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Writing Center

Writing for Philosophy 110

 by Janette Schue (‘92), Monica Redstone Meier (‘97), and Sharon Williams  

Good writing is a key aspect of a well-argued philosophy paper. Like all other papers, philosophy papers should be well-planned and organized. Your language should be simple and direct, and your argument should be clear and well-supported. Avoid grandiose statements such as "Since the beginning of time, mankind has searched for Truth."
 

When Evaluating a Philosophical Position:

Prepare
Make sure you are very familiar with the text on which you are writing, and develop your own opinion in response to the assignment. As Professor Rick Werner says, "If you try to write about something with which you are unfamiliar, it will sound hollow and superficial to the reader." Begin with a specific thesis statement, or claim, in mind. (You may choose to revise or clarify your thesis statement later.) Try to construct an outline of your essay before you begin writing.
 
Explain the Writer's Argument
Explain the writer's major premises and conclusion. This step may be relaxed or done subtly as long as you sufficiently explain the argument. If the argument is long or complex, you may decide to select only the premises necessary to your discussion. If you are writing an expository essay, strive to explain philosophical concepts clearly and thoroughly. If you are writing an argumentative essay, demonstrate the relation between your claim(s) and the author's by examples or analogies to support your thesis.

Evaluate the Writer's Argument
Be sure to state your thesis statement in the first paragraph. In the body of the paper, challenge yourself to examine both the strengths and the weaknesses of the argument, and provide evidence to support your claim. Consider the following questions in your evaluation:
  • Do the premises seem true/reasonable?
  • Does the conclusion follow from the premises? and, perhaps,
  • Does the argument take anything questionable for granted?
If you think the writer's argument is a sound one, defend it against what you take to be major objections to it. Support an argument because you think it is a good one, not simply because you agree with its conclusion.  

If you think the argument is not sound, develop a major criticism of it. You can criticize an argument on at least two grounds: the content (truthfulness) of the premises, and the logical structure of the argument. Make the nature of your criticism clear in your discussion. Your evaluation of an argument should be judicious. Never claim to have "disproven" an argument when you have only pointed out the weaknesses in it. Always attempt to consider the opposing viewpoint in as charitable a way as possible; this will make your own criticisms appear stronger.  
You may examine more than one criticism, but all criticisms should be strong criticisms, and your treatment of them should be thorough. 

Avoid vagueness; be specific in your criticism or support of an argument. Opinions alone are not convincing; provide reasons. Cite specific language and develop specific examples that support your position.  

As you write, ask yourself the following questions:
  • Am I making claims that are true and accurate?
  • Can I express what I want to say more clearly?
  • Does every sentence contribute directly to my central thesis?
  • Does each paragraph develop a single idea, and does the arrangement of paragraphs follow a logical procession?
  • What can I do to make the reader's job easier and the paper more enjoyable to read?
Conclude Your Discussion
Remember that you do not necessarily have to come to a single conclusion; whether your conclusion is straightforward or complex, make sure that it is clearly explained and is supported by your argument.

Special thanks to members of the Philosophy Department at Hamilton College: Kathryn Doran, Amie Macdonald, Mark Migotti, Andrew Norman, Robert Simon, and Richard Werner.

HOURS:
Mon.-Thurs.: 10 a.m. -11 p.m.
Fri.: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Sun.: 1 p.m. - 11 p.m.
Open additional hours for computer use.


TO SCHEDULE, CANCEL, OR INQUIRE ABOUT A WRITING CONFERENCE:
Call (315) 859-4363 or stop by the Writing Center
(K-J 209).

  • To email your draft: wcpapers@hamilton.edu
  • Drafts longer than six pages should be submitted 24 hours in advance.