First Essay Topic

In most fields, there are questions that are controversial. For instance, physicists may have different opinions about how the solar system began. But most of us think that there is something else to physics besides these opinions. We presume that there are facts  about what the world is really like, even if we don’t always know (and perhaps may never know) what those facts are.

We also know that people have different opinions about whether or not God exists. But are there facts, as opposed to mere opinions, concerning the existence or nonexistence of God? Are there states of affairs by virtue of which it is either true or false that God exists? Is God’s existence or nonexistence an objective  matter? Justify your response.

Clarify this issue, and deal with the above questions as straightforwardly and as compellingly as you can in fewer than three hundred words.

This is not a research paper. You need not do any outside reading for it. A printed copy of your essay is due in class on Friday, October 1. An identical electronic copy of your essay is due on the Turnitin site before 6:00 p.m. that same day. (I recommend that you not leave this to the last minute. Allow for difficulties. Your essay may be submitted to Turnitin at any time before the official deadline, including a day or two earlier.) A paper will be deemed late if it fails to meet either of these deadlines.

In this instance, late papers will be penalized in the following way: I will expect more of them; that is, I will expect them to reflect the fact that the student had extra time to work on them, and I will grade them accordingly. In addition, late papers will not receive written comments.

Make sure that you have read the material referred to on the home page for this course about academic honesty.

I recommend that students consult the document, "Writing a Philosophy Paper". A link to this guide (as well as one dealing with "Quoting, Paraphrasing and Summarizing") can also be found on the Philosophy 240 home page. You may also want to read the information about various abbreviations used in grading.

Here's a link to a tutorial on avoiding plagiarism.

Return/transfer to the Philosophy 240 home page.