the theory to the case from the Prompt.
See note in Objection section labeled “Argumentum ad Absurdum Version of this Paper” for a different
way to write your paper, which relies on setting up Arguments 1 & 2 to prove something, only to
disprove that that thing has been proven using your Objection & Response.
3. Argument 2 Tagline:
Your second argument will apply the theory/concept from Argument 1 to the case in your
chosen Prompt. This is where you mine the insights from Argument 1 and use them to
enrich Argument 2 in ways that will help you prove your thesis. So this argument is
explaining your take on the case posed in your chosen Prompt, by utilizing the resources from
Argument 1.
In this section, you need to apply your theory/concept to your chosen question, but
how you apply the theory, what you think is most important, and when you argue what is up
to you. Focus on what you think is most interesting, puzzling, significant, or morally
relevant in the case, given your chosen theory/concept.
As with Argument 1, you need a catchy, bolded tagline that serves as the thesis for this
argument, as this is all you’re turning in for this assignment. For the example, this tagline
might be Exercise is necessary and sufficient for happiness, and walking away from the Omelas
maximizes exercise by encouraging the most possible amount of walking.
4. Objection:
To successfully make your argument, you need to defend it against at least one strong
objection (if all I needed to say to refute a crucial part of your objection is “Really?!!1?” then
your argument is not very strong). The places where you need the most argumentation are the
places that do the most work for you—those are the places that people might disagree with
you, and the places where if your argument fails, your conclusion would obviously fail. (Please
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feel free to come and see me to confirm where in your argument the most work is being done.)
These are the places where you need to give detailed sub-arguments. You will not have space
to respond to more than one objection, so choose your one objection wisely.
To successfully make your argument, you will have to consider and address the most
serious objection you can think of to your argument, and this objection should be to a central
claim you’re making, that does a lot of work for you. Often the best way to make an argument
for something is to respond to the best objection against it. If you can show that the best
reason to think that X is wrong doesn’t actually show that X is wrong, then you’ve gone a long
way to showing that X is right. (Note: you can also argue against a position by building an
argument for it, and then posing your strong objection to it, and showing how that position isn’t
defensible because of the strength of the objection. See below for more details.)
And remember, use the principle of charity, and cast your opponents’ arguments in the
best possible light. Don’t say someone is completely wrong, unless you can back it up. Be
honest with how much your arguments have damaged others’ arguments.
In general, there are two types of objections:
A. Objections that an Argument or Support is false or exaggerated, and therefore your
thesis doesn’t hold (your argument isn’t “sound”).
B. Objections that your supplied arguments don’t jointly prove your thesis, such that
even if everything you argue is true, your thesis may not be true (your argument isn’t
“valid”).
You should begin your objection, “Someone could object to my argument that…” or “In
response to my argument, someone might say…” and the like, making it clear that this isn’t
your authoritative voice but rather the voice of a potential critic. So in our example paper, I
might say Someone could object to my argument that one ought walk away by arguing that things other
than exercise—such as strong social bonds, consistent food and shelter, or living in a just society—create
more happiness for humans.
Argumentum ad Absurdum Version of This Paper
The instructions so far have assumed that Argument 1 & Argument 2 support your thesis.
That is how most students choose to write philosophy papers. There is, however, another
possible route.
Sometimes the best way to make an argument is to argue that the strongest reason to
believe something isn’t a strong reason upon reflection. This strategy—called argumentum ad
absurdum, reductio ad absurdum, and negation argument among other things—relies on setting
up Argument 1 & Argument 2 to sound really intuitive and appealing, and then using your
Objection & Response to show how these arguments actually lead to ridiculous, absurd, or
impractical conclusions. If this strategy appeals to you and you’d like to learn more, come to
office hours. Note that this is harder to pull off in an outline than in a paper.
Another option (especially if you find that you don’t have enough space in Argument 1 &
Argument 2) is to use your Objection & Response to extend your analysis and add nuance.
This approach looks something like this:
• Thesis: Argument 1, Argument 2, & Response insights combined.
• Argument 1: theory/concept from course.
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• Argument 2: application of theory/concept which is stronger or weaker than what you
think is actually justified.
• Objection: challenge Argument 2 for being too strong/weak.
• Response: agree with Objection, revise Argument 2 in ways that allow for the nuance
that you want and will have in your thesis.
So, if you find that you don’t have the space in two arguments to fully defend your thesis,
consider how you can use the objection as a rhetorical device to add nuance to your
arguments, and best represent what you want to argue!
5. Response:
After considering the strongest objection to your argument, you need to respond to it.
The best objections and responses allow the strongest and most original features of
your argument to shine through. They allow you to refocus the reader’s attention on things
you said earlier, that were cool and interesting things that do work for your argument. They
give you space to further elaborate important points, to show the nuance of your argument.
In this assignment, your Response also serves as the conclusion to your argument, so
you want to make sure it reiterates your thesis. This is the last thing (other than the
bibliography) that I will read.
In general, one has three moves to make in response to an objection:
i.
Argue that the objection is wrong. This is what most people first think to do
when someone disagrees with them: prove they shouldn’t disagree. Perhaps the
objection misunderstands a key nuance of the argument, fails to make a
distinction, commits a logical fallacy, confuses two points, gets the facts
wrong, or fails to take into account secondary considerations. The point is that
the objection is misplaced, and isn’t a real worry.
ii.
Argue the objection has some merit, but its harms are outweighed by other
considerations. This move acknowledges the concerns raised in the objection,
but points towards more serious concerns that mitigate or outweigh the
objection’s concerns.
iii.
Argue the objection is mute. Whether or not you support the objection, you
should support the thesis. Often there is a worry that people have that could
distract them from recognizing the strength of your arguments and thesis, that
applies to arguments similar to your own, but you cleverly construct your own
argument to sidestep this issue.
In our working example paper, I might choose ii above and argue that While there are things
other than exercise that can increase happiness, only walking can maximize happiness because it is, in
fact, the thing that makes people happiest, and since the city of Omelas has walls, one could never walk
sufficiently in its limits. Luckily, this is a fake paper and I don’t have to find the evidence to back
that up!
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6. Bibliography:
In arriving at your arguments or in coming to understand the case discussed in your Prompt,
you likely used sources. This includes course readings, videos, Lecture Videos, lecture, or
recommended materials. If you use something, cite it!
You can do this in MLA, APA, or Chicago style. However, for any style, we’ll call this
section “Bibliography” and unlike other papers, this will be on the same page as your written
work (your 5 sentences). Again, you can use any of these styles, so long as your use is
consistent and contains all the relevant information someone would need to look up the source.
Include page numbers where available in text.
Look up how to do your citations correctly! I’ve also posted a video on how to do
citations and how to use Microsoft Word’s Reference tab to save and correctly format sources.
For References in Word: go to the References tab at the top of Word (see below for an
image), and click “Manage Sources.” Click “New” at the bottom of the central column of links
in boxes. It then asks you to input the information for your sources. When you’re done, you
can click “Bibliography” on the References tab, under where “Manage Sources” was, and insert
a bibliography style of your choice.
Using outside sources is not required, but you are required to back up factual assertions with
citations. Depending on what you argue, outside sources may be unnecessary or completely
necessary. I also choose readings & recommended readings with paper arguments in mind, so
make sure to reread or rewatch anything assigned for the week your topic or theory came up!
If you did a bunch of research to arrive at your arguments, show your work by
including those references!
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Five Sentence Structured Outline Paper Topics
Length: Exactly 5 sentences (semicolons (;), colons (:), em dashes (—) allowed) & bibliography.
Due: Friday 3/29 @ 10pm EDT to the Assignment on Canvas.
Worth: 10% of your Final Grade (100 points in Structured Outline category).
Concise explanation of assignment:
For a more detailed explanation of each component of this assignment, see the Extended Instructions on
Canvas & associated instructional videos.
You are essentially creating an outline of a short philosophy paper, in response to one of the
four prompts below. In order to complete this assignment, you will have to write and think
about far more than the limited number of sentences you turn in. You will turn in exactly
five sentences & a bibliography, each of which fulfills a function of a five paragraph essay:
1. Thesis Statement—a concise statement that both explains your complete answer to the
bolded question of the prompt and explains why you think your answer is justified.
2. Argument 1 Tagline—a concise statement of your first argument, which should be
theoretical or foundational—a concept/theory from the course & explanation of why
you support the concept or theory.
3. Argument 2 Tagline—a concise statement of how the concept/theory from Argument 1
fits with the case of your chosen prompt, and why.
4. Objection—a concise statement of the best and strongest reason of why someone might
disagree with Argument 1 and/or argument 2.
5. Response—a concise statement that both responds to the objection and serves as a
conclusion to your arguments here, reaffirming your thesis.
6. Bibliography—a list of sources you cite, would cite if you wrote the actual paper, and
that you used to figure out your approach to the prompt. At a minimum, it must
include a citation for the science fiction that your chosen prompt involves.
The Extended Instructions tell you more about each of these components of this assignment.
Formatting: You will be turning in:
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exactly 5 sentences (semicolons (;), colons (:), em dashes (—) allowed) & bibliography,
labeled 1-6 to correspond with each sentence’s (& bibliography’s) function,
skipping a line between each single-spaced sentence, and
using the labels above (Ex. “1. Thesis statement: In this paper I will argue that…”).
At the top (before the sentences) include:
o Full name as it appears on Canvas
o Date
o PHIL 401.
o “Prompt” & chosen prompt number (“Prompt 1”). This helps with sorting before
grading.
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Your sentences should reflect significant and nuanced thought about the prompt and
material covered in class. You should treat this assignment like a paper, and will likely write
a similar amount of rough-draft material as you would for a paper. However, unlike a paper,
you are only turning in exactly five sentences.
For more information, see the Assignment on Canvas. It includes many helpful resources!
Learning Objectives for Structured Outlines:
Students will:
• Employ class concepts and theories to make coherent, step-by-step arguments.
• Demonstrate mastery of one or more class concepts or theories in Argument 1.
o I call this the “exam function” of papers: by picking your topic and thesis, you’re
picking what course content you want to become an expert in, and you’ll be graded in
part on your mastery of that chosen content.
• Write a thesis which defends and justifies a clear and concise answer to one of the
bolded questions, attached to a prompt below.
• Develop their analysis in response to one prompt below and formulate, collect,
construct, combine, reorganize, rearrange, and revise their analysis until it is as clear
and concise as they can make it for this assignment.
• Consider & reply to an objection in a way that supports their thesis.
• Utilize course sources to support and defend their arguments.
Paper Prompts:
Answer one of the four questions below, with a unified thesis and systematic defense of that
thesis using the required format (5 sentences & bibliography, labeled 1-6).
Prompt 1: Culling on the Ark
In The 100 episode Twilight’s Last Gleaming, the Ark life support system is broken, and the
Ark will run out of air in 4 months unless 320 people are culled. Any delay in culling will
result in one additional necessary deaths every 2.4 hours. For the purposes of this paper,
the ground is not habitable, so 320 people must die or everyone will die (unless they get
very lucky and somehow figure out how to fix life support more quickly, which has a very
low probability of happening).
Question #1 to which your thesis must respond:
• How ought the Ark Council go about making the decision of
who dies, and ought they inform people of the culling? Justify
your answer. (Note that the ground is NOT habitable.)
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Argument 1 MUST justify & explain an ethical theory from this unit:
o Utilitarianism (someone who believes this theory is a “utilitarian”).
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PROF. NINA WINDGÄTTER
Respect for persons (someone who believes this theory is a “respect for
persons theorist” (feel free to shorten the theory to “RFP” by putting that
in parentheses after first use—EX: “Respect for persons (RFP)”).
Virtue Ethics (someone who believes this theory is a “virtue ethicist”).
Prompt 2: Living with the Omelas
In Le Guin’s “The Ones Who Walk Away from the Omelas,” people live fulfilled and happy
lives because a child suffers perpetually. Most people think the suffering of the child is
justified because of the happiness of others, but others disagree and leave the city.
Question #2 to which your thesis must respond:
• Suppose you were a citizen living with the Omelas. Is it
permissible, obligatory, or impermissible to walk away from the
Omelas? Why?
•
Argument 1 MUST justify & explain an ethical theory from this unit:
o Utilitarianism (someone who believes this theory is a “utilitarian”).
o Respect for persons (someone who believes this theory is a “respect for
persons theorist” (feel free to shorten the theory to “RFP” by putting that
in parentheses after first use—EX: “Respect for persons (RFP)”).
o Virtue Ethics (someone who believes this theory is a “virtue ethicist”).
Prompt 3: Asylum for the Cogenitor
In the Star Trek: Enterprise episode Cogenitor the Enterprise encounters a technologically
sophisticated species called the Vissians, which have three biological sexes. The third sex,
called “cogenitors,” comprise only 3% of the population and are necessary for reproduction.
Despite the same latent cognitive abilities, cogenitors are treated like objects, denied names
and an education. Trip, the lead engineer of the Enterprise, believes that the Vissians are
treating the cogenitor on their ship—Charles (pronouns: they, them, their)—impermissibly,
so he intervenes and teaches the cogenitor how to read. After Trip’s actions are discovered,
and Charles is punished by the Vissians, they come aboard the Enterprise and request
asylum. Assume Archer is aware of the 1951 Geneva Convention on Refugees (see
PowerPoint from 3/1). This is a moral question and not a legal question, so it doesn’t matter
whether Earth still adheres to that Convention.
Question #3 to which your thesis must respond:
• Is it permissible, obligatory, or impermissible for Captain
Archer to grant Charles asylum? Justify your answer.
•
Argument 1 MUST justify & explain an ethical theory from this unit:
o Utilitarianism (someone who believes this theory is a “utilitarian”).
o Respect for persons (someone who believes this theory is a “respect for
persons theorist” (feel free to shorten the theory to “RFP” by putting that
in parentheses after first use—EX: “Respect for persons (RFP)”).
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Virtue Ethics (someone who believes this theory is a “virtue ethicist”).
Prompt 4: Inner Light or Inner Kidnapping?
In the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode The Inner Light, the people on the planet
Kataan realized that their planet was ceasing to support life and that they lacked the
technical sophistication to send their people to another habitable planet. So they build a
probe that will force someone to live a lifetime on their world in under an hour. As Batai
tells Picard, “We hoped our probe would encounter someone in the future. Someone who
could be a teacher. Someone who could tell the others about us.”
Question #4 to which your thesis must respond:
• Was Kataan’s decision to create a probe that would force
someone to live a lifetime in their society and on their planet
morally permissible, obligatory, or impermissible? Justify your
answer.
•
Argument 1 MUST justify & explain an ethical theory from this unit:
o Utilitarianism (someone who believes this theory is a “utilitarian”).
o Respect for persons (someone who believes this theory is a “respect for
persons theorist” (feel free to shorten the theory to “RFP” by putting that
in parentheses after first use—EX: “Respect for persons (RFP)”).
o Virtue Ethics (someone who believes this theory is a “virtue ethicist”).
Further notes:
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See posted samples & instructional videos on Canvas.
Look up how to do your citations correctly!
Learn more about punctuation: Semicolons, colons, and dashes.
See posted rubric for more information on how your paper will be graded.
Please take full advantage of the readings & videos for this unit!
You’ll need to back up why you believe in the theory in Argument 1.
There is no need to use outside sources for some of these prompts, but if you are
making factual claims, you will need sources to back them up. Check the week’s
recommended readings!
Remember, you need a central thesis that gives not only your answer to the question,
but also the main reason(s) for your answer.
Check the paper writing resources for help, and come to office hours! See Canvas for
extended office hours.
Follow the formatting guidelines above (see the Extended Instructions for more
details).
Assignment must be uploaded as a pdf, doc, or docx.
See Syllabus for information about:
o Extensions (email with requested deadline, more than 24 hours in advance).
o Policies regarding written work.
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