Are functionalist approaches a significant improvement on behaviorism? Do functionalist approaches capture the essence of mental states? Writing your first papers in philosophy This is a guidance for students who are writing philosophy for the first time. I know that some of you have already written papers in philosophy before, but I thought everyone might find this guidance helpful. 1. To write good philosophy, the first thing you need to do is explain what the issue or problem is. You should not assume the person who will be reading your essay knows that. Please assume that the audience of your paper is not me (i.e., instructor) but a friend of you, who is interested in the question of what is a mind but has not attended the philosophy of mind course. 2. Please try to make a good introductory paragraph that is clear (including your definitions or explanations of the technical terms you would like to use, for example), correct, and as complete as it needs to be in order to serve as the foundation for your arguments and assessment. Such a brief introductory paragraph should lay out your view (namely, a “thesis statement”) by providing a very concise sketch of your planned defense of, or criticism against, the given philosophical position. 3. Your assessment will be judged not on the truth of your conclusions, but on the clarity, strength, depth, and interest of the defense you provide them. You are not even required to come to a definite conclusion. If you cannot decide, for example, whether consequentialism succeeds in explaining the essential nature of morality, you should say so. But you should then try to convince your reader that indecision is, on balance, the best response—or at least a plausible response—to the argument’s strengths and weaknesses. 2 4. Always, it is much wiser to develop one or two points thoroughly rather than to touch superficially on four or five. You should strive to address issues that are central rather than peripheral. 5. Develop your points. Try to take the discussion beyond the point that we reached in class discussion. 6. The Principle of Charity: Consider possible objections to your view. Do not content yourself by saying that something is unclear. Imagine how it might be clarified, and then ask whether the imagined clarification succeeds. Always ask how the philosopher you are criticizing might respond to what you say. 7. Present examples or illustrations to clarify and support your position—this is particularly important in the philosophy of mind papers. 8. You must quote relevant passages (from the primary readings in the textbook) to support your views and arguments. On referencing: The most convenient form for references to the reading (sometimes known as “MLA style,” after the Modern Language Association, which has endorsed it) is parentheses within the body of the text: thus, for example, (Hursthouse, “Virtue Ethics”, p. 783 in NIP) (PowerPoint slide, Week 2) You can then give the full details in the bibliography, though you don’t necessarily need to use secondary sources other than the readings covered in class.
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