Search results
the satisfactions of philosophy are often derived from, first, discovering and explicating how they are logically connected to the Big Questions, and second, constructing and defending philosophical arguments to answer them in turn. Good philosophy proceeds with modest, careful and clear steps. Structuring a Philosophy Paper
- 90KB
- 7
- Read The Texts Carefully, Asking Questions
- Organize Your Ideas Into A Logical Structure
- Augment Your Thesis with A Road Map That Reveals The Structure of Your Argument
- Show Your Understanding Through Clear and Accurate Exposition
- Critically Evaluate A Philosophical Theory
- Develop Your Own Answers to Philosophical Questions
Before you write a paper, though, you need to understand the course texts and recommended readings. Philosophical works need to be read slowly and with focused attention. As you read, ask yourself the following: 1. What philosophical question(s) is the author addressing? 2. What exactly is meant by key ideas or concepts in the text (e.g., Plato’s “...
Take notes as you read. Then put your ideas for the essay into a logical order. Because philosophy papers proceed by logical argument, creating a point-form outline that captures the structure of your argument is generally a good strategy. An outline will allow you to spot problems in your argument more easily.
Most assignments will require you to present a clear thesis statement that sums up the position for which you are arguing. In the introduction you should also provide a ‘road map’—a few sentences that announce in sequence what you intend to accomplish in each of the key stages of your paper. Road maps often rely on first person (“First, I will anal...
Try to make your expository writing as clear and accurate as possible, and try to show the logical connections between the different parts of a philosophical system. Avoid vague or overly brief exposition, serious omissions, or misunderstandings. In some first year courses, an early assignment may ask you to write a short paper expounding but not e...
When studying a philosophical theory, you will need to think about both its strengths and weaknesses. For example, is a particular theory of art (such as the view that art is the expression of emotion) comprehensive: does it apply to all the arts and all types of art, or only to some? Is it logically consistent or does it contain contradictions? Ar...
In the type of critical assessments above, you are already, to some extent, articulating your own philosophical positions. As you read texts in a course on, say, philosophy of mind or philosophy of art, you should be asking, based on what you have read so far, which theory is the best? Don’t be content to just understand theories and know their str...
Ultimately, a philosophy paper is supposed to be an investigation into what you think about a given position, problem, argument, etc. Indeed, it is very important that you cue your reader about who is claiming (assuming, arguing, etc.) what. Use language in such a way as to distinguish the following cases:
Writing a good philosophy essay is challenging but worthwhile. Some of the most important skills the study of philosophy can help you to acquire are skills of analytical thinking and clear expression: writing essays is the main way you will develop those skills.
Stumped on a philosophy essay? Learn how to make a good outline, and stick to a few dos and don'ts to help you ponder (and write about) the deep questions.
In philosophy, a good essay is one that, among other things, displays a good sense of this dialectic of question and response by asking insightful, probing questions, and providing reasoned, well-argued responses.
People also ask
What makes a good philosophy essay?
How to write a philosophy essay?
What do you write in a philosophy exam?
What are philosophy essay topics?
What is philosophical writing?
What makes a good conclusion to a philosophy essay?
You may find the extra help below useful when writing Philosohy essays. What makes a good philosophy essay? (PDF , 18kb) This guide to writing Philosophy essays was written by Gordon Finlayson
